Between the small towns of Santo Tomás and San Bartolo, around 60 km south of Chachapoyas, you’ll find a funerary complex, located at an altitude of around 2800 meters above sea level. We’re talking about the Mausoleums of Revash, built at the top of rocky walls, on the limestone cliff
What is Revash Archaeological Site
These “chullpas” (In the Quechua language, mausoleums or sarcophagi) appear to be small cottages made of rock and mud mortar, plastered and painted red and cream. Unfortunately, most had been plundered a long time ago, but a handful still contained bones and burial gifts for archaeologists to investigate.
Their niches are cross-shaped and quadrangular. On the façade, there are numerous designs of people and animals in addition to projecting cornices. They appear to be a part of the rock art and are painted orange because the Chachapoyas also represented their gods with geometric patterns.
This burial site was made up of several funeral homes spread across 200 square meters. Based on these bones, it is believed that Revash's mausoleums were not used individually. Instead, they serve as collective burial grounds for the prominent and powerful.
The difference between Revash and other closer burial places such as La Laguna de los Condores, or Karajia is that Revash looks like a tiny village in the middle of canyon walls
Revash History
This complex dates from the 14th century, and it serves as evidence of the cultural legacy of the Chachapoyas. The way they placed buildings in hard-to-reach spots for their cemeteries and fortresses made the Chachapoyas architecture formidable and unique.
Is exactly in this field that the Chachapoyas stood out since they built their fortifications and graves in difficult-to-reach locations. The chullpas, or houses of the dead, have one, two, or three storeys.
Each has a slanted roof protected from the weather by a nearby rock and held up by reed sticks. It could not be opened once closed, protecting the mummies inside. Recently, inside the chullpas objects such as fabrics, necklaces, ropes, etc have been discovered
Getting to Revash
First, you must reach San Bartolo village, which is almost 90 km from Chachapoyas. From there, Revash is 2 kilometers away (around 30 minutes walking). Now, you have two ways to visit Revash:
The San Bartolo route is the most advised, which is to keep going by truck to San Bartolo, which is 40 minutes away from Hierba Buena, the alternate route. To get to Revash, you climb for 5 km through the mountains from this interesting place.
When walking this route, keep in mind that inhabitants of this village are well aware of people visiting the mausoleums, as the Revash site is an important part of their daily lives and is fragile
They stay in close communication with guests to let them know what they can do and what they can't do while they're there. The trail and the archeological sites are also very well conserved.
The other option is the Hierba Buena Route. This trek starts at Hierba Buena, which is two hours away from the Amazonian capital Chachapoyas. From here, a steep and climbing road leads to the mausoleums.
This path will allow you to see breathtaking natural landscapes, and their flora and fauna. However, this is the most difficult path, as you’ll walk over 2 hours.
Weather in Revash
Just like all the regions of Amazonas, and northern Peru, the weather is mild and warm, however, it may rain occasionally despite not being the rainy season.
We recommend June through November as the ideal season for people who want to spend more time comfortably visiting this area. Keep in mind that the weather in Amazonia is lovely throughout the year.
