Exploring Peru's Royal Inca Road above tree line, we found unexpected Chulpa burial towers for nobility alongside larger kulkas for food storage. Most Chulpas are near Lake Titicaca, but these sit along the Capakanyan road running from Cusco to the Amazon jungle. Local name? Nina Mara, meaning fire. Construction quality is less refined than at Silustani and Cutimbo. An intriguing outlier in Inca death and storage practices.
Chulpa funeral towers and kulkas discovered on Royal Inca Road above tree line
Key facts
- Small Chulpa towers served as funeral towers for nobility, larger ones called kulkas were food storage houses
- Site located along the Kapakyan (Royal Inca Road) running from Cusco to the Amazon jungle
- Most Chulpa towers in Peru are found near Lake Titicaca; this location is unusual as an outlier
- The structures are less well-made compared to those at Silustani and Cutimbo near Lake Titicaka
- Nina Mara means 'fire place' in the local language
Sources
The Ancient Chullpa of Peru - On Verticalityonverticality.com
A chullpa is an ancient above-ground tomb built of stone or adobe, constructed by the Aymara people. They can be as tall as 12 m (40 ft).
Chullpas at Sillustani: Where the Colla nobles sleep for allperu.travel
The eternal resting place of the high plains nobility, the imposing chullpas of Sillustani stand on the shores of Lake Umayo, in Puno.
Chullpas: The funerary towers of the Aymara - Annees de pelerinageannees-de-pelerinage.com
The ancient funerary towers of the Aymara people are scattered around the area of Puno. Almost unknown, the Chullpas impress with their monumental beauty.
A chullpa is an ancient Aymara funerary tower originally constructed ...alamy.com
A chullpa is an ancient Aymara funerary tower originally constructed for a noble person or noble family. Chullpas are found across the Altiplano in Peru and ...
Discover the Mysteries of Sillustani: Peru's Ancient Burial Towers by ...exoticca.com
The chullpas at Sillustani served as funerary towers for the elite — high-ranking officials, priests, and their families. The dead were buried in a fetal ...
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