Pusharo
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The Petroglyphs of Pusharo constitute a unique and extensive ancient rock art
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
in southeastern
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
's
Manú National Park Manú National Park ( es, Parque Nacional del Manú) is a national park and biosphere reserve located in the regions of Madre de Dios and Cusco in Peru. It protects a diverse number of ecosystems including lowland rainforests, cloud forests and ...
, an expanse of
rain forest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...
that still contains unexplored and little known areas, and for which an official government permit is required for entry.


Discovery

It appears that a rubber tapper who participated in a violent attack on
indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
in 1909 may have been the first non-indigenous person to encounter the petroglyphs, with the next visit having been made by Vicente Cenitagoya, a missionary of the
Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...
, in 1921. A smattering of adventurers began to arrive at the site in the 1950s, and in 1969 it was visited by the Peruvian physician Dr. Carlos Neuenschwander Landa (who would return in later years accompanied by Peruvian explorer, Sr. Santiago Yábar). In 1970 another Dominican, Padre Adolfo Torrealba, reached the site, followed by Japanese explorer Yoshiharo Sekino, and the French-Peruvian explorers Herbert and Nicole Cartagena in 1978. Two years later, it was visited by Peruvian archaeologist
Federico Kauffmann Doig Federico Kauffmann Doig (born September 20, 1928) is a Peruvian historian, archaeologist, and anthropologist. He has made great contributions to the study of the civilizations of Ancient Peru, particularly on the Chavín culture and the Chacha ...
. In 1991 the party of North American explorer Gregory Deyermenjian, including Peruvian explorer Paulino Mamani and the previously mentioned Santiago Yábar, arrived at Pusharo. The site has since been visited and studied by rock art scholar Rainer Hostnig. In 2008, it was the subject of a documentary-trek filmed for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
television series '' Extreme Dreams'' presented by
Ben Fogle Benjamin Myer Fogle, (born 3 November 1973) is an English broadcaster, writer and adventurer, best known for his presenting roles with British television channels Channel 5, BBC and ITV. Early life Fogle is the son of English actress Juli ...
. In 2016, the petroglyphs of the site played an important role in the research of Vincent Pélissier, as he searched for the mythical lost city of
Paititi Paititi is a legendary Inca lost city or utopian rich land. It allegedly lies east of the Andes, hidden somewhere within the remote rainforests of southeast Peru, northern Bolivia or northwest Brazil. The Paititi legend in Peru revolves around the s ...
. In the research, the petroglyphs were interpreted as a map, leading from the glyphs to the city. The research assumes two things as fact: the petroglyphs are a map, and the carvings were made by the Inca. Neither of these assumptions have been proven definitively.


Description

The site is made up of an array of deeply incised rock carvings that cover up to a height of 9 feet, a perpendicular rock face that is over 100 feet long and 75 feet high. Its location is on the south shore of the
Río Palatoa Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...
(designated on some maps at this location as the Porotoa, and known by others as the Palatoa Chico). The petroglyphs are thought by some researchers to be purely pan-Amazonian in origin, and of mistico-religious or shamanic significance to those Amerindians of past centuries who must have been their creators. Others believe that there is an Inca component that is now coming to light, and that the petroglyphs constitute parts of a map. Definitive word on the meaning of Pusharo's petro glyphs must wait until further research is conducted and completed. The petroglyphs contain elements such as heart-shaped faces, some with double borders, spirals, zigzags, suns, "curlicue Xs" and others that defy verbal description.


References

*''The Petroglyphs of Pusharo: Peru's Amazonian Riddle'' by Gregory Deyermenjian. Pub. 2000, Volume 2/Number 3 issue of Athena Revie

*Rainer Hostni

*"PUSHARO: La Memoria Recobrada de los Incas" by Thierry Jamin, Pub: 2007 *"Peru's Amazonian Eden: MANU", by
Kim MacQuarrie Kim MacQuarrie is an author, documentary filmmaker, anthropologist, and conservationist whose works include the best-selling '' The Last Days of the Incas'' (2007) and ''The Living Edens''. His documentary film work has brought him 4 national Em ...
, Pub: 1992 {{coord, 12.5843, S, 71.4860, W, source:wikidata, display=title Archaeological sites in Madre de Dios Region Archaeological sites in Peru Prehistoric art Rock art in South America