Los Pinchudos Archaeological Site

Río Abiseo National Park, Peru
16th century
Deep within jungles of the vast Río Abiseo National Park is an array of pre-Hispanic ceremonial structures, dwellings, terraces and platforms, roads, and funeral buildings. Los Pinchudos, among the most important of the park's 36 archaeological sites, consits of a group of seven wood and stone funerary chambers situated on two levels of a steep cliff. The exterior surfaces of the chambers are decorated with inlaid stone mosaics and red, yellow, and white paint. Anthropomorphic sculptures, miraculously preserved, hang from cornice timbers under the eaves of the principal chamber. Los Pinchudos' stone block foundations and chamber walls are shifting in a process of steady deterioration. The slow collapse is due to seismic activity, natural fatigue of building materials, and exposure to the elements. Although the park is well managed, visitors have repeatedly damaged the chambers. Los Pinchudos will soon be lost, because of the harsh environmental conditions and accelerating deterioration. An appropriate preservation plan would include prioritizing structures most in danger, implementing conservation measures, and establishing a maintenance program. Río Abiseo National Park is on the World Heritage List as both a cultural site and natural area.