Cultural heritage of Peru facts for kids
The cultural heritage of Peru is like a giant treasure chest filled with amazing things from the past and present. It includes everything that shows us how people in Peru have lived, created, and thought over many, many years. These treasures can be old bones from ancient animals (paleontological), ruins of old cities (archaeological), beautiful buildings (architectural), important historical items, amazing artworks, military items, social traditions, things about people and cultures (anthropological), or even smart ideas and writings (intellectual).
In Peru, the Ministry of Culture is in charge of protecting all these special treasures. They make sure these important parts of Peru's story are kept safe for everyone to enjoy now and in the future.
What is Cultural Heritage?
Peru has a special law, Law No. 28296, that helps protect its cultural heritage. This law explains what counts as cultural heritage and how it should be looked after.
Basically, if something is a human creation – whether it's a physical object or an idea – and it's really important because of its history, art, or meaning, then it's considered part of Peru's cultural heritage. These items are often owned by the public or have special rules about how they can be used, to make sure they are preserved.
Types of Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage can be divided into different groups:
- Immovable material heritage: These are cultural treasures that cannot be moved. Think of ancient ruins like Machu Picchu, old colonial churches, or historical buildings in cities like the Historic Centre of Lima. They stay where they are!
- Movable tangible heritage: These are cultural objects that can be moved from one place to another. This includes things like ancient pottery, old textiles, paintings, sculptures, and historical documents. You might see these in museums.
- Intangible heritage: This type of heritage is about living culture and traditions, not physical objects. It includes things like traditional dances, music, stories, festivals, special cooking methods, and ancient languages. It's about the knowledge and practices passed down through generations.
- Underwater cultural heritage: This refers to cultural items found underwater. Imagine shipwrecks, ancient sunken cities, or artifacts that have been submerged for at least 100 years. These are often found by archaeologists exploring lakes, rivers, or the ocean.
- Documentary heritage: This includes important written or digital information. It's all the old books, maps, letters, photographs, and digital files kept in archives and libraries that tell us about Peru's past.
- Industrial heritage: This covers buildings, machines, and other items related to Peru's industrial history. It shows how people worked and produced things in factories or mines in the past.
See also
In Spanish: Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación (Perú) para niños
- Culture of Peru
- Historic Centre of Lima
- List of World Heritage Sites in Peru
