Paracas History

The Pre-Inca society of Paracas existed between 700 BC and 400 AD and lived on the Paracas Peninsula in the South coast region of Peru. Most information about this fascinating civilization comes from excavations conducted in the 1950s by Peruvian archaeologist Julio Tello who discovered the Necropolis burial site.

The necropolis featured many vast underground burial chambers that could hold about forty Paracas mummies. It is believed that each chamber was owned by a particular family or clan. Over the course of several generations, they would place the mummified corpses of their deceased ancestors in these chambers. Each mummy was found wrapped in numerous layers of beautiful and intricately-woven shrouds for which the Paracas culture is now well-known. Paracas textiles are world-renowned and admired as some of the most complex and striking in design and color of weavings that have been found in any ancient culture.

The Paracas people used vicuña cotton or wool to create these spectacular pieces in which their beloved deceased relatives were buried. Using various vivid colors and patterns that featured animal designs and geometric shapes, their textiles typically display marine-life motifs with fish and sea animals reflecting the proximity and importance of the coast to the Paracas culture.

During the mid-nineteenth century, the reserve served a particularly important role for the Peruvian economy as the vast number of bird life that inhabits the area produce immense quantities of guano (bird droppings). This fertilizer was exported to Europe, and for many decades, was Peru’s most important source of revenue.