The Province of Salta

We arrived in the bustling capitol city of Salta, in Salta Province on Tuesday at lunchtime. Salta has about 700,000 people in it and is highly influenced by Spanish colonialism.

Our first stop was an amazing museum call MAAM. The Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Motana. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of three Incan mummies that were found in March of 1999, by a team of Archeologists from both South and North America. It is one of the most important discoveries in recent times. There were three children found, two girls a 9y/o and a 15y/o and one 6y/o boy. They were part of a ceremony that took over a year to complete and were eventually given a narcotic substance that put them to sleep and then they were wrapped, placed in a burial chamber with many sacred and everyday objects and left to die of exposure. Because of the volcanic soil and the sub 0 temperatures the bodies were perfectly preserved including all the organs, the blood muscle and skin. Even the fabrics they were wrapped in retained their brilliant colors. It was quite remarkable to see the boy mummy in the same state he was buried in. For security, the museum only displays one mummy at a time, but they show videos of all three mummies. If anyone ever gets to Salta, this is a museum that shouldn't be missed. I do think there is some controversy surrounding the mummies having been disturbed. Members of the indigenous groups felt they should have been left where they were.

Our guide, Edgar, then took us on a city tour which took us to the top of San Bernadino Hill. Many things here are named after Gen San Bernadino. He was a local hero during the revolution that freed Argentina from the Spanish rule. There are many statues and monuments dedicated to the people who fought in that war. The top of the hill gave us an amazing view of nearly the entire city. Although it was a bit hazy especially in the photos.

I have enjoyed our time here as we have been allowed our first free day with no requirements from the Fulbright commission. We are planning on seeing some more of the sights around the city and then going to a restaurant with some Baile Folklorico (folk dancing) and a traditional pena which is a sing along and anybody who wants to brings there guitar and just start playing and singing folk songs of Argentina. I think this is part of the gaucho culture.