Like a blanket of snow covering the slopes of Andean mountains, the salt mines of Maras extend beautifully into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. A spectacular view of more than 300 pools in various colorful shades, accompany Auri Peru to unravel some of the secrets, history, properties and uses of this spectacular salt deposit used since ancient times by the Andean people.
What are the salt mines of Maras?
The salt mines of Maras are large salt reserves resulting from a great salinization process of 443 million years ago. This great salt deposit is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and has more than three thousand salt wells used since pre-Inca times and even much earlier.
In Maras, we find one of the four exclusive places in the world where pink salt can be found. Pink salt is using for human consumption and medicinal use.
Location of the salt mines of Maras
The salt mines of Maras are located in the district of the same name: Maras, in the province of Urubamba in the Cusco region. The salt mines are located in an orogenic depression called “Cachi Raqay”, a Quechua term that translated into Spanish means “salt gorge”. This gorge, in turn, is located on the slopes of the Cruzmoqo mountain and at the base of the Llaully Moqo and Chupayoq Moqo mountains. The altitude of the salt pans is 3020 m.a.s.l. (altitude at which the site’s viewpoint is located).
Altitude of the salt mines of Maras Peru
The altitude of the salt mines is 3020 meters above sea level. (altitude at which the viewpoint of the deposit is located).
Climate in Maras salt mines
The climate is very similar to the city of Cusco due to the similarity in altitude. As in the entire southern Andean region, there are two well-defined seasons: dry season (May to October and rainy season (December to March). The average annual temperature varies between 12 and 24°C during the day and is cooler at night. Both are conditioned by the aforementioned rainy season and dry season.
Etymology or meaning of the word Maras
It is presumed that the name of the community to which the salt mines belong, Maras, comes from one of the legends of the mythical origin of the Incas, the legend of the Ayar brothers. The legend mentions the “enclosure of the windows” in the mountain of Tambotoqo in Paccaritambo, from where the Ayar brothers emerged. One of the 3 tunnels in this enclosure receives the name of Maras Toqo which some say would be translated as “salty cave”. So Maras would mean salt.
However, the word Maras does not exist in the Quechua or Aymara language, the word for salt in Quechua is Kachi and in Aymara it is jayu. Perhaps like many other words used in Inca times that have no meaning in these languages, the word comes from the Puquina language, an extinct language spoken by the Inca elite.
History of Maras Peru
According to studies on the origin of the town of Maras, archaeologist Ruben Maqqe mentions that part of Maras was inhabited by the Chanapata culture. In Maras, ceramics, polishers, silex arrowhead cutters, snuffers, knives, and different instruments corresponding to this culture were found. Later, remains of Wari pottery (another more advanced pre-Inca culture) were also found.
On the other hand, already during the first Inca periods, it is presumed that the town of Maras could have been the nucleus of one of the enemy ethnic groups of the Incas, the Ayarmacas. They would fight battles and alliances, they were always in constant conflict due to the balance of power between them. When Pachacutec assumed the power, he would totally subdue these lands and their inhabitants, among them the Ayarmacas, marking the destiny of the nascent Tahuantinsuyo.
In 1556, after the arrival of the Spaniards and the fall of the Incas, the lands near the salt mines were named Villa de San Francisco de Asis de Maras. Many families of the Inca nobility moved to this village, since they lost their royal palaces in the city of Cusco.
Maras was very important during the colony because it was a very commercial area that communicated the Sacred Valley of the Incas with Cusco. Likewise, the village of Maras was an important area for evangelization. The settlers were cheap labor for agriculture during the colonial era.
In 1650, the church of San Francisco de Asis de Maras was built along with many houses built on Inca foundations. The use of patiently carved stone doorways was common. In them, Christian symbols and inscriptions were used for evangelization and the extirpation of idolatry. The dozens of stone doorways still prevail today and constitute elements of great historical and artistic value that deserve special attention from you if you come to the site.
From 1977, the exploitation of the salt mines is in charge of the villagers. Later, in the 1980s, the people of Maras took possession of the salt mines and established the company Marasal S.A., owned by the communities of Maras and Pichingoto, which is responsible for the management and marketing of salt for the domestic and world markets. Today, about 400 families own the salt pools.
Geological origin of salt in Maras
The world’s seas and oceans began to salinize in the Paleozoic era 443 million years ago. When various marine creatures died, their bodies were deposited on the bottom of the seas and these were gradually decomposed into different mineral elements such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, fluorine, iron oxide, manganese, iodine, zinc and other elements.
After the displacement of the continents and the collision of tectonic plates, some seabeds rose along with mountain ranges such as the Andes Mountains. In many cases, bodies of water were trapped on solid ground.
The origin of Maras salt dates back to these times. Today, the salt comes from the melting of a subway salt deposit through a subway spring that irrigates the salt wells. It is still unknown how it comes to the surface, however, some theorize that it originated due to the rupture of an internal conduit as a result of an earthquake.
The legend about the origin of salt in Maras
Among the inhabitants of Maras, there is a story from ancient times about the origin of the salt mines. The story goes that, in ancient times, a local chief called “Curaca” from the Yucay valley had the inhabitants of Maras under his control. One day they rebelled against the curaca by not fulfilling their work quotas and harassing his emissaries.
At this point, the curaca sent soldiers to quell the rebellion, but the villagers had fled leaving many traps that killed many of the soldiers. This is how the curaca prayed to the god Inti imploring punishment for these rebels. The Sun God or Taita Inti agreed by raining salt in the whole area so that the rebels would not have anything to quench their thirst, so the lands of Maras would be arid and salinized with the outbreak of groundwater that gives rise today to the salt mines.
Andean tradition emphasizes that the three Andean worlds have been involved in the production of salt for thousands of years. Each world participates harmoniously: the ukhu pacha (underworld) with its cachi pujyu unu (saline waters), the kay pacha (earthly world) through the work of man in its wells, and the hanan pacha (upper world) with solar energy and evaporation.
The process of elaboration of the salt of Maras
There are two subway water springs that spring from the subsoil of Maras. The first one is located on the left side of the artisanal market and above the main well, it is called Orco Pucyu or Cori Pucyu. This first source is the one that is most exploited to extract salt. The second source is located at the base of the ravine and is rarely exploited; it is called China Pucyu or Colque Pucyu.
The salt water from the manante is conducted through a matrix channel through the upper part of the salt pools; this channel supplies all the pools independently. Each pool has its own water intake control that is closed when the pool is full.
The activity of filling the water is known as irrigation of pools or “rinucchuy”. It is done 10 times a month in a volume of 4 or 5 centimeters high. The collected water follows a natural evaporation process leaving crystals that descend by gravity to the bottom of each pool. Once several layers of salt are formed, the salt is repeatedly pounded and stepped on to loosen it from the bottom.
The next step is the collection of the salt, this step is known as “barrida” or “cachipichey”. Special slats called “tulquinas” are used to gather the salt inside the pools and then collect it with strainers; some others prefer to use shovels to increase the pile. The salt piled up on the side of the pool is called “era” (harvest), it is still wet and will wait for it to continue crystallizing and drying. Some prefer to make the “era” with the salt still wet and others wait for it to dry more. The sweeping process takes about a week. On the other hand, the lapse of 30 days is the propitious time between one harvest and another.
The extraction process ends with the delivery of the dry salt. Each person carries an average of 50 kilograms to extensive storage yards, where it is ground, iodized and packaged. The salt is bagged in different quantities, qualities, and weights for marketing.
Types of salt in Maras
The salt of Maras is divided and named according to the extraction. The first salt extracted is called extra salt or flor de sal (the most expensive salt). The second and third are called first and second salt. The fourth is called pink salt, which is not only consumed but also used medicinally. Finally, the last one is called third salt, which is not edible as it is only used industrially.
From these types of salt products are generated for human consumption, to be used medicinally or for industrial use. They are offered to visitors as chocolates with salt, soaps with salt, salt with spices, seasoning, as a medicinal product, flower of salt and others.
How to get to the salt mines of Maras?
The salt mines of Maras are located within the district of the same name. The salt mines are located 5 kilometers on foot from the town of Maras (1 hour walk), while by road there is a distance of 8 kilometers (15 minutes drive).
Arriving Maras salt mines on your own
This option is a bit more complicated and is recommended if you have enough time to make the trip to the place. It is necessary to take transportation by stopovers. The positives of this option are the personal disposition of your time in the place and that internal feeling of adventure when making the trip on your own.
The first thing to do is to take a shared transport from Pavitos street in Cusco, these vans go to Ollantaytambo as the final destination. You should ask if the route to get to the place will be the Huarocondo or Chinchero route. You should take the option of the Chinchero route. After passing the town of Chinchero you should get off at the intersection of the highway with the access to the town of Maras. The cost of the ticket is approximately 10 to 15 Peruvian soles.
The next thing to do is to look for another transport or bus whose prices will fluctuate according to the demand of passengers, being able to be between 10 to 20 Peruvian soles to get to Moray to the town of Maras. From the town you only have to take the usual route taken by the villagers to the salt mines, a 5 kilometer walk that at a leisurely pace should not take more than an hour.
Arriving Maras salt mines with a travel agency
This option is more practical and ideal for those who have less time. Almost all agencies include transportation and guiding services. It is important to emphasize that you must use the services of a formal agency that has the permits granted by the corresponding authorities.
Entrance hours to the salt mines of Maras
The tourist activities take place in the uninterrupted schedule from 7 am to 17 pm.
Entrance fees to the salt mines of Maras
The salt mines of Maras are not included in the tourist circuit of the Sacred Valley. Being property of the community of Maras, it is a privately-owned attraction. The entrance fee is 10 Peruvian soles, equivalent to about 3 dollars.
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