Pachacamac Ruins
Pachacamac was the main sanctuary of the central coast for over a thousand years. Its temples were visited by multitudes of pilgrims, for Pachacamac was an accurate oracle capable of predicting the future and controlling the movements of the earth. Residents from all over the Andes also came to the Pachacamac sanctuary in search of solutions to their problems or answers to their questions.
The word Pachacamac means “soul of the earth, the animator of the world.” Ancient Peruvians believed that a single movement of his head would cause earthquakes. One could not look him directly in the eyes, and even his priests would enter the temple with their backs turned. The cult of Pachacamac was the center of all coastal religion.
Where is?
The sanctuary is located in the Lurín Valley, which constitutes the territorial framework of its site and on whose banks, for three thousand years, a number of villages have settled, taking advantage of its waters. The first occupations date back to the Archaic Period (5000 BC); then, in the Formative Period (1800 BC–200 BC), Mina Perdida, Cardal, and Manchay stand out; in the Late Formative (200 BC–200 AD), various local styles are distinguished, such as Tablada de Lurín and Villa El Salvador.