~ Amie Ronald-Morgan |
Machu Picchu, Peru: Lost city of the Incas
London, ON - Perched on a hilltop top some 7,000 feet above sea level, the mysterious and ancient city of Machu Picchu lies nestled in the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. Built by the Inca at the height of their empire and deserted less than a century later, much of what we know about the ruins is based on speculation by archaeologists. One thing is ascertained: The Inca meant for this place to be hidden. Machu Picchu’s extremely remote location allowed it to pass under the radar of Spanish conquistadores, leaving it undiscovered until 1911. Then, the city’s massive ridged walls, ramps and vast terraces were freed from thick jungle growth and one of the earth’s most sacred locations – pulsing with geomagnetic energy – was revealed. Each year thousands of people travel to Machu Picchu to experience the majesty of a place usually only visited in dreams.
Despite Inca efforts to make Machu Picchu inaccessible to anyone but them, American historian Hiram Bingham reached the site in 1911 while searching for the lost Incan city of Vilcabamba. In the decades that followed the discovery, archaeologists worked to preserve the area, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It would later be named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is Peru’s top tourist draw. Machu Picchu is only accessible by two ways, either by walking the famed Inca Trail or by rail from Cusco or Ollantaytambo.
Here is a place where immaculately designed dwellings lie amid sacred temples and palaces that mostly likely served to carry out a number of ceremonial religious functions. The city is divided into two main sectors; agricultural and urban/citadel. One of the pervading mysteries of Machu Picchu is that the agricultural sector was much larger than needed to sustain its relatively low population of 200 households. Nevertheless, numerous terraces with still functioning aqueducts sidle the steep mountain slopes, surrounding the urban area. The area is comprised of buildings connected by a system of narrow staircases (three thousand steps in all) on an upper level to the west and lower level to the east. The upper level, or ‘hanan,’ contains The Temple of the Three Windows, the Royal Mausoleum, and the Intihuatana, which is Machu Picchu’s principal shrine. These carved rock pillars were common throughout the Incan Empire; however, the one at Machu Picchu is only one that survived the destruction wrought by the invasion of South America by the Spanish armies. Resembling a sundial, archaeologists believe the structure served as a kind of astronomical calculator to track the movements of constellations and the passing of seasons. Many believe it is imbued with magical power.
To the back of the Intihuatana lies the Central Plaza, separating the ceremonial sector of Machu Picchu from the residential sectors. Some of the finest examples of Incan architecture can be found here: polished granite stones cut with exquisite precision, fitting together in such a way that even a razor cannot be placed between them. The superior craftsmanship evident in the masonry of most of the city’s buildings remains the reason they have stood for hundreds of years on highly seismic land. The Temple of the Sun is a round building, a semicircular tower of exquisite stonework which functioned as a heavenly observatory. A mark cut on a rock at the center of the tower lines up with the exact spot where the sun rises on the June solstice. The Royal Mausoleum is a natural rock cave containing carved ceremonial niches and an altar. It is considered to be a tomb; however there is no physical evidence to necessarily support this claim. However, it is believed that dignitaries were mummified here and worshipped. The mausoleum is roofed by an enormous slab which also forms part of the Temple of the Sun. The Temple of Three Windows derives its name from its three trapezoidal-shaped windows, an unusual feature of Incan architecture. The windows allow the sun’s rays to illuminate the Central Plaza beyond. One of Machu Picchu’s most photographic spots, the Funerary Rock Hut, is believed to be the one-time headquarters of the city sentinel. This vantage point provides an all-encompassing view of Machu Picchu.
The hour-long climb up to lookout point Huayna Picchu offers another breathtaking view of the ancient city. Here, travelers are afforded a 360 degree panorama of Manchu Picchu as well as the surrounding river valleys and mountain tops. Those looking for a bit of solitude can descend 400 meters on a trail to the Temple of the Moon, a small surreal cavern and perfect reflecting spot for the adventurous traveler. Here, in the dark recesses in the cavern, one may struck with a curious notion; that this strange and enigmatic place – as historically tangible as an ancient site can be - has all the reality of a waking dream.
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