Cerro de Oro: Community Engagement in San Luis de Cañete

Just a two-hour drive south of Lima sits Cerro de Oro, an archaeological site overlooking the Pacific Ocean whose vast network of adobe structures testifies to over a thousand years of Wari and Inca occupation. Since its inclusion on the World Monuments Watch in 2018, World Monuments Fund’s (WMF) Peru office has supported various efforts by the Programa Arqueología de Cañete-Cerro de Oro (PACA) with a particular emphasis on engaging the local communities that coexist in this unique space. These efforts have culminated in the recent publication of Cerro de Oro. Mil años de historia en barro en la Costa Sur del Perú, a work celebrating over a decade of PACA’s efforts. On July 14, I had the opportunity to represent WMF Peru at an event organized by the Municipality of San Luis de Cañete and the Instituto Peruano de Estudios Arqueológicos (IPEA) to present this valuable publication to the local community, which stewards this extraordinary archaeological site. Three moments from the event stood out to me as tangible demonstrations of how heritage can serve as a catalyst for local development and an educational tool for younger generations.

With around 60 attendees—including local authorities, teachers, students, and project team members—there was a palpable sense of pride at the book talk at having a resource highlighting the area’s cultural heritage's richness. Upon arriving at the main square, I noticed a table displaying products that caught my attention. A group of young entrepreneurs connected to PACA had launched a line of souvenirs inspired by the iconography found at Cerro de Oro: keychains, stickers, and notebooks decorated with geometric patterns, as well as anthropomorphic and zoomorphic motifs. They had even expanded their offerings to feature iconography from various archaeological complexes across Peru. This creative initiative promotes pride in cultural heritage and generates additional income for the young people involved.

During the book talk, Dr. Francesca Fernandini, who edited the book with support from IPEA, not only discussed the publication’s content but also distributed an educational guide to local teachers, enabling them to educate their students about the history of Cerro de Oro. The transformation of technical jargon into accessible language and innovative educational methodologies opens doors for younger generations to learn and appreciate their heritage from an early age. We hope to see the results of this in the form of greater youth involvement in the protection of Cerro de Oro in the future. Fittingly, the book itself not only documents the invaluable archaeological heritage of the area but also highlights the crucial role of community participation, which is essential for the program's sustainability and promotion.

On the other hand, thanks to its closeness to Lima, Cerro de Oro always had the potential to be incorporated into the region’s tourism circuit. Still, it lacked the infrastructure to welcome visitors. Therefore, by 2020, WMF supported the development of an interpretation center and marked trails to strengthen sustainable tourism actions in the area. Within this context, it was comforting to listen to two students majoring in tourism at the National University of Cañete who shared their experience of launching guided visits at

Cerro de Oro in 2021, showcasing the tangible integration of local institutions in the site’s tourism development. The vibrant local tourism industry encourages the spread of knowledge about heritage while also attracting visitors, potentially bringing economic benefits to San Luis de Cañete.

Cerro de Oro is a space where the community, specialists, institutions, and various stakeholders come together with the shared goal of protecting this extraordinary complex and generating shared benefits. With an area of over 150 hectares, there is still much to explore and discover, but we are confident that the local community will remain committed to protecting and promoting this invaluable cultural heritage.