Perou Decouverte
Perou Decouverte
Pikimachay is an archaeological site located in the Pacaycasa district, Huamanga province, 20 kilometers north of the city of Ayacucho.
The name "Pikimachay" means "Cave of the Fleas" in Quechua, and this cave is approximately 60 meters long, with 24 meters wide and 12 meters high.
The site is known for the human remains and stone tools that have been discovered there, providing valuable information about the antiquity of human occupation in the region.
Excavations carried out in the cave have revealed evidence of human occupation dating back to as early as 23,000 BC.
The remains found include stone tools, wild plant seeds, and bones of now-extinct animals.
The tools found were made from basalt, chalcedony, quartzite, and flint, and include hammerstones, fleshing tools, points, and scrapers.
The Pikimachay cave is considered one of the oldest sites of human presence in South America.
Researchers estimate that the first inhabitants of the region were nomadic human groups from the hunter-gatherer period.
The cave was used as a temporary shelter for these human groups.
The Pikimachay cave is accessible from Ayacucho, by taking a tourist bus to the foot of the road, then walking for about 25 minutes.
Visitors can enjoy the view of the Andean natural landscape and take photos and videos.
Pago a la Pachamama ceremonies are also held at the site.
The site is open to the public and entry is free.
Visitors should be careful and respect the archaeological site.