Tourist First: Peru: The Past Captured in Clay

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Peru: The Past Captured in Clay

One of the great tragedies of history, in my opinion, is that the Pre-Columbian civilizations of the Americas left no written records. What we know is often inferred from graves and other archaeological sites. Peru, in addition to the still-standing stone walls built by the Tahuatinsuyo (Inca) empire and the cultures that preceded it, has had rich archaeological finds that have allowed scholars such as Rafael Larco to stitch together a history of the region's various cultures starting about 500 B.C.

The discoveries have been mainly ceramic vessels created in communities along Peru's north coast and in the Andes. The Museo Larco in Lima (click HERE for website) and the affiliated Museo de Arte Precolombino in Cusco (click HERE for website) have done brilliant jobs assembling and interpreting these vessels. The curator notes for each piece are among the best such notes I've seen in any museum anywhere.

Jane and I have been taking pottery classes, so during our fall trip to Peru we were particularly interested in seeing Pre-Columbian pottery. We looked at the vessels in terms of the craftsmanship (which was amazing) and as art objects. Fortunately, both museums allowed photography. Here are some of the vessels that caught our eye.

This piece (left) depicts a
monkey-man preparing
a body for burial.

Almost all of the portrait

vessels, such as the one at right, are

thought to depict specific individuals.

The museum in Cusco had three vessels

said to be by different artists showing

the same person at three different ages.

This vessel shows three dead men. The one in the middle
is masturbating. Depictions of almost every
form of sex can be seen at the Museo Larco's erotica gallery, which
explains that some nonprocreative sex acts are thought
to have had religious meaning.

A graphic depiction of childbirth.

This reminded us of 20th-century Cubism.

We saw nothing else
with swirls like this.

Here's a bowl that could be easily copied
by a competent potter today.

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Argentine Patagonia

They are called what they look like: Mexican hats. They occur naturally in the highlands above the town of El Calafate. The water in the distance is glacier-fed Lago Argentino. An hour's drive east of El Calafate, near the headwaters of the lake, visitors can hike on the Perito Moreno glacier and take a boat ride among icebergs that have fallen off the several glaciers in the Parque Nacional des Glaciares. El Calafate is basically a summer (Nov. to Feb.) tourist town, and there are a number of hotels at all price points. We stayed at Esplendor El Calafate, a very stylish hotel with a full restaurant and bar. The South American picker-upper drink mate is available at breakfast. The hotel is an uphill walk from the commercial area, but that's not much of a drawback. Click on the photo to visit the Esplendor online.

Dominica

Probably the greenest island in the Caribbean, in terms of color and ecological awareness, is Dominica, just north of Martinique. It was named by Columbus, who sailed past it on a Sunday. The island nation is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, but it is rich in friendly people and natural attractions, including a boiling lake, hot and cold waterfalls, a parrot jungle and hill after hill of dense green jungle. There is also a cable-car ride through the jungle canopy (http://www.natureisland.com/AerialTram.html). I wrote about Dominica years ago, and much of that article is still relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/travel/winter-in-the-sun-an-island-where-less-is-more.html?scp=2&sq= Unfortunately, one of the hotels I mentioned, Petit Coulibri, has since closed. Fortunately, there's still a wonderful eco-resort called Papillote Wilderness Retreat http://www.papillote.dm/), four acres of lush gardens, hot-spring-heated soaking pools and modest cottage rooms.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs, Calif., is a great destination for nature lovers -- Mount San Jacinto State Park is a wonderful gondola ride (shown above -- click on it to visit its website) away, and Joshua Tree National Park is a short drive away. It's also a great destination for naturists; there are several major clothing optional resorts in the area -- and for fans of Mid-Century Modern architecture. For a dose of mid-century style, stay at the Orbit In (http://www.orbitin.com/), which does ask that you keep your clothes on.

Pompeii

If you're driving from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, and it's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't want to visit the Amalfi Coast, you should plan to spend a night in the modern city of Pompei, adjacent to the ancient city of Pompeii. Above are the murals depicting an unknown ritual in what's called the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. If you can, devote most of a full day to exploring the site. Afterward, you'll want a good hotel. Click on the image for info about Hotel Amleto, a small and friendly hotel in the heart of the new town and an easy walk from the ruins.

St. Vincent

This is one of the "rooms" at Petit Byahaut, an isolated (access by boat only) eco-resort on St. Vincent, the largest island in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bequia, mentioned above in this column, is one of the Grenadines. The photo above is of the living deck and doesn't show a relatively enclosed area that had a real bed. Did you notice I said "had"? That's because the place has closed. To read about the property in its heyday, click on the image for a New York Times article I wrote. The article has a link to a slide show with more images of the resort.