Hiking The Huari Temple and Warivilca Ruins of Huancayo, Peru
After a good ride, one can easily stumble upon the main route of the Inca Trail and The Warivilca ruins. We stood on the Inca trail in amazement. This was once used many years ago by many people. Today, what was the Inca trail is now a dirt road used for everyday transportation by people in the village.
Looking up the steps from the ruins.
The temple is in back, and the Inca trail runs horizontally in front of
the wall. The Huari Temple was constructed between 800 A.D. - 1100
A.D.
The Warivilca area was a positive place of worship and offered a good vibe during our visit.
Looking across from inside the Hauri
Temple ruins.
A
cross section reveals the sound architecture used to construct the Huari
Warivilca temple. People wishing to pray and share their spirit
waited in these cross sections for their turn.
During the discovery of these ruins, many pieces of history were found, ranging from old pottery to a mummy.
The mummy lies on a table inside a newly
constructed museum.
We were fortunate to be one of the first people to view the mummy. She was found inside the Huari temple above. As one can see, she was bludgeoned several times on the head. She was estimated to be about thirty five years old. She was a unique victim in this temple, as she was tied up to a tree, stoned and left for the animals to eat. She obviously committed a serious crime to deserve such a punishment in a temple like this. When she was found, falcons were tied around her ankles. They faced upward which represented always having eyes on her.
The Hauri temple in Warivilca allows a first hand view at historical times in The Central Andes of Peru. To visit this temple, you can contact.
*Feature written and photographed by Phillips, May 2001. Information on this adventure can be documented through Incas del Peru, Huancayo, Peru.
GUIDE NOTES AND DIRECTIONS:
The ruins are a twenty minute bike ride or hour hike from Huancayo.