Petroglyphs in the Peruvian Amazon
In the rain-forest north of the ancient Inca capital of Cusco exist a remote and enigmatic region of Peru, the wilds of Manu and adjacent lands. There are many little known rock carvings or petroglyphs in this jungle that deserve further research. These petroglyphs obviously took extensive organized labor and may give us insight into an Ancient Amazonia that was far more sophisticated than previously thought possible.
The Petroglyphs of Pusharo; Palotoa-Teparo, Peru
The most famous of these is the Petroglyphs of Pusharo. The glyphs at Pusharo lay deep inside the ancestral homeland of the Machiguenga people at the headwaters of a fast-flowing river. Pusharo is a stunning site including three or more localities within a short distance from one another. The glyphs are about twenty-five meters long, averaging around two meters high but in some places the glyphs reach a height of almost four and a half meters.(2) Densely packed, deeply incised stones display a dazzling array of phantasmagoric imagery.(2)
While the Petroglyphs of Pusharo are by far the best known of the art in the greater Manu area there are reputed to be other carved stones. Up the twisting rapids of the Rio Pini-pini past a native community sits a stone known as “Amana” of which little is known. Just outside of Quillabamba are a few small scattered glyphs pecked into the stones. There are even rumors that more glyphs exist in the valley of Kosnipata, upriver from the Petroglyphs of Pusharo and in the nearby Mapacho river valley high in the Andes mountains. In addition to Pusharo and the other lesser-known petroglyphs are the glyphs known as “Hingkiori”. In May 2016 the Ethnobotanical Conservation Organization (EthnoCO) led by Scott Lite fielded an expedition into the Kosñipata valley near Manu National Park in the Peruvian Amazon to investigate the Petroglyphs of Hingkiori. The Petroglyphs of Hingkiori are well known by the locals yet the three large stones had only recently been scientifically documented.
The Petroglyphs of Hingkiori; Kosñipata, Peru
For years I had heard rumors of petroglyphs and rock art in the Kosñipata and Manu region. Reports slowly trickled in from natives, Andean immigrants and the Medicine Men of the region. Some of the stones at “Hingkiori” had been well documented but we had heard whispers of more. I was determined to find them.
After passing through a chakra(farm) of bananas and speaking with a farmer, the owner of the land on which the rocks sit, we were headed in the right direction. We slashed through the undergrowth, vines hung from the canopy and “paca”, Amazonian bamboo pricked our skin and tore at our clothing. We three hacked away, slicing, throwing, rolling away the vegetation, removing the jungle from our path, uncovering, revealing that which had been lost so long ago. It took almost an hour until we had chopped our way through the tangle until we saw an imposing stone. Faint lines stood out of the moss… were they natural? The way the lichen grew? Were our eyes playing tricks on us? Pushing our way through the green maze we neared the ancient stone.
We approached the three meter high stone. The boulder was covered in vines, branches and moss. It was slick and one could easily slide off into the pool of stagnant water below. Indistinct shapes shown out from the stone. Gently brushing away the leaf and moss my heart jumped and I was filled with a sense of awe the likes of which I had never known. There before my eyes were ancient petroglyphs, carved by some little known people before the beginning of time. Were they 100s or 1000s of years old? What did they mean? Did any living man know why these glyphs were created? We aimed to find out.
The Enigmatic Stones: Hingkiori Data & Descriptions
The Petroglyphs of Hingkiori are in the valley of Kosñipata in the North-Eastern part of the Cusco department of Peru, boarding Madre de Dios. There are at least three large, dark andesite stones with incised carvings in the rock.(2) The site sits at approximately 825m above sea level, varying slightly from one stone to the other. The Petroglyphs of Hingkiori were created around 1500 years ago (2). The ancients who likely carved the glyphs were the Wachiperi people belonging to the Harakmbut ethnic group, who still live in the area to this day.
The stones were possibly in the river in the past as they are sometimes flooded to this day. Weathering on the rocks indicates the stones must have been in fast-flowing water at some point in the past, whether in the ancient past when the glyphs were carved or in more recent times is unknown. If it’s true that Hingkiori’s monoliths were once in the water then perhaps more stones with rock art could be discovered if the path of the ancient river could be discerned. The glyphs themselves are as captivating as they are curious. Each stone has its own story to tell.
>Hingkiori #1: “The Mysterious Monolith”
- Location: S -12* 56.037; W -71* 22.851
- Elevation: 825m
- Measurements:???
- Distance from other stones: 45m from Hingkiori #2. 150–250m from Hingkiori #3.
- Distance from the River: 180m
- Description: Hingkiori #1 is the largest of the stones and contains the most glyphs, it is also the most well-studied stone and the one most often visited by tourists. The stone has an undulating surface giving presumption of water weathering. The top and upper sides present beautiful glyphs of swirls, crossed star-like shapes, hour-glasses and a range of other rock art. On one flank there is what appears to be a large bowl or bath weathered or carved out of the body of the large stone, it is ordinarily filled with water. This stone is the most striking of the stones and the most easily accessed, thus the most popular among visitors.
>Hingkiori #2: “The Peculiar Pillar” or “The Mastodon”
- Location: S -12* 56.032; W -71* 22.825
- Elevation: 555m
- Measurements:???
- Distance from other stones: 45m from Hingkiori #1. 150–250m from Hingkiori #3.
- Distance from the River: 200m
- Description: The dark stone sticks high out of the ground. It has fewer (visible) glyphs than the other stones. The 2nd stone is just across a small creek that drains into the river and the creek bed is somewhat dry for parts of the year. This stone is currently very high off the ground, in the ancient past it may have been in the river or lower to the ground. We took as many photos as possible without actually fully scaling the entire boulder.
>Hingkiori #3: “The Boulder with Butterfly Wings”
- Location: S -12* 56.122 / -12* 56.107 W -71* 22.650 / -71* 22.647
- Elevation: 615m /548m
- Measurements:
- Distance from the River: 45m
- Distance from other stones: 500+m from Hingkiori #1.
- Description: Hingkiori #3 is the lesser known of the three major stones. It has beautiful glyphs of the “Back-to-Back” symbol, some exquisitely carved. Zig-zags, swooping “Tumi” (ancient Peruvian knife) shapes and a magnificent “mirrored snake” like image adorn the stone. The stone is often surrounded by dense jungle and undergrowth, requiring some difficulty to visit.
>Hingkiori #4: “Ñusta” or “The Enchantress of Amazonia” or “The Venus of Kosñipata”
- Location: S -12* 55.867, W -71* 22.887
- Elevation: circa 900 meters
- Measurements:???
- Distance from the River:???
- Distance from other stones: 300+ meters from Hingkiori #1.
- Description: The “Nustra” is a curvy, upright small-sized (compared to the others) stone. It has no visible glyphs and is radically different from all the other stones in almost every way. It is considerably smaller than the stones which contain glyphs. To some it is said to have the appearance of a woman, almost like a “Venus” figure (referring to Venus of Willendor). It is not yet known why this stone is considered important. We know almost nothing of this stone except that a small path showed that people visit it often.
Note: The names for the stones were made up by the author of this paper and hold no further meaning. We are investigating if the locals or native people have names for them but have found nothing so far.
The Old Shaman’s Tale: Mythology & Theories
We talked with the old “Seripegari” (meaning the one inebriated by Tobacco or shaman in the native Machiguenga language) Alberto while we chewed coca leaf and smoked the Black Amazonian Tobacco, Mapacho. He told us enigmatic tales of the Amazon before recorded history, things rarely spoken of today, mysteries long forgotten. Many reports say that Hingkiori was used as a temple and oracle of sorts, a place where the Wachiperi would go to take magical plants and communicate with spirits and visit other realms of existence.
He told us that long ago people would take “Huaypa” which is the name the Wachiperi use for Brugmansia species, an extremely powerful, and potentially dangerous, plant if used carelessly. It is related to the Witching Herbs or Baneful Botanicals of ancient Europe such as Belladonna, Mandrake and Henbane. This plant is used all across the Amazon by various native groups for a plethora of purposes.
The ancient Wachiperi while in trance under the influence of this powerful plant medicine would ask the stone questions which would always answer clearly and truthfully. However in the 1920s-1950s when invaders began to come from far away the stone stopped to reveal its secrets. The oracle was lost.(7)
As we sat, smoking, our mouths began to go numb from the Coca leaf and caustic llipta (plant ashes used to “activate” the coca) the conversation became more intense, taking a turn towards the esoteric. Don Alberto explained to us that the symbols on the glyphs represented the elements of the universe. The old Shaman spoke “ The circles, swirls and star-shaped glyphs are the air and celestial bodies. The basin filled with rain water symbolized the streams, lakes, rivers and oceans of the world.” A hollowed-out cave like opening in one of the stones was said to be the forest and the great stones themselves represented the energy of “Pachamama”, the very body of Mother Earth herself.(7)
An Ancient Link- Pusharo & Hingkiori Connection
For many years theorists have speculated at a connection between the petroglyphs of Pusharo and the lesser-known petroglyphs of Hingkiori, now there is photographic evidence. The symbol that I refer to as the “butterfly” or “Back to back”(2) are found at both Pusharo and Hingkiori.
While this particular symbol is found throughout the Amazon it is interesting that it is found at both sites which are relatively close to one another: Pusharo and Hingkiori. It could hint at a highly advanced pan-Amazonian culture sometime in the ancient past. It is only about 40km as the macaw flies and the distance by river is around 80–90km(50 miles), not an incredibly long distance, but still a difficult journey, yet something entirely within the capability of ancient Amazonians. It is highly probable that whoever carved Hingkiori also knew about Pusharo or vice versa.(1)
The Future of Hingkiori and the Region
The future of the petroglyphs of Hingkiori is an uncertain one. Weathering is slowly eroding the stone and people visiting or farming at the site often do not respect the glyphs. Some people use rocks to scrape away the patina so that the glyphs are more easily visible, as you can see in a few of the photos, this is is a damaging practice.
As of the writing of the paper one of the stones in which the glyphs are carved has a large crack running through it that is filled with vegetation, even trees and bushes, this is slowly splitting the stone.(1)
The land is currently owned by a farmer who grows bananas, yucca (Manihot esculenta) and various fruit trees such as Cherimoya among other things. An old drunk man tends the land and yells “págame” (“pay me”) to the few visitors who stop by. A few soles ($1 or so) will appease him!
My personal hope is that in the near future the Petroglyphs of Hingkiori will be better protected, that the community of Queros and that the local native people will have more authority over the glyphs. Hopefully Hingkiori becomes a well-preserved tourist attraction with the revenue benefiting the Wachiperi people and continued preservation of the glyphs.
In the general region of the Pusharo and Hingkiori there surely exist many more interesting sites that demand study. It is difficult to find evidence of ancient people in Amazonia but petroglyphs and rock art give us a unique insight into the distant past. The quality and size of the Petroglyphs of Pusharo show complex and difficult level of work which proves ancient Amazonia was more advanced then we often think. Finding more petroglyphs could be critical for understanding the history of the Western Amazon and the Manu region is an ideal place to search for them.
If you would like to join us on an expedition in search of mysteries in the Amazon or Andes of Peru including but not limited to petroglyphs, anthropology, ethnobotany, shamanism and more visit our website — www.EthnoCO.com!
We were not able to answer all the questions that arose during this expedition and will have to return to the area. If you would like to come with us please visit my website and send us an email… perhaps we can find the answers together! We have heard whispers of another lost stone in the area which has not been seen for many decades. Can you find it? Please fill out the following information if you dare to go looking!
>Hingkiori #5 “The Lost Stone?”
- Location: ???
- Elevation: ???
- Measurements: ???
- Distance from the River: ???
- Distance from other stones: ???
- Description: ???
>Written by Scott Lite 2016–2020
~Expedition Team Members~
⦁ Scott Lite — Expedition Leader, Researcher, etc.
⦁Matt Comer — Photographer, Documenter
⦁ Isabel Vicente — Administration
⦁ Farmer/Landowner (name unknown) — Amateur Guide, Owner of the land around Hingkiori
⦁ Simona Linda — Assistant
~Source/References~
⦁ (1) Scott Lite- personal observations in the field
⦁ (2) Rainer Hostnig — Petroglyph Expert, Researcher
⦁ (3) Donna Torres — Botanical Illustrator
⦁ (4) Fernando S. Gallegos — Explorer, Photographer
⦁ (5) Glenn Shepard — Anthropologist, Expert on Manu & Amazonian Culture
⦁ (6) Kevin Floerke — Anthropologist, Photographer
⦁ (7) Alberto Manqueriapa — Native Leader of Huacaria Native Community, “Seripegari”, Shaman, Medicine Man, Tribal Historian
⦁ (8)Walter Quertehuari & Fredy Quertehuari — Members of the Queros Wachiperi Community, Keepers of Tribal Knowledge & History
