Machu Picchu - hidden city of the Incas
by Ronnee Ruselle
In the 1400's, On an Andean mountain top at 7,710 feet above sea level, the Inca people built a small, but extraordinary city. Not only is it one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites, but it is considered to also be one of the most important spiritual locations.
It was a sacred site that was invisible from below. Completely self-sustaining, Machu Picchu was eventually forgotten by even the Incas themselves. This was to be its saving grace from being invaded by the Spanish at the time of the conquest.
As nobody remembered that it existed, there was no guide to show the Spanish where it was, so it survived undisturbed until it was discovered by American Explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911.
Hiram Bingham at Machu Picchu, 1912
(Photo courtesy of Encyclopedia Brittanica Online)
Bingham was looking for the much sought after Vilcabamba, known as the "last resting place of the Incas". Bingham was led to the ruins by a farmer who mentioned some ruins on top of a ridge near their camp which he called 'Machu Picchu' or in the Quechua language 'Old Peak'.
The farmer almost wasn't going to take him there as he thought it was too hard a climb on a wet day but changed his mind when he realized that he was to be paid approximately four times a normal day's pay. When Bingham asked him where the ruins were, the farmer pointed straight up to the top of the mountains.
When he arrived, Bingham was moved by the beauty of the location and described it thus:
"In the variety of its charms the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead; gigantic precipices of many-coloured granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids, it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation and the mysterious witchery of the jungle. One is drawn irresistibly onwards by ever-recurring surprises through a deep, winding gorge, turning and twisting past overhanging cliffs of incredible height."
Inca Royal Estate
Inca is the name of a royal family. Different locations and empires were named after the ruler, and the Inca family - Pachacuti Inca in particular ended up taking over a tremendous area from the Cuzco valley to almost all civilized regions of South America.
Machu Picchu is likely to have been one of his estates as well as an astrologically important location. This might explain why it was forgotten. I imagine it would have been harder to forget a city and by nature, royal locations such as this one were known only to those trusted by the Royal family. The skeletal remains of ten females to one male suggests that it may have been a safe haven for the training of priestesses and/or brides for the Inca nobility. It appears to have housed around 750 people.
Architectural genius
It is considered to be a marvel of civil engineering. It is a cloud-shrouded mountain-top city complete with running water, drainage systems, food production, palaces, baths, temples, water fountains, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation and so advanced that they have endured for over 500 years.
Built using bronze and stone tools, most of the buildings were made out of granite blocks that fit together perfectly without mortar and although none of the blocks are the same size and have many faces (some as many as 30 corners), the joints are so tight that even a thin knife blade cannot be forced between them. The architecture is built into and around the landscape. Structures and sculptures are carved into rock and channels carved into the stone serve as a water system.
Sustainable agriculture
The success of the Incan empire, and those before it was mainly due to intelligent management of the natural resources and their transformation of the land. They converted what was previously arid land into fertile areas through intensive production. Machu Picchu is an excellent example of this.
There are successions of perfectly constructed agricultural terraces, which are interconnected either by stones inlaid in the retaining walls like steps, or by stairways consisting of many stone tiers arranged like corridors. The design of the terraces, also known as andenes, is in perfect harmony with the mountains surrounding the site.
The Intihuatana Stone
One of the main uses of Machu Picchu was as an astronomical observatory. The Intihuatana stone (meaning 'Hitching Post of the Sun') was named literally for its purpose. It precisely measures the angle of the sun to show when the solstices and equinoxes occur. At midday on the 21st of March and again on the 21st of September (the equinoxes), the sun stands directly above the pillar. At this time, the Incas held a ceremony at the stone, where a priest would 'tie the sun' to the stone in order to slow down its movement in the sky, preventing it from disappearing altogether.
It is said in legend that when sensitive people touch their forehead to the stone, the Intihuatana opens their vision to the spirit world. Some people have claimed to have such an experience and many others who visit there say that it is a special spot for them even if they are unable to explain why.
As someone who works with energy, I would say that the fervor that the Incas had in their beliefs and ceremonies alone would have created an amazing amount of energy around such an important location that is likely to remain until today.
What happened to the people?
It seems that there is no clear answer for what happened to the people who resided at Machu Picchu. A range of theories abound such as possible disease wiping them out or annihilation by an opposing royal family. Abandonment 40 years before the Spanish took over the nearby major city Cuzco is thought to be the most likely course of events, but nobody knows for certain.
If it was abandoned, then it's not so surprising that the city was forgotten given the fact that it was so well protected and hidden. It is believed that by the time the Spanish invaded, much of the city and the path leading to it would have been overgrown with vegetation making it virtually impossible to find. Add to this the secretive nature of Incan royalty and it's likely that only the royals themselves and those who were associated with the area by work responsibilities etc. would have known of its existence.
Machu Picchu today
Due to its pristine natural state and its spectacular historical and architectural importance, Machu Picchu was added to the World Heritage List in 1983 as both a cultural and natural site. Visiting requires a certain amount of physical strength so if you plan to visit, try to be as fit as you can first. Many people suffer from altitude sickness too, but the locals have a drink that can help with that. Machu Picchu is the last magnificent stop on the Inca Trail which is scattered with ancient monuments and Incan sites so if you're fit, you may wish to walk the trail.
Here is a Wikipedia link with some helpful info for those who wish to visit Machu Picchu (http://wikitravel.org/en/Machu_Picchu), but we suggest you research carefully to find out as much as you can before any visit to a new location to prevent problems.