Cumbemayo or Cumbe Mayo is an archaeological site located 20 kilometers southwest of the city of Cajamarca in Peru at 3,500 meters of elevation.
History
The aqueduct and the petroglyphs at Cumbemayo are thought to be built circa 1500 - 1000 BC, the petroglyphs being similar to those of Chavín culture.
Los Frailones
thumb|Cumbe Mayo petroglyphs
Los Frailones are massive volcanic pillars, some stretching as high as . The stone forests suddenly appear from the landscape, starkly contrasting the flat, grass-covered plains around Cajamarca. The erosive forces of wind and rain likely carved out the pillars.
Many of the pillars, carved by wind and rain have taken on new shapes, resembling hands and even animals, and allowing the mind to wander in the pristine Peruvian setting. Their impressive and rare geological formations, where some will identify the shapes of monks forming part of procession (hence the name frailones, Spanish for friars).
See also
- Agricultural history of Peru