Chankillo, Peru

This video was released on April 29, 2021. 

The ancient observatory of Chankillo, with its thirteen towers and two observation platforms spanning the entire annual rising and setting arcs of the sun, once allowed its inhabitants to determine the date with an accuracy of two or three days. Built over 2,300 years ago in the coastal desert of Peru, Chankillo is truly a wonder of the world.

Join WMF Peru Vice President Martha Zegarra and Chankillo Program Director Dr. Iván Ghezzi for a tour of this site, where WMF has been active for more than ten years, battling the effects of a rough desert climate, earthquakes, and time. In this intimate experience, learn about this history and uncover what the future holds for Chankillo’s elaborate timekeeping device.

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Dr. Iván Ghezzi, Chankillo Program Director

Dr. Ivan Ghezzi is the former Director of the National Museum, Peru, where he oversaw a recovery effort that led to the opening of exhibitions and a strong increase in visitation numbers. His interests include the study of ancient complex societies, prehistoric warfare, ancient architecture, cultural astronomy, and dating methods. He is a research associate at the French Institute for Andean Studies and Center for Field Research. His current projects include an initiative to revalorize and promote tourism to the Chankillo Solar Observatory, a site under consideration as World Heritage.

Martha Zegarra, WMF Peru Vice President

Martha Zegarra graduated with a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Austin at Texas. She has curated various exhibition projects for Peruvian artists, museums, and cultural institutions. She previously served as Chief of Cultural Management at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos Cultural Center, head of the Exhibitions and Publications Department of Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), and as Executive Director of the Mario Testino Museum (MATE). She joined WMF in 2014 as Vice President of WMF Peru.

About Heritage from Home

Heritage from Home brings viewers behind the scenes to some of World Monuments Fund’s most iconic sites around the globe guided by the WMF experts who safeguard them for the future. 

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