PISQUILLO IN THE CHANCAY VALLEY.

Happy New Year to everyone.

I want to start the New Year by writing a post about what is close to my heart; the Gauzes from the Chancay Culture in Peru.
I have from an earlier post Chancay Gauzes from Museo Amano, Lima, Peru wrote about these amazing textiles.

When I went to Peru on my third trip I contacted Museo Amano. My dream was to visit the Chancay Valley. I wanted to feel the atmosphere and breathe in where these amazing textiles have been woven, for so many years ago.

Here I am on my way with Museo Amano to the Chancay Valley.
The whole area is an archeological place, a dessert.

I remember I was a bit disappointed when seeing it the first time, because we (Mr. Watanabe, his nephew and I) where the only people there. Also there were no fencing and it didn't seemed like it has been taking care of by the Peruvian Government. For me that was surprising and sad, as I think this is a very important culture in the Peruvian history.

Mr. Watanabe told me that to him and his family this was there second home. They went there often once a week.
In the sand bones, broken pottery and textiles where still lying, surprising to me. I think it's sad the Spanish came and broke all these beautiful things, as they were hoping to find gold inside the pottery.

Mr. Watanabe had a very good eye. He told me he had been there so many times and also he was there in the 1950-60 when he and Mr. Yoshitaro Amano (the founder of Museo Amano) were doing the first archeological excavations.

The textile Mr. Watanabe found. It's a very simple piece and here it's not easy to see, but above and below the pattern there are two rows of a very simple leno with plain weave in between.

Today this textiles is hanging in my livingroom. In a future post I will show some close-up of the textile.

Ruins in Pisquillo.

Everywhere in Peru where textiles have been made there is water, this is the lake of Chancay. So beautiful.

I think it's the first and unfortunately also the last time I will ever see this amazing place. Mr. Watanabe told me that in 5-10 years it will probably disappear, as all the other villages in the Chancay Valley.

I think it's so sad. Deep down inside of me I was waving sadly goodbuy to this, for me very important place in the history of Peru; Pisquillo in the Chancay Valley.