14.08.2015. Cajamarca and Cumbe Mayo
Cajamarca is an important, however sad part of the Peruvian history. The father of Atahualpa died in 1525, and he and on other brother started to fight to became ruler of the Incas, and herewith started a long civil war between the two. Atahualpa was advancing from the north (now Ecuador) to the capital of the Inca, Cusco. But on this way he coincided with the Spanish troops of Pizarro in 1532, and he tried to negotiate with them to help him in the war against his brother. After a "misunderstanding" during a dinner (supposedly Atahualpa hit the holly bible during a discussion) the Spanish decided to capture him together with 80 Inca political, military and religious personalities and asked for a ransom. Atahualpa offered a room full of gold and two rooms full of silver until "a man can reach". This room was the Suntemple in Cajamarca, which is now called "Quarto de Rescate" or Ransom Room. He was kept prisoner here for eight month, when the ransom arrived. The Spanish took the gold and silver, but despite their promise the Spanish condemned him to death and executed him.
Cumbe Mayo (meaning narrow river, Rio Fino in Spanish) is a rock-forest and a small valley, where in 1937 accidentally discovered an aqueduct and canalisation. This is the oldest man-made structure of South America dated to be 3500 years old. One needed to have amazing technological knowledge based on observation of nature to built this.
