Articles in History
In search of gold
During the fifteenth century the Portuguese, and later the Spanish, sailed the seas searching for alternative routes to the Mediterranean. In 1492 the Spanish arrived to America under the command …
Conquest and Colony of Peru
The conquest of Peru is the historic process of the assimilation of the to the Spanish Empire; it represented a profound social, economic and cultural transformation. These two distinctive …
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu was the most magnificent community the Incas built, its name means “Old Mountain” in Quechua. It is believed that Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by Inca Pachacutec. In 1983 UNESCO added Machu Picchu to its list of World Heritage Sites. Machu Picchu was re discovered in 1911 by HIram Bingham, an American explorer who was searching for Vilcabamba, the last resting place of the Incas. His project was funded by Yale University and National Geographic Society.
Why was Machu Picchu built?
The most common conclusion from experts on Inca history and archaeologists is that it was built first and foremost as a retreat for the Inca and his family to worship natural resources, deities and specially the Sun, Inti. In reality things do not have one single purpose and Machu Picchu had a multiplicity of uses and significance.
The city was inhabited for just over one hundred years and no one knows for sure why the Incas abandoned such a magnificent city. It is believed that the civil war between the brothers Atahualpa and Huascar had interrupted the food supply to Machu Picchu. Another possibility is that it was affected by an epidemic that killed its residents.
Machu Picchu Archaeological Sites
As a sacred place a lot of planning was put into its construction; priests, architects and engineers studied how the light of the sun and the moon radiated to each mountain and how the stars aligned to each building. Meticulous architectural and engineering planning was required in order to meet religious standards. Lets not forget that Machu Picchu is located in semi tropical land or highland jungle where rain can be intense and earthquakes frequent. Inca engineers had the knowledge to erect anti seismic buildings and ensure at the same time that the land would not erode.
Sectors in Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is divided into two sectors, at the northern part was the urban sector and at the southern the agricultural sector. These sectors were constructed on a natural division …
The Inca Empire
The Inca Empire flourished in the South American continent from 1438 until the Spanish arrived in the continent in 1533. From around 1200 to 1438 the Incas were considered a …
Inca Roads and Chasquis
Andean Road System
The Incas were magnificent engineers, they built the most elaborate network of roads and bridges of any ancient culture, known as Qhapaq Ñan. The success of its empire was …
Economy of the Inca Empire
Central Economy
The Incas had a centrally planned economy, perhaps the most successful ever seen. Its success was in the efficient management of labor and the administration of resources they collected …
Cusco, the City of the Puma
The name Cusco comes from the Aymara language qusqu wanka that means “rock of the owl”. According to one of the , the myth of the Ayar brothers, Ayar Auca …
