vanlaw1

__**Machu Picchu**__ Machu Picchu is an archaeological site in Peru that most likely served as a royal estate and was probably used as a home for members of the Inca royal family while they were away from the capital of Cusco. It is estimated that construction on the site began rougly 1438 after enemy tribes were defeated at the spot by the emperor Pachacuti (Niles). When the Spanish conquistadors landed, Machu Picchu was the only site that was untouched by their purges. Some historians think this is because Machu Picchu was visited only by selected members of the culture, and thus not many Incans knew of the roads leading to the site. Machu Picchu was not discovered until 1911 (the discoveries were published in 1912) when Hiram Bingham, a professor, was conducting research in Peru when he heard from a local farmer of ancient ruins in the mountains. Machu Picchu is located at an elevation of 8,000 feet between two mountains (Huayana Picchu, meaning young mountain, and Machu Picchu, meaning ancient mountain). The attraction overlooks a river and valley by the name of Urubamba. This “eighth wonder of the ancient world” was divided into three sections: agricultural, urban, and religious. The agricultural section consisted of a series of terraces bordered with irrigation channels that were designed to avoid erosion. The urban area contained structures with one room and solid walls of fitted stone, and is separated from the religious section by a plaza with a large rock in the center. In the religious center are the Intihauntana Shrine, the Great Central Temple, and the Temple of Three Windows. The latter two had three walls, while the former was a shrine to the sun and stone, and possibly a place of astronomical study. Also in the religious portion of the ruins is the Temple of the Sun, a circular tower that also may have had astronomical orientation. More marvels at Peru’s chief tourist attraction include shrines, temples, baths, water systems, plazas, fountains, and masonry. Many graves found at the site contain female bones. Thus historians believe that Machu Picchu was a religious sanctuary for priests, “virgins of the sun”, and “chosen women” (“Machu Picchu”).

Home Page