The Inca Exhibit at the National Museum
Ever wonder what life was like a thousand years ago? You might find some answers at the National Museum of Korea, where over 350 artifacts from all over Peru are on display in The Great Myth and Mystery of Peruvian Civilization INCA-PERU exhibit. Although architecture is usually the first thing that comes to mind about ancient Peru, the exhibit showcases textiles, pottery, metal artworks, life-size human figurines, and even mummies from Andean civilizations that give a more detailed peek into ancient cultures, including the Chavín, Moche, and Inca civilizations.
There are some notable pieces throughout the exhibit, which spans several rooms in a roughly chronological order. In the first room is an extremely intricately woven mantle depicting deities, which was once used as a cloth for wrapping mummies. The bright colors and precision of detail in the textile are quite remarkable, considering that the cloth was entirely hand-made. Moving on, there are several pieces of pottery that depict deities, which seem to be mythological creatures that are a combination of several animals including birds, cats, and snakes. As time progresses from the Chavín to Moche cultures, artwork becomes more realistic, portraying scenes of races and riots, art pertaining to sex, and warriors, in addition to deities.
Most of the gold art that was made in the Inca civilization was melted down by the Spanish conquistadores, but some pieces have survived and are on display at the exhibit. From earrings the size of one’s fist to necklaces made of gold orbs that look like Christmas tree ornaments, it’s no secret that the Inca had a flair for making big statements. Life-size figurines adorned with jewelry and artifacts from the tomb of King Sipan glow in their gold glory. Toward the end of the exhibit are real, uncovered mummies of adults, animals, and even a human child (not for the faint of heart). Outside the exhibit is a small museum shop with postcards, figurines, and other Inca-related souvenirs.
Although there isn’t an English tour or an English version of the audio guide, a visit to the Inca exhibit was nevertheless a fascinating experience. The exhibit runs until March 28th at the National Museum of Korea near Ichon station (lines Jungang and 4, exit 2). Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 9am–6pm, Saturdays 9am–9pm, Sundays 9am –7pm, closed Mondays. Tickets W10,000. incakorea.co.kr, 1588-7862.
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This sounds fabulous.
Too bad the Koreans can’t grasp the idea that more tourists would visit if the the exhibit contained English signage (at the very least), or better still, an English audio tour.