Caral culture arose in the Supe Valley some 4500 to 5000 years ago, making it one of the world’s earliest large cities, alongside those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China. This ancient culture was a conglomeration of 18 city-states and controlled the three valleys of Supe, Pativilca and Fortaleza, with the main seat of government at Caral. The monumental ruins are located about 25km inland from Barranca.
Considering how few people visit Caral, the site is well set out for visitors. There are plaques in both Spanish and English illustrating points of interest. Weekends are a great time to visit because handicrafts and local food are for sale at the site.
These ruins confounded Peruvian archaeologists when they proved to be part of the oldest civilization in all of South America. Before Caral’s discovery, the city of Chavín de Huántar near Huaraz, built around 900 BC, held that particular title. At the site, six stone-built pyramids (most of which have been excavated) were found alongside amphitheaters, ceremonial rooms, altars, adobe complexes and several sunken circular plazas. Most of the pyramids have stairways leading to their peaks, where offerings were once made; the stairs can be climbed for great views of the lush Supe River valley.
The people of Caral-Supe were experts in agriculture, construction, public administration and making calendars and musical instruments. Evidence of elaborate religious ceremonies among elites suggests a highly stratified culture in which classes were organized according to their labor in society; archaeologists at Caral believe that men and women may have enjoyed considerable equality. Among the many artifacts you’ll see at the site are millennia-old bone flutes and Peru’s oldest quipus (a system among Andean cultures of tying cords in knots to convey information). A large geoglyph – a design carved into earth – called Chupacigaro attests to the Caral people’s sophisticated measurements of the movements of the stars. Unesco declared the Sacred City of Caral a World Heritage site in 2009.
Explora Tours offers guided tours including transportation from Barranca; inquire at Hostal Continental . Lima Tours arranges expensive private tours to Caral and Paramonga from Lima on request.
Colectivo (shared transportation) taxis depart from Calle Berenice Davila in Barranca to the nearby hamlet of Caral fairly regularly for S10 (two hours). Alternatively, elusive private taxis will cost around S80 for the return journey (including waiting time); some charge S20 per hour for the same route. The road out here is rough and may be impassable during the December to March wet season.
