In commemoration of the centennial of the first archaeological expedition to Chavín de Huántar and at the threshold of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Peru, we presented in the city of Lima the re-edition of the book Chavín, Cultura Matriz de la Civilización Andina (Chavín, Matrix Culture of the Andean Civilization) by Julio C. Tello, considered to be the Father of Peruvian Archaeology.
The event was attended by the Minister of Culture, Alejandro Neyra Sánchez, as well as representatives from the institutions that made possible the reedition of this work: Ingrid Claudet, General Manager of Wiese Foundation; Orestes Cachay, Rector of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; and Antonio Pinilla, Legal and Compliance Vice-president of Compañía Minera Antamina.
“It is very pleasing, from the Ministry of Culture, to participate in this event that allows us to learn what every Peruvian should know: our own history. It is important to recognize the effort of private investment, as is the case of Wiese Foundation and the company Antamina, who have contributed to remembering the legacy that commemorates one hundred years of research and 60 years from the first publication of this book”, indicated the Minister of Culture, Alejandro Neyra.
For her part, Ingrid Claudet indicated that while in 1960 the first edition of the book by Julio C. Tello was being published, in Lima, Mr. Augusto Wiese Eslava instituted the foundation that bears his name, in order to contribute to the individual and collective good through scientific research, which has allowed us to continue to contribute to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the nation. Moreover, she gave details as to how this work was born.
“It all started in 2019, when Wiese Foundation designed this editorial project and presented it to the corresponding entities. From that moment on, we have driven with enthusiasm this initiative in each of its steps until today, the day of its presentation”, indicated Ingrid Claudet.
For his part, Antonio Pinilla, representative from Antamina, stated that, for more than a decade, the mining company has provided support to the initiatives of research and protection of Chavín, a World Heritage.
“In these years, we have been the privileged witnesses to the valuable findings at Chavín. We know that it is not only an amazing past, but it is also the present and the future. The potential for tourism and its impact on the local development grow as its mysteries are unveiled”, he said.
Finally, Orestes Cachay, rector of San Marcos, underscored the figure of Julio C. Tello as student and teacher of this high studies academic institution.
“The objective of this monumental opus is to highlight those achievements that ancient Peruvians accomplished around the first millennium before our era. Thanks to Tello, we can learn the significance and the role of Chavín, which consolidated the basis for the Andean civilization and the foundations of what would become the cultural integration”, he stated.
Furthermore, the work of Julio C. Tello was commented by renowned specialists of Andean history: Luis Guillermo Lumbreras, Peter Kaulicke, Luisa Díaz, Rafael Vega-Centeno and César Astuhuamán. Each one of them acknowledged the contribution of the Father of Peruvian Archaeology to the study of ancient civilizations and valued the effort made for the publication of the book, which represents a most valuable source of information for students and the public in general.
If you wish to have more information about the book or, at any rate, to acquire this magnificent opus of archaeological research, we invite you to visit this link.
