Ventanillas de Otuzco, Archaeological necropolis in Los Baños del Inca, Peru

Ventanillas de Otuzco is a burial site of the Early Intermediate period in Baños del Inca, 8 km from Cajamarca. Its name comes from the openings cut into a volcanic rock face over an area of about 1,700 square metres. The niches are arranged in rows, and each is divided into two levels: the lower one held the deceased and the upper one received offerings.

The site was constructed between 300 BCE and 200 CE and later served the Cajamarca culture as a burial ground from 200 to 800 CE. This period marks when ritualized burial practices became established in the local tradition.

The niches played a central role in burial rituals where the deceased were moved from ground burials to these rock chambers in stages. This practice reveals how the community honored and remembered those who had passed.

The site sits about 8 kilometers from Cajamarca city center and offers regular guided tours throughout the day. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and allow extra time due to the high elevation.

The burial chambers are cut as window-like openings in a volcanic rock face, which is why they are called ventanillas, or little windows. The site covers about 1,700 square metres near the Otuzco village in Baños del Inca District, 8 km from Cajamarca.