Cywilizacja Markawasi; MARKAWASI – MARCAHUASI Mystery
Olabloga.pl: Cywilizacja Markawasi
http://www.olabloga.pl/cywilizacja-markawasi
Nie jest bardzo znana, więc większość ludzi nie ma nawet pojęcia, że istniała. Dziwne, ponieważ okolice mają wszelkie predyspozycje, żeby przyciągać tłumy turystów.
Markawasi, to „Święty las” w Andach – na terenach Inków, konkretnie 80km na wschód od Limy. Cywilizacja została odkryta dopiero w XX wieku, ponieważ do tego czasu ludzie omijali te tereny. Dlaczego?
Mówi się, że podobnie jak inne ziemie Inków, były one świadkami kontaktów ludzi i kosmitów. Oczywiście nie jest to naukowa opinia, jednak powstała w trochę inny sposób, niż na większości okolicznych terenów. W przypadku Markawasi nie mówi się o świątyniach Słońca, czy korytarzach Inków, ani właściwie o żadnej formie architektury, ale o bardzo niecodziennych formach geologicznych.
Żywe skały
Foto: incaglossary.org
Skały na terenach „Świętego lasu” są przyczyną tego, że wielu mówi o nim jako o jednym z cudów świata. Mają niesamowite kształty. Geolodzy i zwolennicy nieco mniej przyziemnych teorii spierają się w jaki sposób nabrały one swojej formy. Ci pierwsi twierdzą, że kształty są efektem zwykłej erozji, jednak druga grupa jest przekonana, że nie ma takiej możliwości, ponieważ formy skalne przybrały kształty zbyt podobne do znanych nam istot – teraz już mocno zniszczone, ale wciąż widoczne.
Część turystów i badaczy twierdzi, że widzi w skałach figury psa, kondora, bogów z mitologii egipskiej i wielu znanych istot. Spora część ludzi nie rozpoznaje tu zupełnie żadnych znajomych kształtów. Rozbieżność opinii na temat form można wytłumaczyć na różne sposoby. Po pierwsze – cienie układają się na skałach różnie w zależności od pory dnia (i nocy). Czasami dana skała może wyglądać na niemal płaską, a innym razem wszystkie szczeliny, zagłębienia i nierówności stają się bardzo widoczne.Wiele zależy również od kąta obserwacji.
Badacze
- George Hunt Williamson (pisarz, badacz nieznanej historii rodzaju ludzkiego) – to on nazwał Markawasi „Świętym lasem”. Według niego, miejsce służyło obcym cywilizacjom, lub boskim stworzeniom, które decydowały tu o losach świata. Również Inkowie podkreślali boskie znaczenie tego miejsca.
- Daniel Ruzo (peruwiański kryptolog i fotograf, pierwszy archeolog popularyzujący Markawasi) – odkrywca płaskowyżu. Poświęcił życie badaniom tajemniczych zakątków świata, a Markawasi było jednym z najważniejszych w całej jego karierze. Ruzo był tak oddany pracy, że mieszkając kilka lat w okolicy i zawierając przyjaźnie z miejscowymi Indianami, poznał i rozpowszechnił nowe teorie na temat powstania kamiennych „rzeźb”. Twierdził, że pewne symbole powtarzają się w wielu miejscach na Ziemi (Markawasi, Dolina Królów, Stonehenge, Tepotzlan w Meksyku) – sam oglądał je, podróżując po świecie. Mało prawdopodobne, żeby obce sobie ludy korzystały z tych samych wzorów żyjąc w tak odległych miejscach i dawnych czasach. Kontynuatorzy Ruzo często mówią o kontaktach cywilizacji z obcymi. Uważają również, że bez pomocy z zewnątrz, ludzie starożytni nie potrafiliby obrabiać kamienia tak, jak robiono to w miejscach domniemanych kontaktów z pozaziemską technologią.
- Kathy Doore (amerykańska podróżniczka) – według niej płaskowyż miał być siedzibą bogów. Tici Viracocha (stwórca) zamienił ich w kamień, kiedy zbuntowali się przeciwko niemu.
- Roman Warszewski (polski dziennikarz, autor książki „Marcahuasi – kuźnia bogów”) – również popierał wersję, jakoby kamienie były kiedyś żywymi istotami, jednak prawdopodobnie nie chodziło tu o bogów. Podobno kamienie mogą ożyć, jeżeli ktoś zakłóci ich spokój. Warszewski pisze również, że część z kamieni, to rzeźby, a część powstała z udziałem procesu wietrzenia. Te pierwsze można było najłatwiej poznać po oczach. Kamienie nie posiadały ich, jednak w dzisiejszych czasach procesy erozji zatarły również większość kształtów rzeźb, więc ciężko znaleźć tak drobne szczegóły.
- Bill Cote – twórca dokumentu o Markawasi
Iluzje
„Święty las” wydaje się żyć. Zarówno przez cienie, które sprawiają, że na skałach można zobaczyć zwierzęta i bogów, jak i przez legendy, które o nim krążą. Pobudza wyobraźnię. Jest wyjątkowy.
Szczególną uwagę trzeba zwrócić na „pomnik ludzkości„. Patrząc na niego w różnych porach dnia i nocy, oraz z różnych stron, zobaczymy wizerunki czternastu ludzi. Np. z jednej strony będzie to człowiek Zachodu, z drugiej – Bliskiego Wschodu. Różnią się między sobą tak, jak ludzie na planecie. Mniejsi i więksi. Podobni do tych, których spotkamy w najróżniejszych obszarach globu. To jakby symbol, łączący ludzi różnych ras i pokazujący ich jako jeden gatunek.
Jest bardzo wiele „rzeźb”, a ich kształty są tak różnorodne, że ciężko znaleźć zbieżność. Ważniejsze i bardziej znane, to:
-twarz marsjanina – podobna do tej ze zdjęć NASA. W jej okolicy wykrywa się mocne pole magnetyczne
-Sfinks
-prorok
-Stary Inka
-Alchemik
-popiersie Fryderyka Chopina (prawdopodobnie jest to nadinterpretacja, jednak miło byłoby mieć taką sławę w tym magicznym miejscu)
Foto: garbo.ro
Markawasi to miejsce gdzie ludzie i bogowie wydają się żyć razem w kamiennych formach. Jest położone na wysokości 4000m n.p.m.. Chociaż wciąż w ludzkim świecie, to również blisko nieba, obszaru zarezerwowanego dla boskich bytów. Kontakt z bogami, lub strategiczna pozycja obronna musiały być najważniejszymi powodami do budowania miast w takich miejscach, ponieważ samo życie jest tam bardzo ciężkie. Trzeba doprowadzić wodę, zmagać się z bardzo zmiennym klimatem i wielkimi amplitudami temperatur.
Ciężko jest utrzymywać kontakty handlowe i jakiekolwiek inne z resztą świata, ponieważ tak wielkie wysokości, to długa droga w górę i gigantyczny wysiłek przy transporcie towarów, jak również materiałów do budowy miast. W okolicach Markawasi występowały mocne trzęsienia ziemi, więc budynki musiały być wyjątkowo wytrzymałe – z tego zresztą znana jest tamtejsza architektura.
Wiele religii pokazuje boskość pewnych miejsc i symboli właśnie przez stawianie ich na wzgórzach, lub innych wysokich miejscach. Wszyscy znamy Akropol, górę Olimp, świątynie Azteków (z wysokimi schodami w górę). Obrzędy religijne były tam prowadzone właśnie dlatego, żeby być jak najbliżej bogów, lub identyfikowanych z nimi później gwiazd.
Symbole
Znaki spotykane tutaj i powtarzające się w innych miejscach na Ziemi według badaczy symbolizują harmonię ludzi i sił natury, oraz kosmosu. Markawasi uważa się za miejsce mistyczne, duchowe, które prawdopodobnie jest połączone w jakiś sposób z innymi na globie – często bardzo oddalonymi, jednak ciężko powiedzieć w jaki konkretnie sposób i czy w ogóle się ze sobą kontaktowały. Przecież w czasach, w których powstały symbole, ludność danych terenów nie miała pojęcia o innych. Mówi się tutaj, że bez wpływu z zewnątrz, znaki nie miałyby możliwości rozpowszechnić się na tak odległych od siebie ziemiach.
Ciężko powiedzieć, dlaczego „Święty las” nie jest oblegany przez turystów, ani wymieniany w przewodnikach i na internetowych stronach turystycznych. Właściwie, bardzo na tym korzysta. Rzeźby stoją tam od wieków, niezniszczone, a ich spokój nie zostaje zakłócony. W końcu kto wie, co zrobiłyby istoty, wybudzone z długiego snu, widząc jak ludzie niszczą ich raj na Ziemi…
Amaru Marka Wasi
| Location | Peru |
|---|---|
| Region | Cusco Region, Cusco Province, Cusco District |
| Coordinates | 13°30′20.30″S 71°57′52.91″WCoordinates: 13°30′20.30″S 71°57′52.91″W |
Amaru Marka Wasi, also known as Wak’a Amaru Marka Wasi, (Quechua wak’a a local god of protection, a sacred object or place / sacred, amaru snake, marka village, wasi house,[1][2] hispanicized and mixed spellings Amarumarcahuasi, Amarumarkahuasi, Amaru Markahuasi), Salunniyuq (Salonniyoq, Salonniyuq), Salunpunku (Salonpunku), Laqu or Laq’u (Lacco, Lago) is an archaeological site in Peru.[3][4] It is situated in the Cusco Region, Cusco Province, Cusco District, north of the city of Cusco. It lies east of the archaeological site of Saksaywaman (Saqsaywaman) and south of Tampu Mach’ay and Puka Pukara, near Q’inqu.
This site named Amaru Marka Wasi was possibly the former residence of Amaru Yupanki (Amaru Yupanqui), also known as Amaru Tupaq (Amaro Thupa, Amaro Tupac), the eldest son of Pachakutiq Inka Yupanki.[5][6]
See also
References
- Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk’ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary)
- Diccionario Quechua – Español – Quechua, Academía Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, Gobierno Regional Cusco, Cusco 2005 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary)
- Hugo Bravo Zúniga, La Architectura Presente en la Sacralidad Andina, Amarumarkahuasi o Templo de la Luna (Saqsaywaman)
- Brian S. Bauer, The Sacred Landscape of the Inca: The Cusco Ceque System, University of Texas Press, 1998
- J. E. Williams, The Andean Codex: Adventures and Initiations among the Peruvian Shamans, Canada, 2005
Paul Richard Steele, Handbook of Inca Mythology, Santa Barbara, California, 2004, p. 98
Marcahuasi Camping Semana Santa Gratis – Caminatas Nocturnas – Markawasi 2015
En este evento NO se cobrará GUIA, ni nada parecido. Es una invitacion libre para lo que quieran unirse a un grupo que vamos siempre todos los años a Marcahuasi (4000 msnm).
Las personas, CON O SIN EXPERIENCIA, que deseen experimentar un viaje diferente a Marcahuasi estan invitadas.
NINGUNA EMPRESA DE TURISMO OFRECE RECORRIDOS A LA MESETA DE MADRUGADA O EN LA SUBIDA. es por eso que se creo un grupo abierto de amigos que Sí hacemos esa clase de excursiones. Cada persona lleva sus equipamientos y corre con sus gastos, que estan detallados lineas abajo.
Adelantando lo que está explicado al detalle lineas abajo, EL COSTO EN SOLO TRANSPORTE TOTAL, IDA Y VUELTA, ES DE 41 SOLES.
Para los(as) que van por primera vez se esta indicado, ADEMAS, como llegar a la meseta de Marcahuasi, que ES DE FACIL ACCESO (es un camino marcado, ancho, de facil paso), a 7 horas de lima (con caminata incluida) desde que salen desde la puerta de su casa hasta que llegan a Marcahuasi. Y lo necesario que se debe llevar para el camping.
El grupo PRINCIPAL estará desde el dia jueves 2 de abril – domingo 5 (4días).
LAS PERSONAS QUE SOLO VAN A ESTAR UN SOLO DIA coordinar por este medio, ademas de avisar por imbox.
Marcahuasi se encuentra a 4000 msnm, La temperatura es de 0°C(cero grados) en la madrugada con cielo estrellado y 23°C al medio dia, mucho sol y cielo despejado.
Esta es una invitación libre para los(as) que quieran ir al campamento con o sin experiencia, en la meseta de Marcahuasi en semana santa, no solo para compartir amistades sino también para experimentar la real belleza que nos regala la naturaleza en las horas de la madrugada, a partir de las 3am donde realizaremos caminatas por la meseta a lugares estratégicos de Marcahuasi. Cabe resaltar que esta establecido que TODOS LOS DIAS DEL EVENTO (2,3,4,5 de abril) HABRÁ LUNA LLENA, que son condiciones óptimas para hacer caminatas nocturnas sin linternas, disfrutando en todo momento del paisaje, sombras amorfas y posibles eventos inusuales.
Tiempo de demora a Marcahuasi y costos de PASAJES
1.-De lima a chosica
(bajar cerca a parque echenique):1h 30min ….. S/.3.00 (CHOSICANO)
2.-chosica a San Pedro de Casta(SPC): 2h 30min ……S/.15.00 (hasta 7pm)
3.-SPC a Marcahuasi (Caminata, mas lento y barato):3h…S/.5.00 (ingreso a marcahuasi)
COSTO DE RETORNO (S/.15+S/
TOTAL trasnporte ida y vuelta………………..
OBS: todos pagan ingreso a Marcahuasi, menos residentes o familiares en SPC
En el punto (3.-) solo cambiará segun tome las siguientes opciones:
(*)SPC a Marcahuasi
– (con burro, solo carga equipaje) …………..3h………S
– (con caballo, solo carga 1 personas, sin equipaje)….2h………S/
– (con transporte Minivan, caminata 30min)………………..
OBS: Este servicio de animales o minivan es aproximadamente hasta las 7pm.
IMPORTANTE: El transporte que lleva de CHOSICA a SAN PEDRO DE CASTA SE TOMA CERCA AL PARQUE ECHENIQUE y SOLO HASTA LAS 7PM APROX. Es un paredero informal donde las CUSTER se estacionan. esta cerca donde terminan todos los transportes que llevan a chosica, preguntar al chofer o cobrador, los lugareños o SERENAZGO: paradero para san pedro de casta. ES MUY FACIL UBICARLO.
ALIMENTOS
Solo en el Anfiteatro de Marcahuasi venden almuerzos, cenas, desyunos. los precios varian desde 4soles una sopa o segundo hasta 10 soles una trucha frita o pachamanca. Para ahorrar gastos se sugiere llevar lo siguiente, variado, que equivale a un dia completo.
desayuno: yogour de soya o leche, mermeladas, chocolate(para recuperar energias por la caminata y el frio), pan serrano, de maiz, galleta de agua, habas tostadas, cancha tostada, que es poco perecible. anis, hierva luisa, filtrante. platanos, banana, etc
almuerzo o cena: charqui de res, carnero, llama(se tuesta en leña o come directo) pueden llevarlo tostado desde casa, no es perecible por 1 semana. atun o enlatados variados como frejoles, menestras, etc. galletas, queso, papa (a la leña con papel aluminio). parrillas sea pollo, carne, chorizo, etc
HAY AGUA DE MANANTIAL EN MARCAHUASI LAS 24 HORAS DEL DIA, SOLO LLEVAR BOTELLA VACÍA. TAMBIEN VENDEN GASEOSAS.
BASICO PARA CAMINATA MADRUGADA (0°C madrugada)
Es obligatoria llevar como minimo para la caminata de madrugada:
zapatillas de cuero o adecuado que no deje escapar el calor de los pies. solo para uso de madrugada. evitar que se moje con sudor si va usarlo para subir a marcahuasi.
2 pares de medias o calsetines largos de lana gruesa.
pantalon termico, casaca termica para que no se escape calor corporal. dentro de estos tendra puesto pantalones de uso cotidiano como jean o calentador, chompa de lana y polos manga larga
Guantes, chalina, chullo o pasamontaña. o colocarse chompa de lana en la cabeza, usar mangas como chalina.
Las demas indumentarias son conocidas y segun los dias que se quede en marcahuasi se recomienda llevar carpa, sleeping, aislante del suelo para que no pase el frío cuando se cueste, etc
En SPC y Marcahuasi alquilan frazadas, colchones de aire, carpas, etc pero no confiarse por que si hay demanda, estará agotado.
RECOMENDACIONES PARA EL ASCENSO DE SPC a MARCAHUASI
(La caminata durará 3h SOLO si es experimentado)
En SPC venden hojas de coca para chanchar, tambien mates de coca. Se sugiere prepararlo en su casa y hacerlo bien concentrado( compra la hoja de coca en los mercados de barrio). Esto es para las personas que no saben si le afecta la altura, mas vale prevenir. las pastillas generalmente no hacen efecto, se recomienda la coca.
si es posible, llevar temprano a SPC y estar un par de horas o mas ahi para que su cuerpo se habitue a la altura, descansar o dormir si puede. No hacer la caminata al medio dia o hasta las 4pm. el sol es insoportable, le causara malestar en la noche. subirlo de preferencia a partir de las 4.30pm y con ropa ligera: viviri, short o bermuda, sandalias tipo yanqui u ozota. si su prenda se moja del sudor, secarlo en la fogata. si no sabe si le afecta la altura, no almuerze o coma poco, solo tome yogour o coma panes para que no tenga hambre.concéntresee en respirar por la nariz, profundo y exhalar por la boca para que no le falte oxígeno y no le afecte la altura.
Debido a la Radicacion solar que siempre presenta la sierra a esas alturas, deben llevar bloqueador UV para usarlo cuando esten a la luz del sol desde las 10:30am hasta las 3pm
cualquier duda o sugerencias, coordinaciones, por favor, por medio de una publicacion en este evento.
MARKAWASI – MARCAHUASI
Mystery, Myths, Mummies & More
Part I
By Alan Matthew
MARKAWASI – MARCAHUASI
Mystery, Myths, Mummies & More
Part I
By Alan Matthew
Markawasi – Marcahuasi is a magical plateau that exists high in the Peruvian Andes. It is place that time seems to have forgotten and a place I have returned to repeatedly since first discovering it 21 years ago. At an approximate altitude of 13,000 feet the sky seems to caress you and the silence can be truly amazing. On Markawasi there are ancient structures built by a pre-Incan civilization including burial huts ripe with skulls and bones. Marcahuasi is a wonderful place for camping, trekking, exploring and soul searching.
My first visit to Markawasi was true serendipity. My day job, so to speak, consists of me standing in the chaotic trading pits at the Chicago Board of Trade. I trade for myself and I had made some money so I paid my bills and took off for a month to Peru. I travel to out of the way places as much as I can as the trips provide a needed respite from the stress and pressure of working in the pit.
I had no idea that this trip would lead me to a mysterious plateau called Markawasi and an encounter with the unknown.
In late December of 1987 I visited the Nazca Lines and then celebrated New Years Eve in the town of Paracas on the southern coast of Peru. I then took a tour bus to Lima. I was the only gringo on the bus which was mostly full of Peruvian women who had also been celebrating in Paracas. During the 6 hour ride to Lima we talked and laughed about many things including UFO’s. Remember this was around the time that Shirley McClane became infamous because of her book and movie, “Out On A Limb.”
One woman on the bus introduced me to a young college student named Bozo who told me he could take me to a place to see UFO’S, what Peruvians call Ovni’s. I balked at the whole idea but he persisted, saying Marcahuasi was a great place to go camping. He talked about sitting around a campfire and looking at the stars, after awhile I was hooked. The very next day we made plans to visit Markawasi.
Our plan consisted of me renting a car and Bozo renting the camping equipment. I rented a small car and Bozo and I drove off to the Marcahuasi Plateau high up in the Mountains of Peru. In 1988 the terrorist group ‘The Shinning Path’ was active, many roads in Peru were absolute chaos. Our drive up the mountain was treacherous and tiresome. The mountain road is a single lane gravel road with the mountain on one side and the cliff on the other. The undercarriage of the car kept getting caught on the grooves of gravel and I had to drive with the tires on top of the rocks. Bozo had not impressed upon me the need for a 4 by 4 vehicle.
The gateway to Markawasi is the mountain village of San Pedro de Casta which is at an altitude of approximately 10,500 feet. We arrived in the village behind schedule. It was here that I first met my guide Don Manuel. We put our gear on a mule and began the two hour hike up the mountain to Marcahuasi.
As we were late Bozo kept telling me that I needed to hurry up so we would arrive on Markawasi before sunset. It was a gruesome trek in the altitude, and my mood towards Bozo kept getting darker.
We made it to a lone hut as the sun set. I looked around and saw massive stone structures exuding a regal strength. I could see across a vast sea of mountain ranges, and I became aware of how quiet and still it was.
I looked in on Bozo who was unpacking our gear. I was livid, Bozo had brought two flimsy sleeping bags but no pads. One sleeping bag was of the Boy Scout cotton type and the other was a synthetic fill bag with a broken zipper. We were at an altitude of 13,000 feet in a stone hut with a mortar floor, tin roof and no door. Bozo’s stories of campfires on Markawasi somehow faded as we had no firewood, no stove, and no marshmallows.
The real deal breaker came when Bozo smiled a huge grin and unpacked our food supplies. He had brought one tin can of hotdogs, one bag of spongy white bread, one bottle of rum, and a tied plastic bag that held our only drinking water. Thankfully I had my Swiss army knife. Bozo had to use one of the blades to open the can of hotdogs, and his flashlight went out so we used mine.
I was on edge, this was not the adventure I’d signed on for. When I grew up there was a popular children’s TV show called “Bozo’s Circus.” The star of the show was a clown with huge shoes and bizarre red hair named, Bozo. My guide was living up to his namesake.
After an unappetizing dinner Bozo suggested that we go outside and look for Ovni’s. At that point to say I was skeptical, would be kind. We climbed on top of some rocks and sat scanning the night sky. I must say it was a beautiful cloudless evening. There seemed to be an unusual amount of shooting stars that appeared to be skimming horizontally above the mountain valley. The stars then stopped by a nearby mountain. Then they began to move up, down, and back and forth. Bozo spoke very quietly and told me they were Ovni’s. I flat out told him he was crazy and that if there was such a thing as an Ovni it would be this huge space ship right over our heads. With that said one of the stars increased in brightness.
Bozo suggested we concentrate on the light, and imagine the light coming towards us. I decided to play along and we spent a minute focusing on the brighter star. Sure enough the star glided across the sky toward us and stopped right overhead. As I gazed up I saw a massive luminous golden sphere. I was in shock and awe.
I fumbled for my camera but a part of me didn’t dare look away and miss a second of the phenomena. After awhile a certain anxiety started to overwhelm me, and false bravado took over. I stood up and began shouting at this thing overhead. I was screaming, “Come and get me you cowards, come on down here!” At the same time I kept shining my flashlight towards the sphere.
Apparently that wasn’t the magic mantra because the sphere began to move back over the valley to the place where we first began watching it. After a few minutes the light decreased about fifty percent in intensity and continued it’s up, down, back and forth movement. After about 15 minutes the light went out but you could still see a dark object against the sky continuing the same movement. Bozo had proven right.
We climbed down and went into the hut for the rest of the night. I was mentally distraught lying awake listening to Bozo snore the entire night. I was also jumpy because a light wind kept tugging on a flimsy piece of plastic we’d covered over the door opening making odd sounds.
When the first light appeared I left the hut and went for a walk. I was extremely tired and dazed when I came across a flat rock that had what looked like a large cross cut into it. It seemed inviting and I stretched out and dozed off. I woke up a short while later because it felt like the rock was vibrating and there was a faint humming sound like a tuning fork.
What can I say? I was so far from home and so far out of my element I wondered if the whole thing wasn’t a dream. I had no personal experience to compare the events of the past 24 hours. Circumstances that were once unreal seemed suddenly to be real. I could not even imagine the reaction I would get back in the pit if I tried to tell the other commodity traders about my experience. Back in Chicago in the trading pits things are pretty much black and white, and in your face. Sold is supposed to mean sold, and buy is supposed to mean buy. Money can come and go like magic but flying objects don’t manifest overhead.
Yet here I was alone on this mountain plateau and a part of me felt like I was home. A part of me felt alive and happy to be there. I guess it was what some people call a peak experience with a mixture of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I walked back across the plateau to the hut where Bozo was still snoring.
When Bozo awoke we decided to hike across the plateau. He wanted to show me some of the stone figures that Markawasi is known for and he would point out various rocks telling me their names and what they looked like. I kept telling him that I didn’t necessarily see the images, and that he had a good imagination. I will say that during other visits and at various times of the year, at certain angles and light, the figures do show up clearly. Maybe that’s simply a metaphor for life.
Markawasi is known as a Stone Forest. Among the most identifiable figures are The Monument to Humanity, The Prophet, The Alchemist, The Face of Mars, and the Tortoise.
Later in the day Don Manuel arrived with his mule and we began the trek down to the village. Little did I know that this would be the first of many journeys that I would make to Marcahuasi.
The experience on Markawasi has stayed with me like a recurring dream. I’ve visited on a yearly basis for the past 14 years, sometimes 3 times a year. Apart from any paranormal experience the plateau may offer, I enjoy simply spending time on the plateau. I love the hiking and camping in clean air with top of the world views. On cloudless nights the view is dream like, the entire Milky Way stretches out among the heavens and you see satellites and shooting stars dart across the sky. If you arrange ahead of time local guides can have firewood sent up to the campsite adding another element to your experience.
The plateau itself has many areas to explore including the ruins of ancient villages and burial huts.
There’s a large open flat area known as the Amphitheater and another massive rock structure at the very end of the plateau called the Fortress or “Forteleza.” Over the years I have met a few brave souls who choose to camp there overnight in a form of a vision quest.
Getting to the plateau is not that easy. From Lima one drives on good roads 40 kilometers northeast to the town of Chosica. Depending on traffic the drive can take up to an hour and a half. If you haven’t brought provisions I would suggest buying them in Chosica. From Chosica it is another 40 kilometers up to the village of San Pedro de Casta at an altitude of 10,500 feet. The road deteriorates the higher you go. A simpler and cheaper option is to take one of the two buses that leave Chosica for San Pedro around 9 am and noon.
In the village of San Pedro de Casta I suggest hiring Don Manuel and his son Sibriano to act as your guides and camp assistants. They know the Marcahuasi plateau better than anyone.
Plan to spend a minimum of two nights on the mountain. There is much to experience and the environment is conducive to inner as well as outer explorations.
© Alan Matthew 2005
więcej: http://markawasi.org/stories_cave1_english.html
Marcahuasi
Marcahuasi (Spanish pronunciation: [maɾkaˈwasi]) is a plateau in the Andes Mountains, located east of Lima, on the mountain range that rises to the right bank of the Rímac River. This mountain range dominates the landscape at 4,000 m above sea level and the place is known for curious shapes of human faces and animals visible in granite rock.
Discovery
The place was first investigated by Daniel Ruzo during the 1950s and in an area of about 3 km2, several hundred curious shapes are found, which can be presumed as natural formations.[1] The place is located at a height of about 12500 feet in the Andes Mountain.[2]
Features
The plateau originated from a volcanic reaction. It is about 4 square kilometers in area, and is located almost 4,000 meters high in Huarochirí Province, east of Lima, Peru. Marcahuasi is home to a unique set of huge granite rocks with curious shapes resembling human faces, animals, and religious symbols. There are many theories as to their origins, including the assertion that their unusual shapes formed naturally through erosion. Some argued that they are sculptures shaped by ancient people but archaeologists clearly state that the shapes are the result of erosion over centuries. There are some small pre-Columbian structures, which are tombs of ancient people and some of which are robbed and vandalised.[3]
There is also a collection of ruins on the north side of the plateau. Over 50 structures still stand in varying states of decay. The doorways are very small, some three feet high. Most of the structures are narrow since the use of arches was not known, therefore spans had to be covered with suitable rock that may have been quarried locally. There are also what appear to be burial tombs on the outskirts of the settlement.
Shapes
A huge granite human head staring at the sky resembles the face on mars.[1] There is another human head shape called the Incas head by Daniel Ruzo, the first person to investigate the rocks for months during the 1950s. Rock formations resembling human chins and mouths are found abundantly.[1] Adventurers and explorers have given various names to the rock shapes based on resemblance and such names include The Camel, Frog, Sphynx, Monument of Humanity (Peca Gasha), fortress, The Alchemist Tortoise etc.[4]
Gallery
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The Fortress of Marcahuasi
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Another view, with the camping zone
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The high lands and the road to the plateau
See also
- Badlands Guardian a feature that from the air bears a strong resemblance to a human head wearing a full Native American headdress
- ‚Face on Mars’, photographed by Viking 1 in 1976
- Old Man of the Mountain, rock profile in New Hampshire
- Old Man of Hoy a rock pillar off Scotland that resembles a standing man
- Pareidolia, the phenomena of perceiving faces in random patterns
- Marcahuasi (Markawasi) Stone Forest, Lima, Peru on Google Maps
References
- Carlotto, Mark. The Cydonia Controversy (2008 ed.). Lulu.com. p. 170,171. ISBN 9781435755796. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- „The Mysterious Stone Monuments of Markawasi Peru”. bcvidio. B C Video. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- Schoch, Dr. Robert M. „The Mystery of Markawasi” (2005 ed.). Circular Times. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- „Markawasi Stone Forest in Peru: Marcahuasi Stone Garden figures”. exploeres journal. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
Bibliography
- Mazzotti Lopez, Daniel (2001). A mochila en Perú (Backpacking in Peru) Peruvian explorers.
- Video: Marcahuasi: Enigmatic Stones in the Peruvian Andes
- Doore, Kathy (2008), Markawasi: Peru’s Inexplicable Stone Forest
- Williamson, George Hunt (1973), Road in the Sky
Thomas Lopinsky – Markawasi
MARKAWASI AT NIGHT
We thanked the wonderful straw hatted lady for bringing our supplies up the mountain and saving us from scavenging through trashcans to find half empty water bottles. Funny, how a lack of water makes your mind believe that the yellow color in a faded piece of plastic is really just Mountain Dew instead of urine.
After setting up camp, our guide convinced us to use the last few hours of daylight exploring the plateau, so we set off south toward Laguna Negra. He pointed out rock formations along the way in the shapes of frogs, monkeys, seals, condors, sphinx, naked ladies…sorry, at 13,000 feet and deliriously dehydrated,
everything looked like naked ladies to me. By now, my wife was comparing me to Seann William Scott’s character in the movie, Role Model; boobs were everywhere!
Just before dusk, we found ourselves in front of the infamous Inferno. I looked down into the sinister gap between the two gigantic rocks and saw only danger. Eduardo told us a 
tale about a girl who jumped down in between the rocks to take a photo only to have her cell phone catapulted out of her hand by “the wind” and tossed down into the abyss below. When he asked if we wanted our photo taken in the crevice, I replied, “Photoshop.”
That night as Eduardo built a fire, we all sat down and enjoyed a bottle of cheap wine I’d
bought earlier in the day. As the stars filled the sky and the temperature dropped, we soon realized that our guide had no intentions of cooking a warm delicious dinner as noted in the travel brochure. When I asked, he innocently replied, “No one told me.”
A funny thing happens to you at 13,000 feet in the air. You don’t feel hungry. The human body seems to shut down all sensory nerve functions related to hunger and bowel movements. We shared a few crackers and enjoyed the pitch-black starlit sky before us. While the Milky Way swirled through the constellations a
bove and the Southern Cross glowed like a beacon guiding us into another galaxy, I realized that I was viewing something few people had ever seen: Mother Nature, untouched and unleashed.
I recalled a story about a group of adventurers who’d camped at Markawsi a few years earlier. A falling star had jetted across the sky only to stop midway in the air. It hovered for a moment and then reversed course back in the direction that it originated from. Some say it was a space ship. Others say it was too much wine. I say it was the Gods talking to us from above, reminding us that we are just human and so miniscule in the whole scheme of life.
As the campfire died out, Eduardo told us another story about a Big Foot creature that apparently lived on top of the mountain. He said he’d seen its shadow one night as he took a leak on the far side of the campgrounds. I knew that bones of giants had been found in this area of Peru dating back thousands of years but was pretty sure that nothing had been seen in centuries.
The stray dog we’d adopted earlier that day returned as we set off to bed. I’d given it some water and left over food earlier solidifying our bond of friendship. As we bundled down for the night, dusty, cold and sleeping on an unforgiving hard rock surface, I turned to my wife and said, “Isn’t this better than the Sandals Resort?” She unexpectedly replied, “Yes.”
About 2:00 in the morning, the dog took off barking chasing something lingering around our campsite in the dark. A half hour later, it ran off barking again. This became the pattern for the next few hours as images of Big Foot danced in between the different stages of parasomnia. With with one eye open, I whispered to my wife, “I’m sorry for bringing you here. We could be sipping on Margaritas right now next to the beach somewhere.” She yawned and said, “Margaritas are for pussies.”
DAY 1: MARKAWASI
Hello everyone.
I know I’ve been away a while but, useless excuses aside, here I am again and ready to tell you about my wonderful trip to Peru this summer. Here is the first report and I hope you enjoy it.
“Honey, your fingernails are making my leg bleed.”
I must have said that to my wife a dozen times on the drive up to Markawasi. It wasn’t meant to be accusatory; no, it was my way of acknowledging the fact that I was just as scared as she was. Continue reading