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Student's Name
Professor's Name
Course
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The analysis of Machu Picchu site
My final project paper will be based on the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu. This
archeological site is located high in the Andes Mountain of present-day Peru, South America.
The Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui takes the credit of the Machu Picchu structure, which was
constructed in the mid-1400s to act as an estate for the royal emperor Pachacuti. The site has for
a long time exhibited great controversy and mystery although it is a relatively new discovery. At
some point in time it was identified as "The lost city of the Incas" which turned out to be a
mistake as the site of reference was Vilcabamba. A number of explorers boost to have initially
found the site, but the key explorer believed to have discovered it is Hiram Bingham in the year
1911. The reason for researching on this site is because, it is a destination that I would personally
enjoy visiting, but unfortunately I will not have the opportunity to do so. I am intrigued by its
design, and want to learn more about why and how the Incas built it in a seemingly rugged and
inaccessible mountaintop location
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https://img.purch.com/h/1400/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvM
DAwLzAzMC82Mjcvb3JpZ2luYWwvc2l0ZV8wMjc0XzAwMDEuSlBH
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The geographical location of Machu Picchu (pronounced either as mah-choo peek-choo or peechoo) is about 870 miles south of the equator, in the Andes Mountain which stands at
approximately 7,970 feet (2,430 meters) above sea level. The site is sandwiched between two
mountains namely: Machu Picchu Mountains and Huayna Picchu, and is located on a ridge
(Jarus, par 1 & 6). The setting is located close to 50 miles, northwest of the city of Cusco which
is known as the symbolic capital of the Inca realm. The distance of separation is relatively small,
as Machu Picchu is 3,300 feet lower in elevation than Cusco. This height level creates a mild
climate suitable for vegetations. The climate is a subtropical evergreen cloud forest characterized
by persistent foggy moisture as a result of cloud cover. However, Machu Picchu experiences
both dry and wet seasons where most of its yearly rainfall is between the months of October and
April.
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http://www.perutravelnow.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Finding-Machu-Picchu-on-a-map-PeruTravel-Now.jpg.
The site is perched above and somewhat bordered on three sides by a large bow section
of the Urubamba River which forms a natural sheer cliff wall stretching approximately 1500 feet
between the river and the base of the city. During the period of the site's discovery, it was
covered by forest vegetation and in ruins ("Peru Travel", par 3). The remains of the building site
at Machu Picchu has been largely restored to its original form over the last century a proof that a
very sophisticated society that possessed strong planning and engineering skills must have
existed. The site boosts an approximate 200 buildings which are laid in unique sections that
demarcate agricultural areas from the urban (living) areas.
The designs of the three main archaeological treasures of the site give some insight into
the religious beliefs of the Incas. The temple of the sun, Inti Watana and the Room of the Three
Windows all focus on worship of the sun and support the legend that the ancient Incas believed
the sun was their god and that they were children of the sun.
The Inca people did not develop a written form of communication, so little is known about their
purpose for building Machu Picchu. This lack of historical records summed up with the fact that
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the site was abandoned 100 years after it was built has created a vacuum that inhibits answering
the questions about Inca civilization. However, much has been learned over the last century
through the study of archaeological evidence. Spanish colonial documents serve as a first hand
record of European observations and perspectives of the Inca society at the time when they first
made contact with them. The Spanish reported that the Inca rulers used royal estates such as
Machu Picchu for celebrations, ceremonial rituals, hunting and entertaining of nobility or other
foreign dignitaries (History.com staff, par 3). According to one of the Spanish documents from
1568, the emperor Pachacuti conquered land in the region surrounding this area including a site
they referred to as “Picchu” (translates to peak) near where Machu Picchu is. Further evidence
suggests that the Inca rulers regularly built royal country estates to commemorate military
victories after defeating groups and taking control of their land.
The history of the Incas
The Incas are well known for establishing the Inca Empire between the years 1438 to
1533. The kingdom of Cusco which is currently the Inca state is where they are believed to have
settled. The Inca Empire used peaceful assimilation and conquest to include in their Empire a
large unit of people from western South America. The Spanish rule began after the Emperor of
the Inca was captured and killed during their participation in the civil wars in 1572. Those Incas
who survived after the war migrated to the jungle part of Vilcabamba where they permanently
resided (De Gamboa 2-3). At Vilcabamba, it is believed they interacted with the communities
they came across so as to form a number of languages with the main being Quechua. The Inca
were religious and believed in gods which include the sun god and Inti. The Inca had four types
of myths which they believed in and used to guide the Incas against wrong doings. The myths
also assisted the community to believe and pass the idea that Manco capac was there leader,
considering they did not have any form of writings that captured these events.
The urban and the agricultural sectors
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The history of the Incas portrays an open-minded and stable culture whose foundation is
based on religion. After the their settlement at the Andes mountain, the Incas thought of
engineering a structured city with water, sewage system, religious structures, residential houses
and agricultural capabilities. Although their plan succeeded, they could not erect the site on the
Peak of Andes Mountain, making them opt for the base which stretched over a distance of 5
miles. Their plan housed most of the structures it was designed to contain.
The site is divided into the Northern part which constitutes urban areas and the Southern
part which constitutes the agricultural sectors. The main reason for this division in sectors was in
favor of the geological nature of the area ("staff writer" par 1 & 2). Agricultural vegetation on
the sides of the mountain was eased with the use of Andenes and terraces which were the best
methods that could be applied to increase the cultivation area. Because of the geological nature
of the area, the Southeastern part contained the most suitable soil in terms of fertility. The water
supply canal provided the Inca's domestic animals with constant supply of fresh water.
For efficient management of the land, there were two levels in which the terraces were
built, the upper and lower level which constituted forty and eighty terraces respectively. The
structure of the upper terraces were wide to facilitate crop growing, while the lower were strictly
used to control any chances of soil erosion. The engineering aspect of the Incas can be observed
in the manner in which they were able to circulate irrigation water throughout the land via water
channels while at the same time avoiding soil erosion.
The terrace system is a proof that the site receives sufficient water which is believed to
come from the hills and mountains (Foerster 39 & 40). Being on the slope of the mountain, the
area was covered with variety of vegetation (Amazon) which created the environment for
generation of rain. The above fact is made clear by the community's ability to grow over 200
different species of the potato and corn crops. Generally, the landscape and the terraces blended
in such a way that one could have imagined they were made to complement each other.
It can be noted that one of their main designs for constructing such structures was to
harbor themselves from external aggression "Guard posts", performing religious ceremonies and
as a residence of themselves and their leaders. Nevertheless, other types of structures such as
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cemetery and Funerary rocks are also present in the site. Their design of the site is quite
sophisticated with the designers using materials which at the time were rare to find.
The living area sections were divided into upper and lower parts which served different
purpose. The urban sector is divided into three divisions: the royalty District, the popular district
and the sacred District. The royalty District was a place where the priests and the noble lived,
and it was situated around the sacred plaza The royalty District was a sector that was
characterized by narrow stair passages which allowed both residents and non residents to access
the buildings that were created on the steep side of the mountains (De Carvalho 192). The entry
door of the priests' premises and other noble persons were constructed with a heavy solid stone
to prevent unauthorized access.
This type of design involved relatively larger houses compared to those of the popular
District. There arrangement was such that they formed a single row and their construction made
on a slope. In this setting, houses could be uniquely identified, with the houses painted red on the
walls belonging to the Amautas, while those which had trapezoid shape belonged to the Nustas
(princess). The royal estate was characterized by frequent visits by the farmers and social
workers in their quest to join in for the celebrations of the day.
The popular District is the location where the dwellings of the low class and the
commoners were found. The design of houses in this sector was simple and clustered in groups
of at least ten houses. The path joining these houses was narrow and most of the time they could
end in small plaza or courtyards which were used to collect food. The sacred District is the area
where structures that were considered holy were dedicated to Inti or the Sun. It is believed that
the Incas and other communities living around Machu Picchu could assemble in this area to
fulfill their religious obligations.
The key architectural structures are the "Intihuatana stone" also referred to as "The
hitching post of the sun", room of three windows and Temple of the sun. Apart from religious
functions, the mentioned structures served other functions such as the locations where the stars,
sun and moon could be viewed from. The constructions of these structures were made very in a
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precise way to allow light from the various natural sources such as the sun and moon reach them
with ease.
Challenges faced by the Incas in preserving their culture
The Inca, like so many other ancient communities had plenty of artifacts, ceramics,
architecture and cultures which they possessed, although the history could not trace the existence
of most of these items. The main challenge this group encountered was a way of storing their
information. The radiocarbon method could not have been used as the primary method of
identifying the left over pieces because it was difficult to identify the items used by the Incas.
The next best alternative was the used of association method which was not precise.
In this kind of excavation, it is only the excavator that could make instant judgment on
when the fossil existed, why it existed and what was it used for. This method has ever since
created loopholes for the making of false judgments. With this kind of method, many excavators
came up with their own conclusion leading to a situation of inconsistency. In turn, this situation
has always created an inevitable debate on the capabilities of the Inca community. Questions
have arisen as to whether the Inca community really existed, and if they did, is there history real
or made up?
The time frame between the Inca settling in the Machu Picchu area and building all these
structures is very questionable (McEwan 199). It is because of these anomalies that it is believed
that the Empire existed for a longer time than the one mentioned in books. The quest to
determine the timing of the Inca society has had a drawback considering the method used is not
efficient. The criteria used to determine the Incas political formation was based on how they
distributed themselves on the landscape of a specific ceramic known as k'illke. In this kind of
approach, it is believed that the ceramic style can be compared with some ethnicity, and its
existence or absenteeism show the way people are distributed in a landscape. For this method to
be successful, it is important to clearly date the ceramic material and have the capability of
associating the ceramic with a unique society like the Incas. Furthermore, the relationship
between ceramic style and polities is not direct, meaning that there could be other reasons for the
distribution of ceramic styles in the area which are not necessarily related to politics.
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The methodology is further limited by the ability to make subjective judgment. The
historicists on their part have decided to assume that there is a defined structure which is used to
determine the archaeological history of the Inca society. The matching of the archaeological
material objects and other people mentioned in the Incas history have proved to be undoubting
task. Example, in the traditional accounts of the history of the Incas, it is believed they fought
with the Chanca. Though their struggle to conquer their opponents was prolonged, little idea has
emerged on the opponents material cultures. The same scenario is replicated for most of the
ethnic groups that made encounter with the Incas.
Engineering the Ancient structures
Most of the ancient structures shared a large chunk of similarities on how they were
engineered. The structures that were built revolved around large pillars placed on top of small
stones, pyramids, large and small openings for the entrance and many more. The buildings that
were constructed then had many peculiar features, from small entry openings to extremely large
ones that could measure several feet from the ground.
From history, the ancestral Puebloans shaped the sandstone into beautiful building
blocks. The walls were made as a result of stacking blocks in layers. The mortar which was made
from a combination of water, ashes and soil assisted to hold tiny pieces of stones to the
sandstone. The purpose of the small hard stones was to fill any spaces that were formed in the
course of building. The mud plaster created a final layer for the building to look smooth or rough
depending on the design. The plaster had different color variety ranging from red, brown, yellow
or white, which depended on the mineral color.
The sizes of the door way ranged from small to large opening, a situation that left most
visitors with more questions than answers. It is believed that average height of most inhabitants
of these dwellings were just the perfect height to fit (Woods and Woods 52-54). On the other
hand, the building skills for the Inca were so different from that of the Puebloan. The design of
their walls was made by small stones which were cut to the right size. This mechanism allowed
stones to fit perfectly on each other thus eliminating the use of a mortar.
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http://leegilchrist.net/images/Peru/Machu%20Picchu/Machu%20Picchu%20Stonework.jpg
The temples were clustered in the upper section while the lower urban area was used for
warehousing and residential living spaces with the nobility houses to the west and lower class to
the east. The architectural style of the buildings is considered classical Inca, and is well adapted
to the mountain setting. The roofing of the houses was made from grass thatch which had a pale
yellow coloring. A devastating flood that occurred in the area in 2010 caused damage in the
buildings located in the Cusco area and Sacred valley, but did not interfere with the structure at
Machu Picchu showed the resilience of the structure.
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https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&ua
ct=8&ved=0ahUKEwjDt8GPh7DTAhWMDxoKHeJ2CxkQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fww
w.slate.com%2Fblogs%2Fatlas_obscura%2F2013%2F06%2F10%2Fthe_last_incan_suspension_
bridge_is_made_entirely_of_grass_and_woven_by.html&psig=AFQjCNFk0H11tGNgHjhMXea
AxLwxHecp1A&ust=1492675344861332
Their bridge technology is one that has since been adopted in many modern construction
technologies with little or no modification made. Ropes made of fiber plant were woven tightly
together to form thick cables. At least five cables could comfortably be used to make the frame
of the bridge, of which two constituted the handrails while the other three made the bridge floor.
The ropes were firmly fixed on a stone support on either side of the gorge. In some instances,
wood pieces are attached on the floor of the bridge to provide relatively stable support as
compared to using ropes alone. Regular maintenance was done annually so as to ensure the
bridge rope did not snap during anytime of its use.
The Guard-house is built on the design of the "Wayrona", in which the structure is made
of three sides with the open side being the longest side. From the Guard-house it was made easy
to access the Ceremonial rock terraces. The purpose of the rock was strictly for ceremonial
purposes and thus its name. Various symbols of some of the features present such as the slanted
surface, the carefully cut ring and the steps are unknown, but still one can wow the craftsmanship
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that was involved. The "Kallanka" is a large hall with a number of entrances, and served as a
place where various ceremonies and festivals were held.
https://photos.travelblog.org/Photos/14050/92734/f/592195-The-Hut-of-the-Caretaker-of-theFunerary-Rock-0.jpg
Environmental assessment of the structure
The mode of building in these structures was granite stones, wood, grass and solid stones.
It is believed that the wood and grass that were used for construction were not replaced leading
to depletion from the area. The wood takes a longer time to replace, while its continuous use
range from fixing old bridges and constructing new ones. The granite stones also gradually got
depleted as a result of overuse. Some of the tourist who visited the site went away with some
quantity of the minerals. Clearance of trees so as to pave way for the construction must have lead
to a substantial amount of global warming.
Before the construction, it can be noted that the place was covered with Amazon
vegetation, which meant that the area provided a habitat for different animal species. Once the
vegetation was cleared, displacement of both plants and animals occurred leading to change of
natural habitat of many organisms. Currently, the numbers of visitors who visit the site pose a
danger to the environment. The site has reported an overuse of its various resources. Similarly,
environmental degradation has been caused by the various illegal activities that are carried out by
those visiting the site.
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Tourist attraction site
In case you are wondering on the best tourist attraction to visit, the Machu Picchu should be on
top of the list. Its various sites that are magnificent will create a lasting picture in the memory.
For the lover of hiking and camping, it boosts a height of about 7,970 feet with less than 15
degrees off the equator. This implies the area enjoys a normal temperature which ranges from
sunny and rainy conditions.
The site has very interesting trails and paths that vary in shapes and size with a cumulative total
of 22,500 kilometers of networked highways. Most of these treks are carried out so as to preserve
the cultural and natural heritage (Lyon and Wells 105,107 & 108). Trail residents use the
resource they constructed socially on the hikers to their benefits. In this scenario political and
social processes turn ideas, people and substances into resources.
The trail initiated as a backpacking destination in the 19th century and few years later it had
achieved global status. Since then, the number of trail trekkers has increased exponentially. A
whooping 52,000 tourists are believed to annually hike the Inca trail accompanied by porters,
cooks and guides. The historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu was created in 1981 and two years
later the UNESCO had certified it as a world heritage site. The body UNESCO has greatly
assisted in managing the resources of Machu Picchu by occasionally visiting the site and getting
reports of the same. Currently, the authorities that are directly responsible for the resource
mobilization and management are the National Cultural Institute (NCI) and Natural Resource
Institute (NRI). These two institutions split the responsibility of ensuring the site is restored to its
initial glory and collection of the revenue generated.
Tour guide maps
The arrangement of the routes the tourist would like to follow is a decision of their own
self however, there are fixed routes which the site management recommends. A map containing
the various available routes is handed over to the trekker. The red markings on the map are the
recommended routes the tourist is allowed to follow. This map is very essential as the site is
filled with groups of structures that are enclosed by a wall. The structures on the map have a
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progressive number associated with them ranging from 1 to 18. The city is split into "conjuntos"
to assist easy navigation.
http://leegilchrist.net/images/Peru/Machu%20Picchu/Machu%20Picchu%20map%202.jpg
Most tourists start their journey at the Guard-house which is thatched. The guard-house
situation on that particular spot is very characteristic as it is from the point that a whole view of
Machu Picchu site can be made. It is also from this view that one is able to get a holistic view of
the site, rather than just maneuvering through the site buildings. Those who opt not to start from
this site can do so and start from (area E) which is located amidst the storehouses (Wright and
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Zegarra 4-13). The Guard-house is accessible by using the steps and trail that is marked as "Trail
to Guard-house". A narrow terrace above the storehouse leads towards the royal estate.
The trail then proceeds or leads to the main gate. Still on the path, one will find a stairs
nearby which leads back to the Guard-house. The Inca trail directs up to "Intipunku" which is
believed to be crucial final checkpoint for trekkers who would otherwise descend towards the
royal estates. From the Guard-house, just several steps down the terraces one will find a trail that
directs to Inca Drawbridge. The beautiful scene of the terraces can be observed when one stands
on the main gate and faces the Machu Picchu site. Still on the trail, before reaching the main gate
there is a small wide depression called the Dry Moat which heads downhill. It is this feature that
demarcated the urban and agricultural areas. More so, it acted as one of the sites major drainage
channel. It is at this Moat that some of the best scene of the domestic water supply and the lower
sector of the agricultural fields are observed.
http://leegilchrist.net/images/Peru/Machu%20Picchu/Machu%20Picchu%20Nicole%20Tasha.jpg
The nice view behind the two ladies is the central plaza.
Conclusion
From the research that I have conducted, the Incas seem to be aggressively active during
their stay in Machu Picchu area. This is characterized by the various battle encounters they made
with communities that came their way. The engineering of the structures that they constructed
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seem far way of higher intelligence than those of most Ancient cultures. The myths that had been
postulated to be used by the Incas have assisted them to work towards their objectives. The
involvement of a god ensured that they erected religious structures while constructing their
communal site. The Inca seem to be practicing the caste system where the community members
are categorized into groups that have specific roles and privileges. Each group is assumed to
know its roles and is guided by community's security. The presence of solid entrance that makes
the door that lead to the various religious leaders is a sign that no unnecessary contacts need to
be made.
Machu Picchu is an area characterized by wet and hot conditions which is favorable to
most organisms. This is the condition that propels the high number of local and international
tourists visiting the site. The bodies that have come up to protect this heritage have assisted
maintain and restore the site to its initial status.
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Works cited
"Peru Travel". "Machu Picchu Location: The Wonder Of The World On A Map".
perutravelnow.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.
"Staff writer". "Discover Peru". discover-peru.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.
DE CARVALHO, LUIZ C. WHO WERE THE INCA? 1st ed. Brazil: LUIZ CARLOS DE
CARVALHO TEIXEIRA DE FREITAS, 2009. Print.
De Gamboa, Pedro S. History Of The Incas. 2nd ed. Texas: University of Texas Press, 2009.
Print.
Foerster, Brien. Machu Picchu: Virtual Guide And Secrets Revealed. 1st ed. Lulu.com, 2012.
Print.
History.com staff. "Machu Picchu". History.com. N.p., 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.
Jarus, Owen. "Machu Picchu: Facts & History". Live Science. N.p., 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.
Lyon, Sarah M., and Christian E. Wells. Global Tourism: Cultural Heritage And Economic
Encounters. 1st ed. New York & Toronto: Altamira Press, 2012. Print.
McEwan, Gordon F. The Incas: New Perspectives. 1st ed. Santa Barbara, California: ABC CLIO
Press, 2006. Print.
Woods, Michael, and Mary B. Woods. Ancient Construction Technology: From Pyramids To
Fortresses. 1st ed. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing groups Inc, 2011. Print.
Wright, Ruth M., and Alfredo V. Zegarra. The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour.
1st ed. Colorado: Johnson Books, 2004. Print.