Above is the main Inca tomb at the Sullistani ruins site. Below are the ruins from the Colla period. There were about five different styles of tomb construction here, but two varieties were tombs buried in the ground, so we didn't see those (they were also several miles away) and then there were the Colla, some other group that started with a T that I couldn't pronounce, and last were the Inca.
Here is a close up of what the outside of the Inca tomb looks like. There was a lizard etched on the side, the stone that is directly above and to the right of the stone with burn marks on it. It's a dark stone inbetween two paler stones. The lizard has the same representation as the snake, they are the underworld animals in Inca beliefs.
These stones were part of one of the tombs, and they littered the landscape, it was pretty cool. Unfortunately for the kid in me it was not acceptable to climb around on them and act like an explorer or a monkey. Phooey.
That's supposed to be a skull, it looked very badass next to the huge Inca tomb. Below is the inside of the tomb, The diameter is larger on top than at the bottom, that's because the Incas believed the spirit ascended into heaven, and if you extend the top so it keeps getting wider as it rises, there is a lot of heaven available for the spirit to be a part of. The previous tomb constructions were the same diameter at the top and bottom, so the deceased was limited to the amount of heaven they experienced in the afterlife.
This island is a national park.
On the way back into Puno we stopped at this home, they had a different building for each "room" and there was a large compound where they had a guinea pig area, and out back there were pigs and more llamas. Below is the traditional diet, there were two different types of dehydrated potatoes, one kind was just dried and the other they dried after soaking in the river for a long time period. Apparently if you boil the potatoes for a while they return to whatever consistency they were originally. There was also this type of clay they used as a flavor, it was really salty, and is added to boiled potatoes for some kick. It kinda tasted like dirt, but was a soupy texture. They also had some cheese, but that went fast. It was fun getting a chance to experience what a lifestyle in the middle of nowhere, Peru involves. The beds were a stone frame with a few reed mats and blankets. It looked rough. The kitchen was a nicer area than I've seen in some other places; there was an outdoor oven and then an indoor area for when the weather is bad. This family had really nice pottery, I think the wife made most of it. Overall this compound was more developed than a lot of the ones we passed going to and from Sullistani.
Above is the main Inca tomb at the Sullistani ruins site. Below are the ruins from the Colla period. There were about five different styles of tomb construction here, but two varieties were tombs buried in the ground, so we didn't see those (they were also several miles away) and then there were the Colla, some other group that started with a T that I couldn't pronounce, and last were the Inca. 
Here is a close up of what the outside of the Inca tomb looks like. There was a lizard etched on the side, the stone that is directly above and to the right of the stone with burn marks on it. It's a dark stone inbetween two paler stones. The lizard has the same representation as the snake, they are the underworld animals in Inca beliefs. 
These stones were part of one of the tombs, and they littered the landscape, it was pretty cool. Unfortunately for the kid in me it was not acceptable to climb around on them and act like an explorer or a monkey. Phooey.
That's supposed to be a skull, it looked very badass next to the huge Inca tomb. Below is the inside of the tomb, The diameter is larger on top than at the bottom, that's because the Incas believed the spirit ascended into heaven, and if you extend the top so it keeps getting wider as it rises, there is a lot of heaven available for the spirit to be a part of. The previous tomb constructions were the same diameter at the top and bottom, so the deceased was limited to the amount of heaven they experienced in the afterlife.
This island is a national park.
On the way back into Puno we stopped at this home, they had a different building for each "room" and there was a large compound where they had a guinea pig area, and out back there were pigs and more llamas. Below is the traditional diet, there were two different types of dehydrated potatoes, one kind was just dried and the other they dried after soaking in the river for a long time period. Apparently if you boil the potatoes for a while they return to whatever consistency they were originally. There was also this type of clay they used as a flavor, it was really salty, and is added to boiled potatoes for some kick. It kinda tasted like dirt, but was a soupy texture. They also had some cheese, but that went fast. It was fun getting a chance to experience what a lifestyle in the middle of nowhere, Peru involves. The beds were a stone frame with a few reed mats and blankets. It looked rough. The kitchen was a nicer area than I've seen in some other places; there was an outdoor oven and then an indoor area for when the weather is bad. This family had really nice pottery, I think the wife made most of it. Overall this compound was more developed than a lot of the ones we passed going to and from Sullistani. 
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