The Pisac Handicraft Market

In the wide range of Peruvian cultures we find the most apotheosis: The Inca Culture, thanks to its emblematic natural, cultural and of course architectural wonders is that we know much more about this great culture.

In the region of Cusco we find different samples of this culture and some of these samples are mainly textiles and pottery; this time we will know a little of these samples in the Pisac Handicraft Market.

The word Pisac (or Písaq) comes from the Quechua word pisaq or p’isaqa, which means “partridge”, this beautiful archaeological site built by the ancient Incas is based on figurative traces of a partridge, as indicated by its name. We must remember that the bird is related to spirituality, to the mystical, to the spiritual values that the human being must develop.

THE HANDICRAFT MARKET:

During the empire of the Incas, Pisac had great agricultural importance due to its fertile lands bathed by the Urubamba river and they organized with great intelligence this great wealth by building terraces in the mountain; these were used to grow corn, quinoa, potato, kiwicha, etc.

The chronicles of the conquest show that the main square soon became an important commercial area and later, the market that is known today.

TODAY…

At present the market of Pisac extends to the Plaza de Armas of Pisac, but it also extends to the small streets around it.

During weekdays the Pisac market is small; however, the market is much larger on Sundays because on this day the inhabitants of the town itself and the surrounding communities offer all services including food stalls, fruits, organic vegetables and even some stalls with strange concoctions, used since the time of the Incas.

THE HANDICRAFTS:

The handicrafts section of the market is full of items and clothing related to the Inca culture, it can be the ideal place to buy gifts or souvenirs.

Here you will find different types of hand-woven products made of fine wool from alpaca, sheep and other camelids of the region; keep in mind that in this market you can bargain.

THE POTTERY:

The population of Pisac also stands out in the production of ceramics with motifs dedicated to Mother Nature, using earth colors and icons typical of the Inca culture.

The use of ceramics, as a raw material for the elaboration of handicrafts dates back to the Pre Inca era; here you can also find an infinite number of options when choosing some pottery.

THE MEALS:

Take your time to go through the food section as you will be able to find native and organic products, such as native potato, corn, “rocoto”, a kind of very hot bell pepper; in the same way the different fruits such as Pacay (an unusual fruit), peach or peach tree, grapefruit, etc.

LOCATION:

In the market of Pisac is located 33 km from Cusco (1 hour approximately) in the same town of Pisac; this visit can be made during the tour to the Sacred Valley.

CLIMATE:

During the year there are two seasons:

In winter (April to September) the temperature oscillates between 2° and 20°C with a magnificent blue sky during the day and a drop in temperature at night.
In summer (October to March) there are constant rains and the temperature varies between 7° and 21°C.
Pisac is part of the Sacred Valley of the Incas tour so the climate is usually mild during most of the year, with some ups and downs during certain periods.

HOW TO GET THERE?

You can get there by hiring the services of a travel agency, the most recommended option; this market belongs to the tour to the Sacred Valley.
But you can also use the public transportation that goes to the city of Urubamba that leaves every 15 minutes, you must get off at the bus stop bridge and from there you should go to the square of Pisac, the market is on the side.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Wear comfortable clothes and with the constant changes in temperature, do not get too warm since it affects much more the altitude sickness.
• Apply sunscreen at least every 2 hours.
• Do not leave garbage in the place, take care of the environment.