Cuencan antiquities

The town of Cuenca was built by the Spaniards near the Inca ruins of Pumapungo, which was built after the Incas defeated the Canar.  The river running through town is called Tomebamba, the river of knives -- lots of death and destruction here.

The Pumapungo ruins below, discovered in 1922, are in the city.  The complex was pretty big.  Royalty lived on the top of the hill, and their royal gardens were below.  Pretty plush lives for the royalty.  Lots of virgins (for fun); the royalty only bred with their sibs and parents to keep the lines uh "pure"-- and when a "good" baby boy (10 fingers, not conjoined twins, no tails, can breathe on his own, etc.) was born to the family, that kid was in line for the throne.  Or so we were told.

The royal gardens, seen from on high. 

The gardens themselves were lush, with medicinals and edibles.  And llamas and other special animals roamed, too.  Big snakes were kept (originlly) because they could be, and pumas and anteaters, etc.

Maiz, and a scarecrow in the royal gardens. 

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There's a private indigenous museum nearby, with some cool pottery and stuff mostly from the Canar people.  These are among the more interesting:

A collection of clay phalli.  Not sure.

This is a coca leaf chewer -- note the lump in his left cheek.  Good for the soul, and for fun. 

A way to make the body beautiful -- tooth decorations, drilled and implanted.

This was in the maternity section.

Cute little pot people.  

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The Remigio Crespo Museum was in the dude's former house, a lovely old mansion.  It's now a gallery, and had this guy (below) as the featured artist when we visited.  

Ferdinand-esque.

And Tim Burton-esque? 

Murals painted on the wall -- not part of the art exhibit --  beautiful.

Interior of the mansion. 

Hand painted wall "paper", still intact.  Remigio Crespo bust in special alcove. 

Entry hall.