Photo Gallery

The church of Andahuaylillas, a town of about 3,900 inhabitants near Cuzco. It contains many colonial treasures, which is why it is often called in Peru the "Sistine Chapel of the Andes" in an effort to compete with the Old Continent. - 1969

It was not only in the area around Cusco that the Incas made intensive use of the steep slopes for terraced farming (andenes) to secure food supplies for the surrounding settlements. These are stepped, flat terraces dug into the ground on steep mountain slopes and supported by stone walls, which thus prevent soil erosion during heavy rain. The stones of the walls store heat during the day and release it to the plants at night (protection against frost). – This photograph was taken south of Cusco on the road between Checacupe and Urcos, on the upper reaches of the Vilcanota River, which flows downstream to join the Urubamba River. Peru – 1976

The Urcos market is renowned for being a very authentic, local market where indigenous women traders and craftspeople from the surrounding mountain communities sell their wares – ranging from fresh produce to traditional pottery and textiles – directly on the ground or from simple stalls. The typical round hill hats (monteras) and hand-woven garments are characteristic of the indigenous people of this Andean region. – Cusco – Peru – 1976

Unlike the better-known markets in and around Cusco, the Sunday market in Urcos (Quispicanchi Province, Cusco Region) remains almost untouched by mass tourism. Locals from the surrounding villages arrive dressed in their finest traditional costumes to sell fresh produce and share a large glass of freshly fermented ‘chicha de jora’. This is a traditional, alcoholic maize beer from the Andes, with a history stretching back thousands of years in what is now Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. It is regarded as the ‘sacred drink of the Incas’ and was traditionally drunk during religious ceremonies in honour of the sun deities and the Earth Mother, Pachamama. – Peru – 1976

Sunday market in Chinchero, Cusco Department. Chicha seller – maize beer was probably known soon after maize was first cultivated. - Book: Picture 113 - Peru - 1976

On the way from Acomayo to Urcos in the Cusco region, you pass this waterfall. – Peru – 1976