Añaswayq'u (

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

''añas''

skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginge ...

, ''wayq'u'' valley, "skunk valley", hispanicized spelling ''Añashuayco'') is a valley in the

Arequipa Region Arequipa ( ay, Ariqipa; qu, Ariqipa) is a department and region in southwestern Peru. It is the sixth largest department in Peru, after Puno, Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto, its sixth most populous department, and its eleventh least ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, northwest of the city of

Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...

. It lies in the districts Cerro Colorado and Uchumayo of the

Arequipa Province Arequipa is a province in the Arequipa Region, Peru. Its capital, Arequipa, is Peru's second most populous province of Peru. It borders the provinces of Islay, Camaná, Caylloma, and the Cusco and Puno regions. According to INEI in the year 201 ...

, northeast of Uchumayo.Héctor Palza Arias-Barahona, Carlos César Trujillo Vera, Jenny Zenteno Machaca, Entidades del geosistema de las canteras de sillar de Añashuayco, en Arequipa, Geosystem Entities of the Seat of the Quarry Añashuayco, in Arequipa The valley contains volcanic stone, white

ignimbrite Ignimbrite is a type of volcanic rock, consisting of hardened tuff. Ignimbrites form from the deposits of pyroclastic flows, which are a hot suspension of particles and gases flowing rapidly from a volcano, driven by being denser than the surrou ...

''(

sillar Sillar is a variety of rhyolite, which is a type of volcanic rock. Although sillar is of rhyolitic composition, it has been erupted from volcanoes which mostly erupt andesite lava, and sillar contains small fragments of andesite. A pink variety of ...

)'', which has been used for religious and civil buildings of Arequipa since colonial times. Añaswayq'u is also the name of a village in the valley and the name of the stream which flows through the gorge. It originates at the confluence of three streams near the bridge of Añaswayq'u and near

Rodríguez Ballón International Airport Rodríguez Ballón International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional Rodríguez Ballón, ) is an airport serving Arequipa, the capital of Arequipa Region and Peru's second largest city. This airport and Cusco's Alejandro Velasco Astete Inter ...

. The stream is a tributary of the Chili River. It meets the river at the toll post near Uchumayo.

IUGS geological heritage site

In respect of it being 'the global type locality for 'Sillar' vapor phase ignimbrite, formed by a large explosive eruption 1.65Ma ago', the

International Union of Geological Sciences The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology. About The IUGS was founded in 1961 and is a Scientific Union member of the Inte ...

(IUGS) included 'The vapor phase ignimbrites of Sillar in the Añashuayco Quarries of Arequipa' in its assemblage of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as 'a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as a reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history.'

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anaswayq'u Geography of Arequipa Region Populated places in the Arequipa Region Geology of Peru Arequipa Region Quarries in South America First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites