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Saturday, 23 December 2023

3122) "Sarcophagi of Carajia/Karajia," Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases a Sarcophagi: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2010:

3122) "Sarcophagi of Carajia/Karajia," Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases a Sarcophagi: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2010:

The Central Reserve Bank of Peru in 2010 unveiled the design for one-sol coins, in its numismatic series called “Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru").

The "Wealth and Pride of Peru" series first began in 2010 with the issue of the Golden Tumi as its motif.

Successive coins were issued such as the Karajia Sarcophagi, the Estela de Raimondi, the Chullupas of SillustaniMachu Picchu, the Monastery of Santa Catalina, the Saywite Stone, the Great Pajaten, the Real Felipe Fortress, and the Temple of Vilcashuamán, and the Ruins/Monolith of Kuntur Wasi.

The Coins launched in this one-sol series included 26 unique designs reflecting Peru’s history and traditions.

Peru’s Central Bank has issued a new sol coin featuring Tacna’s Parabolic Arch as the final edition of its Wealth and Pride series of collectors’ coins.

The Sarcophagi of Carajía/Karajia:

The Sarcophagi of Carajía are unusually large pre-Inca Chachapoyas culture sarcophagi at the archaeological site of Carajía in the Utcubamba Valley, located 48 km northwest of the city of Chachapoyas, Peru in Luya Province, Amazonas Region

The site contains eight Chachapoyan mummies located on a cliffside, referred to by local residents as the “ancient wise men”.

The Chachapoya culture had the tradition of protecting their dead and located their sarcophagi in protected difficult to get to locations.

The Sarcophagi of Carajía are unique in their genre for their large size, up to 2.50 m high, for their careful making, and, for the fact that they were remained practically intact because of their location atop a ravine of difficult access.

The seven sarcophagi stand up to 2.5 meters tall, constructed of clay, sticks and grasses, with exaggerated jawlines. 

Their inaccessible location high above a river gorge has preserved them from destruction by looters. 

However, an earthquake toppled one of the original eight in 1928. They have been radiocarbon dated to the 15th century, coincident with the Inca conquest of the Chachapoya in the 1470s.

The sarcophagi are of a type particular to the Chachapoya called Purunmachus

The construction is painted white and overlaid with details of the body and adornment in yellow ochre and two red pigments, such as the feathered tunics and male genitalia visible on the Carajía purunmachus. Often the solid clay head will boast a second, smaller head atop it. The purunmachus of Carajía are unique because of the human skulls that sit atop their heads.

Although the model of burial using coffins of anthropomorphous shape and sarcophagi, as part of the cultural area of Chachapoyas, exhibited the Chachapoyas's peculiarity of burying their illustrious deceased was almost completely forgotten, a revival of interest occured when sereral groups studied  them in detail.

The sarcophagi are shaped into big anthropomorphous capsules, made of clay and mixed with sticks and stones. Only the head and part of the chest are compact. Both body and head are decorated by red painting of two tones, applied over a white base.

Appearance of sarcophagi:

It is believed that the sarcophagi are evocations of the typical form of funeral bundle found in the coast and in the mountain range, corresponding to the period of the Tiahuanaco-Huari

In effect, the anthropomorphous form has been only given in the outlines of the human body, without the forms corresponding to the extremities taking shape. It is necessary to notice that the head of the sarcophagus has received sculptural treatment, and the face is the result of copying in clay funeral masks that were originally done in a wooden table, cut away in a half moon shape to represent the jaw.

Related discoveries:

Another several groups of sarcophagi present in the region are those of Tingorbamba and Chipuric.

Commemorative Coin:

The Reverse of the One Sol Coin features one of the Karanjia Sarcophagi

To the right is the mint mark "LIMA" of the National Mint House.  

Inscribed towards the centre left periphery is the inscription - "SARCOFAGOS DE KARANJIA S. VII — XV d. C."

Vertically engraved is seen "1 NEUVO SOL".

On the Obverse of all Peruvian Coins, the National Coat of Arms, the inscription "Banco Central de Reserva del Peru" is seen on the upper Periphery and the Year of Minting is placed on the lower periphery - "2010".

The specifications of the One Sol Coin are:

Country of issue: Republic of Peru; Coin Series Theme"Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"); Coin Theme"Sarcophagi of Karanjia"Coin Quality: Circulation Commemorative Coin; Date/Year of Coin issue: 2010; Denomination of Coin: 1 (One Nuevo Sol); Metal Composition: Nickel-brass; Weight: 7.32 grams; Diameter/Size: 25.5 mm; Thickness: 1.9 mm; Minted ByNational Mint House;  Mint Mark: LIMA; Mintage: 10.00 Million pieces; ShapeRound; Technique: Milled; Orientation/Coin alignment: ↑↓; Edge: Reeded. 






Links to Posts on Peru:











Links to Posts on Argentina:


Links to Posts on Guyana:

1) A $500 (Five Hundred Dollars) Banknote issued by the Bank of Guyana

2) A $1000 (One Thousand Dollars) Banknote issued by the Bank of Guyana: Date of Banknote issue: 04.03.2019

Links to Posts on Turks and Caicos Islands:

1) A Quarter Crown (1/4) Coin, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), A British Overseas Territory (BOT): The Coin was only issued in 1981 and was since demonetised in 1986

2) A Half Crown (1/2) Coin, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), A British Overseas Territory (BOT): The Coin was issued only in 1981 and was since demonetised in 1982

Links to Posts on Curacao on this Blog:

1) Festival di Tumba (Carnival of Curacao), Curacao: "50th Edition of the Curacao Carnival/Festival" held from 27-31.01.2020: A set of six Commemorative Postage Stamps brought out by Cpost (Curacao Post) on 20.02.2020

2) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021

3) Willemstad, Curacao: 25 Years of UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of 16 postage stamps celebrating the milestone: Date of Stamps set issue: 18.08.2022

4) Willemstad, (Dutch, Caribbean Island, Curacao), Netherlands: "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series": Tenth Coin in the Series of 10 Euro (Gold) and 5 Euro (Silver) Collector Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) feature this historic city: Date/Year of Coins issue: 02.02.2023

For some other interesting posts on Currencies of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, please visit the following links:








Links to some other interesting posts from South American countries & Mexico:

1) The Evolution of Mexican Coinage


24) Bolivar Soberano (or "Sovereign Bolivar"), Venezuela: (2018 Series of Banknotes) introduced by Banco de National, the Central Bank of Venezuela on 20.08.2018 


1) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021 


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