The Petroglyph Site of Chicchitara

Along the eastern slope of the lower Palpa valley are several concentrations of petroglyphs within a range of about 6 km. The Petroglyph Site of Chicchitara, Peru are mostly located on boulders on the floors of lateral quebradas and on their rocky slopes. A dense concentration of petroglyph accumulations is evident within a range of approximately 2.5 km along the river.

The figures are pecked or carved in reddish volcanic sandstones. Which of these petroglyph accumulations are nowadays assigned to the designation “Chichictara” “which is the name of the adjacent modern hamlet” One of the first archaeologists who study this site as Mejía Xesspe (1972) divided the site into four sectors. The four sectors are discussed. Basically, most of their figures can be dated to the Paracas Period (800–200 B. C.) on the basis of iconographic similarities with datable archaeological findings as textiles, ceramics, or even geoglyphs and by offering some examples of iconographic similarities between the sectors, it is argued for the adequacy to date the corpus of these petroglyphs to the same period.

• See and be amazed discovering yourself perhaps the beginning of the figures on the Nazca Lines area.
• Take tons of pictures along the side hill of Chicchitara.

You will be picked up from your hotel in Nazca and taken in an air-conditioned vehicle for a sightseeing tour of Chicchitara. A bilingual guide (English/Spanish) will accompany you on this tour.

We will drive our private vehicle to the north of Nazca we will pass through the Nasca Lines area. Then arriving at the Palpa province as a good introduction to the occupation of the Rio Grande and Palpa valley by important civilizations such as Paracas, Nasca, Wari and Ica-Chincha firstly we will visit the small Palpa Museum.

Ending this quick introduction we will be ready to explore the Chicchitara site visiting mainly Sector #3.

At the end of the tour, you will be dropped back at your hotel in Nazca.

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off roundtrip Transportation from select Nazca hotels.
• Private guide/driver (English-speaking)
• Bottled water.

• Meals or Snacks.

• 3 hours.

• Daily.

• From: 7:30 hrs. to 14:00 hrs.

The confirmation voucher includes the local activity operator’s contact details and local telephone numbers at the destination.

We will happily answer any logistical questions you may have.