Vichama, Lima, Peru

Vichama is an archaeological site on the central coast of Peru, located on the right bank of the Huaura River in the district of Végueta, province of Huaura, department of Lima.

Located close to the coastline, at 75 m (246 ft) above sea level and with a total area of 1.36 km2 (136 ha), it includes several monumental structures, the most notable of which are those from the Early Formative period (1800-1200 BCE).

Its research and conservation has been carried out since 2007 by the Caral-Supe Special Archaeological Project, now the Caral Archaeological Zone, directed by archaeologist Ruth Shady Solís.

Entrance to Vichama

Modeling the sculptures of the Vichama civilization

Panorama of Vichama
Panorama of Vichama seen from the entrance to the archaeological site, from north to south.

Vichama Plan
Plan Legend:

Entrance
Amphitheater
Junction
Junction
Viewpoint

Main building (A1) and ceremonial relief hall (A2)
Elite buildings
Smaller public building
Deposits building
Residential building
Chacanas building
Architectural complex
Greater building
Offerings building

Junction to the Greater building and to the Deposits building.
At this junction (Plan No. 3) we can turn left towards the Greater building (Plan No. H) or turn right towards the Deposits building (Plan No. D).

Greater building (Plan No. H)

Greater building - D Sector
It is located in the Upper Section, in the extreme Southeast of the city. It was built on a rocky hillside, which was previously prepared to make this building the largest in the settlement. They built it in three components, erecting platforms and central stairways - one of the stairways was connected to a sunk circular plaza which were constantly remodeled and faced to Huaura Valley. On the top of the modules they built ceremonial rooms from which they had a wide sight of the landscape. The platforms were decorated with relieves and niches.

Function - The architectural design, monumentality, components, and architectural elements, as well as the finishing and decoration, lead us to infer that the building was conducted by individuals of high standing who carried out administrative and ceremonial activities.
Urban role - It was one of the settlement's seats of government. As well as presiding over entry from the east, its monumentality could be seen from a great distance away; while from its top level, it afforded visual control of the activities being carried out in the valley.

Greater building - Central component
They constructed the first building with a square floor plan and stepped volume with a five-meter-wide encased central stairway leading to the ceremonial hall. They built it on the east slope of Halconcillo Hill, up to a height of 12 meters (39 ft). In a later architectural phase, they extended the building towards the south by constructing new platforms and a secondary hall.

Architectural components:

Ceremonial hall
Central stairway
Stepped platforms
Secondary hall
Central component
South extension

Greater building - South component and Central component with circular plaza
They remodeled the Central Component completely, and on the main facade they built stepped platforms 8 m (26 ft) long by 5 m (16 ft) wide, 1,5 m (5 ft) high. They enlarged the ceremonial hall and maintained the encased design of the stairway, but in the lower part they connected it to a sunken circular plaza 11 m (36 ft) in diameter.

They continued the south extension of the building, where they set up an independent architectural module, joined with the Central Component. On top of the former south extension of the building, they constructed new stepped platforms that enlarged the module, and an encased stairway to give access to the top of the building, where they constructed a ceremonial hall and a circular structure ten meters in diameter.

Architectural components:

Ceremonial hall
Central stairway
Stepped platforms
Ceremonial room of the South Component
Central component
South component
Circular plaza
Circular structure

Greater building - North component
To the north of the building they constructed a new module adjoined to the Central Component, but as an independent building, with stepped platforms, a central stairway, and a ceremonial hall at the top. They decorated one of the walls with a frieze depicting a hand holding an artifact. The fagade was painted red. They kept the Component independent throughout the remodeling processes.

They also remodeled the Central Component and the South Component by building new stepped platforms in the main facade and by enlarging the platform of the circular plaza. The upper platform of the South Component was decorated with niches.

Architectural components:

Ceremonial hall
Central stairway
Stepped platforms
Ceremonial room of the South Component
Central component
South component
Circular plaza
North component
Relief of hand with instrument
Niches

Panorama of the Greater building

Myth of Vichama
This is a myth recorded in the 17th century by the Augustinian monk Brother Antonio de la Calancha, through Father Luis Felipe Teruel, who were both busy indoctrinating the people of the north-central coastal region in the Catholic faith. The story tells of a great drought, which was survived by only one woman who gave birth to a son of the Sun. When the god Pachacamac learned of the existence of this child, he became jealous, killed the boy and tore the body into pieces. However, from the parts of the child's body, Pachacamac created foods of plant origin. The woman clamored at greatly for the loss she had suffered, and the Sun made her have a new child, called Vichama, a word meaning “fisher” according to the research of linguist Alfredo Torero. The child grew quickly and became a strong, handsome youth who decided to travel around the world just as his father, the Sun, did. When the young man left on his journey, Pachacamac took the opportunity to murder the mother. Vichama found out about her death on his return.

Since he could not take revenge, because Pachacamac had escaped to the south, Vichama turned all the inhabitants into stones, and their leader, Anat, into the island that bears his name to this day, for not having defended his mother. Later, repenting of this excessive punishment he had meted out to innocent people, Vichama resurrected his mother and created, together with the Sun, a new human race. Thus they created all men and women from three eggs: a goiden one, a silver one, and copper one.

Based on this traditional narrative, researchers can propose some hypotheses about the founding of Végueta:

The precarious situation of the inhabitants due to a drought and extreme climate changes of long duration.
The importance of the female gender, associatad with the earth and production of food.
The conflict between Pachacamac and Vichama probably represents disputes between farmers and fishermen for access to resources in times of scarcity.
The probable conflict between fishermen and farmers, arising from the imposition of a government managed by farmers over the fishermen.
The strong reaction of the fishermen, representede by Vichama, who recover control over their resources.
The installation of a new government in Végueta, which controls its farming and fishing resources. In the myth, reference is also made to a hierarchy of authorities of Végueta, and social distinctions can be inferred.
Emphasis is placed on the important role of the woman, relating to the world view, religion, and food products.

Junction to the Viewpoint and to the Offerings building.
At this junction (Plan No. 4) we can turn left towards the Viewpoint (Plan No. 5) or turn right towards the Offerings building (Plan No. I).

Offerings building (Plan No. I)

Offerings building - Sector F
Located in the extreme south-west of the settlement, on the slope of the Halconcillo Hill.

They originally built two separate square buildings here. Over time, because of the use given to these buildings, they were remodeled and, eventually, joined architecturally. The result was a bigger, complex building, with a stepped design.

Urban role - This building shared a space with other constructions that have not yet been excavated.

Architectural components:

Central stairway
Platforms
Ceremonial hall
Other rooms

Offerings building panorama from southeast

Offerings building panorama from northeast

Architectural complex - Sector E (Plan No. G)

Residential architectural complex (Period II) - Sector E
On the remains of the Public Building with Niches, they built a residential complex, made up of two independent units, one rectangular and the other square, of different dimensions, with an east-west orientation, and with intercommunicating rooms.

In the residential units they installed storage spaces, fireplaces, and benches. To the east of these units they built two terraces, adapted to the downward slope of the hill, and on these they built large rooms with benches.

Urban role - The occupants of the residences — probably linked with the officials of the Greater Building (Sector D) and, possibly, with those of Sector F — would have had an important role, because from their location they had a good view of the whole settlement and, especially, of the access ways to the public buildings of the upper section.

Architectural components:

Residential units
Rooms with platforms
Patios
Fireplaces
Storerooms

Architectural complex: public and residential - Sector E
Located in the high part of the city, on a hill sloping up towards the south. They first constructed a public building which, after using it for a time, they partially dismantled and buried. Later, they built a Residential Group there.

Public building (Period 1) - On the natural slope they constructed two large adjoining rooms that faced northeast. In the first one, a ceremonial hall, they placed benches and a line of small niches in the walls on either side of the entrance to the room.

They built the walls with angular stones 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in) long, arranged in regular rows and joined with a gray colored mortar. To form the construction fills, they used shicra bags full of earth and stones.

Before dismantling and burying the building, they placed vegetable offerings in the niches, in token of the sacredness of what had been built.

Urban role - It is strategically placed in terms of the view over the settlement.

Architectural components:

Main entrance
Ceremonial hall
Wall with niches

Architectural complex panorama

Deposits building (Plan No. D)

Deposits building - Sector K
This building is located in the lower section of Vichama City, on the Northern rocky slope of the Halconcillo Hill and facing West. This position was useful for its inhabitants for giving the building a monumental look and a wide sight of the Huaura Valley and its shore. K is the second largest building in the lower section, after the Main Building, which resembles its architectural design, ornaments and other special features, thus it is thought to have had an outstanding role.

The edification sequence of K began with the Stepped Windows Building. Later, this first building was covered and the Mural-of-Fertility Building was built over. Even later, a third edification was built on the second one: that with a Sunken Circular Plaza. Finally and also built over the third one, they constructed the fourth - and last - building, the Great Halls Building.

First edification: The stepped windows building - It is a square base building and faces north. It is compound by two stepped platforms built one over the second one, both of them are roughly 9 and 8.2 metres (29 and 27 ft) long and 60 centimetres (23 in) high. Over them there is a rectangular room 5.7 metres (19 ft) long, 3.2 metres (10 ft) wide and 2 metres (7 ft) high. Its inhabitants accessed this room through a 1 metre (3 ft) wide stair that is built in the second platform. In the facade they built-in three stepped design windows in every side of the main entrance.

Urban role - It was conveniently located between the high and lower zone of the city. It shared a public space related to Sector I and Sector J buildings (residential elite unit), but outstand among them due to its location, extension and volume. The Stepped Windows Building had a higher role in the lower zone of the city besides the Main Building (Sector A).

Architectural components:

Stepped platforms
Staircase
Room
Square design windows

The mural of the «Arrival of water»
Second building: Of mural reliefs - They completely buried the building of the stepped windows, and constructed on top of it another larger building, facing east. The new building has three components, arranged around a central point: a rectangular patio, an antechamber, and a ceremonial hall.

The mural of the «Arrival of water» (or «Fertility mural») - The ante-chamber was divided into three rooms. On the wall of the platform in one of these rooms, they made a design in relief of four human heads with their eyes closed and two serpents advancing among them towards a person who appears to represent an anthropomorphized seed, with its mouth open and one «hand» penetrating the soil.

Architectural components:

Square patio
Hall
Ceremonial room
Stepped terrace
Stepped entrance
Platforms
Sculptural relieves

The mural of the «Announcement of water»
The mural of the «Announcement of water» - In subsequent rebuilding events, they added new architectural elements over the existing ones. They sealed the entry to the room that contained the «Arrival of Water» (7), and on the new surface they sculpted another mural depicting a humanized frog stretching its arms up towards a human head.

Architectural components:

Square patio
Hall
Ceremonial room
Stepped terrace
Stepped entrance
Platforms
Sculptural relieves
Mural of the «Announcement of water»

Pictorial composition with the overlapping of the two murals
The «Arrival of water» mural is above and behind, and the «Announcement of water» mural is below and in front.

Deposits building panorama from south

Deposits building - Third edification
Third edification: Sunken circular plaza building - After its inhabitants partially buried the previous building, they constructed another one with a sunken circular plaza and built-in in a square platform. The stairs that were used for accessing the building from the Hall Plaza had a trapezoidal base and semi rounded steps. The HaLl leads towards a taper corridor which leads towards the rectangular ceremonial room located on the top of the building. Surrounding this circulation axis they built a sequence of lesser rooms. On its Southern side they built-in a new built-in architectural component that was compounded by many rooms.

Architectural components:

Sunken circular plaza
Trapezoidal base staircase
Hall
Ceremonial room
Lesser rooms
Southern architectural component

Deposits building - Fourth edification
Fourth edification: Great halls building - First, its inhabitants destroyed and buried the sunken circular plaza and, later, built two big square halls and the ceremonial room. Surrounding the ceremonial room they built a series of rooms of many sizes, similar to storages places, in those rooms they left valuable objects similar to offerings. The Southern architectural compound was renewed when the floors level were raised.

Architectural components:

First hall
Second hall
Ceremonial room
Annexed rooms
Storages
Southern architectural component

Deposits building panorama from east

Deposits building panorama from north

Smaller building (Plan No. C)

Smaller building - Sector L
This is located south of the Building of the Cornices, on a slightly sloping area. The occupants of this building would probably have carried out activities complementary to those carried out in the Building The Comices, with whose occupants they were closely related.

Urban role - This building shares a public space with the Building of the Comices.

Architectural components:

Central stairway
Secondary stairway
Anterrom
Enclosure
Platform
Deposits

Smaller building from north

Flock of birds walking on the sand

Elite buildings (Plan No. B)

Set of elite buildings B1, B2 and B3
They were built on the North-western edge of the lower zone of the city on a natural terrain, and in the early periods of Vichama. The buildings were extended horizontally towards the Northern and Southern sides.

The first buildings with large rooms and well finished floors were used as non-monumental public spaces for political and administrative activities by a small elite group. The later buildings were used for domestic activities before being abandoned.

Urban role - This and the other two residential buildings shared a space with the Smaller Bullding (Sector L), and the Building The Cornices (Sector A), one of the most important in the settlement.

Architectural components:

Rooms
Entrances
Platforms

Elite buildings panorama

Main building (Plan No. A)

Main building - Sector A
Located in the extreme northwest of the city of Vichama. It is made up of several superimposed buildings constructed over time. In the first three buildings, superimposed, the main fagade faced north, where a sunken circular plaza was constructed. The latest two buildings, on the other hand, faced east, towards a new sunken circular plaza. These building are particularly interesting because in the different periods, different designs were used to transmit symbolic meanings, such as the reliefs with skeletal figures when the facade faced north, and the later depiction of a an emerging humanized toad, when the building faced east.

Building of the Cornices - This was constructed on top of the Building of the Niches, which they had buried completely. It was given the form of a stepped pyramid, facing east. They adorned the lower platform of the main facade with a sequence of niches alternating with molded cornices. Up against the building's facade they constructed a sunken circular plaza, with an inner diameter of 13,8 m (45 ft), within a square platform.

Urban role - With the building's facade facing east, it shared a space with the Lesser Building (Sector L) and the Residential Area (Sector B). The Building of the Cornices stood out because of its location, extension, and volume, so we can infer that this was the most important building in its section.

Architectural components:

Circular plaza
Platforms
Central stairway
Ceremonial hall
Back rooms
Annexed room
Storerooms
Niches and cornices

Main building panorama from northeast

Circular plaza from northeast

Main building panorama from northeast

Main building panorama from north

Building and ceremonial hall of the humanized toad - Sector A
After the destruction of the Building of the Cornices, they put up a new building, whose facade had a series of stepped platforms and a central stairway that connected the top of the building with the sunken circular plaza.

At the top of the building they made a rectangular antechamber and a ceremonial hall with benches. On the bench on the south side of this hall they molded a humanized toad, in relief, emerging from the ground, with a lightning-shaped channel over its head. This is a representation of the art and ideology of the period, which related the toad with falling rain and the availability of water for the crops.

Architectural components:

Antechamber
Ceremonial hall

Relief of the humanized toad
On the lower part of the south inner wall of the Ceremonial Hall, they molded in relief a toad with human hands, which looks as if it is emerging from the earth. For eyes, they gave it two blue pebbles, and above its head they incised a zigzag line like a flash of lightning. They molded it using clay mixed with grass, and the finishing was done with fine clay. It measures 80 cm (31 in) long by 90 cm (35 in) tall.

This depiction could refer to the attraction that the toad had for the lightning - and the rain -, or to the emerging of a toad in the place struck by lightning. It is probably linked with propitiatory rites for rainfall, because in the ideology of Andean populations, from ancient times, the toad is associated with water, agriculture, and fertility. The toad - in Quechua hamp’atu - has a place in the Milky Way (in Quechua Hatun Mayu = Big River) as an obscure constellation.

It is interesting to observe the association of this depiction with the Late building, whose facade was built to face east, looking towards the cultivated fields in the valley, Huaura, the mountain range, and the water flowing down from the Andes. The change of direction to face east, also identified in other buildings in the settlement, may have been related with social and economic changes linked with agricultural activities, where water is essential.

Circular plaza from north

Building of the Niches - Sector A
They constructed this building above the Building of the Mural Reliefs. At the top they made a rectangular antechamber, a ceremonial hall, a back room, and some secondary annexed rooms. They had the main facade looking to the north, and they decorated it with square niches on either side of the stepped entry that connected the ceremonial hall with the sunken circular plaza excavated in the rock. The ceremonial hall is decorated with horizontal lines in relief.

Urban role - This building must have been the most important one in the lower section, both for its size and for its volume, which were greater than those of the Public Building - The Storehouses (Sector K) and the Lesser Public Building (Sector L).

Architectural components:

Sunken circular plaza
Central stairway of the circular plaza
Platforms with niches
Antechamber
Ceremonial hall
Back room
Raised room

Main building panorama from northwest

Building and ceremonial hall of the reliefs
The facade of this building, which was constructed on an earlier building whose design and dimensions are not yet known, faces north. At the top there was a large, square ceremonial hall, as well as some back rooms. It has not been ruled out that it may have had a sunken circular plaza at the bottom of the facade - it is currently being investigated. In the ceremonial hall they built a platform and bench, decorated with high-relief scenes of anthropamorphic and skeletal figures - in different postures - and fish figures.

Little evidence has remained of the antechamber of the ceremonial hall, because it was dismantled to construct a new building.

Scenes of the ceremonial hall of the reliefs
They decorated the wall of the platform and the bench on the south side of the Ceremonial Hall in relief.

The upper scene was depicted symmetrically on either side of a central stairway, which led to a Raised Room at the back of the building. On either side of the stairway there is an ichthyomorphic (fish-like) figure with its head pointing down, and eight anthropomorphic figures in different postures are repeated. This scene could be interpreted as representing a ritual dance relating to food resources.
The lower scene depicts anthropomorphic figures that are adults. Only eight of the sixteen figures that compose the scene have been excavated so far. On each stairway the scene begins with a skeleton in profile, with one hand on its face and the other bent back. In the center they depicted fourteen 1,3 m (4 ft) tall figures. This scene suggests symbolic meanings linked with a food crisis and death.

Memory of the collective climate change 3800 years ago

Deatail of the ceremonial hall of reliefs
On the walls of the highest benches, located on the south side of the Ceremonial Hall, they depicted a scene in relief, on two levels, composed of 2 skeletons, 30 anthropomorphic (human) creatures and 2 ichthyomorphic (fish) creatures. The benches are on either side of a central stairway, 1,5 m (5 ft) long, which leads to a Back Room at the top of the building. The scene is molded symmetrically on the vertical planes of the benches flanking the central stairway.