Arid. Tambo Colorado, Pukatampu, and Vachellia farnesiana, Sweet Acacia, Pisco, Peru
Inland east of Pisco from the road between Ica and Lima is the very arid archeological site, Tambo Colorado. This was once - ca.1470-1537 - a large Inca city, built of adobe bricks. The Incas abandoned the site and left it to archeologists to understand their culture here. This is a waterless place - even the Pisco River, visible in the distance, runs almost dry. The aridity has preserved much of the ruins. Rain, of course, would have dissolved the adobe; today even some of the colors of the once painted walls have survived. You can see traces of blacks, ochres, reds and even whites. In those ancient times, red in particular must have been evident. The Quechua name of the town is Pukatampu or Pukallaqta, which translates as Red Resting Place. A plant suitable for such a dry place is the Sweet Mimosa, Vachellia farnesiana or Acacia indica farnesiana. I've placed an inset but in the distance you'll discover the shrubs.
Arid. Tambo Colorado, Pukatampu, and Vachellia farnesiana, Sweet Acacia, Pisco, Peru
Inland east of Pisco from the road between Ica and Lima is the very arid archeological site, Tambo Colorado. This was once - ca.1470-1537 - a large Inca city, built of adobe bricks. The Incas abandoned the site and left it to archeologists to understand their culture here. This is a waterless place - even the Pisco River, visible in the distance, runs almost dry. The aridity has preserved much of the ruins. Rain, of course, would have dissolved the adobe; today even some of the colors of the once painted walls have survived. You can see traces of blacks, ochres, reds and even whites. In those ancient times, red in particular must have been evident. The Quechua name of the town is Pukatampu or Pukallaqta, which translates as Red Resting Place. A plant suitable for such a dry place is the Sweet Mimosa, Vachellia farnesiana or Acacia indica farnesiana. I've placed an inset but in the distance you'll discover the shrubs.