Cerro La Regla - 1.2.2009

One hot Sunday in the month of February, my husband and his friend had a great idea to show me one of the hills in the surroundings of Lima, which is also an archaeological site. I was curious to see that famous hill, because my husband told me, how bad his country treats such sites, as this place was completely robbed, and all you see, says my husband, are rests of the pre-Hispanic cemetery. He told me that some groups of people use to go to the hill Cerro la Regla to perform rituals. I was curious to see that place, so we met up with his friend, who lives just near the hill, and went together to visit the place.

I must say I was astonished to see in how bad conditions the housings were in the part before you reach the local cemetery, which is part of the Municipality Callao. I wondered why they don't construct streets in that part. Once reached the cemetery, I was astonished even more to see how the cemetery looks like. I've never seen something like that.



From the cemetery the path leads uphill. On the left you see the cemetery, and the city above, and on the right, on one top there are illegal housings, where they have no water or electricity. There are even tombs covered with stones and garbage.

The beginning of the path is unfortunately covered with garbage, and in this period of time, summer, it smells really awful. I guess why they don't clean up this path, as this site is supposed to be an archeological site, protected by Law.

Well, if this is the way, how cultural heritage is treated, I thought, this is really a shame for the country. And look at this garbage.

And on the hill near this garbage there is an illegal human settlement, which most probably is the cause of this garbage.

Passing the garbage and the sign saying this is a cultural heritage, in 20 minutes of very slow walk. Well my walk, cause it was terribly hot that day. At the top of the Cerrlo la Regla, there is a statue of Virgin Santa Rosa. People come to the hill, to thank the Virgin and to pay contribute, some come to the hill to perform strange rituals.

believers visiting the statue of Virgen Santa Rosa


rests of a ritual, performed recently on the hill Cerro la Regla

From the hill it is possible to see the sea, and the air plane landing at the nearby airport in Callao.
And the view from the Cerro la Regla of the surroundings:

My husband found some really old and well preserved cloths that should be in the museum, and studied to see from which time are they, and to whom they belonged.

Why this rests are left there and not in a museum is a question I cannot answer, and neither can the Ministry of Culture, as in Peru it does not exit yet. Maybe this is why some archaeological sites are not preserved, or worse, are robbed and destroyed, while the Peruvian government is bothering with the question to open a Ministry of Culture or not. Why bother when some items can be sold for a really high price, even from Museums. Very sad for a country that claims to have one of the oldest cultures in the world.