Royal Tomb Ceremonial Baths Condor Temple Sacred Plaza Intiwatana

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu is nearly invisible from below, tucked away on a small hilltop between two Andean peaks, at 7,000 feet above sea level. The fact that it lay hidden to all but a few peasants for hundreds of years adds to its mystery and intrigue. Never discovered by the Spanish or mentioned in their chronicles, Machu Picchu is the most popular, yet least well-known of the Inca monuments - the pre-Colonial cultures of Peru left no written records. Yale professor Hiram Bingham discovered the ruins buried beneath dense undergrowth in 1911.

The first sight of Machu Picchu is almost magical. The temples, fields, terraces, and baths appear to be part of the hillside itself...an imposing, elegant green paradise carved into its natural surroundings. Separated into three areas - agricultural, urban, and religious - the structures are arranged so that the function of the buildings matches the form of their surroundings. The agricultural terracing and aqueducts take advantage of the natural slopes; the lower areas contain buildings occupied by farmers and teachers, and the most important religious areas are located at the crest of the hill, overlooking the lush Urubamba Valley thousands of feet below.

The view from the Funerary Rock Hut offers a dramatic overview of the whole complex. From here you can also see the start of the Inca trail, a well-developed road that connects Cusco with Machu Picchu. Many people choose to hike this arduous trail, and are rewarded by spectacular views, dramatic changes in altitude, and dozens of smaller Inca ruins to explore along the way. At the end of the day a small herd of llamas enters Machu Picchu from the terraces near the Funerary Rock Hut and graze on the grass, keeping it efficiently mowed.

Down a long set of stone stairs and to the left you'll find the Royal Tomb. Located underneath the circular Temple of the Sun, this cave-like area contains ceremonial niches and an Inca cross carved from one wall. The cross resembles a series of steps, and represents the three levels of existence in the world of the Inca. The first step, symbolized by the snake, represents the underworld or death. The second step represents the present, human life, and is symbolized by the jaguar. The highest step represents the celestial/spiritual plane of the gods, and is symbolized by the condor. The Royal Tomb has been the site of numerous mummy excavations. Of more than 100 skeletal remains discovered at Machu Picchu, 80% were women. This fact, among others, leads many historians to surmise that Machu Picchu was inhabited primarily by high priests and chosen women. The true purpose of Machu Picchu has never been conclusively determined.

To the left of the royal tomb lies a series of 16 ceremonial baths, joined by one linked aqueduct system. At the top of this system is the watershed hut. Continuing along the left side of the complex, you will cross the rock quarry, where partially split stones are visible.

Up a steep set of stairs on the far side of the quarry is the four-sided Sacred Plaza. Surrounding the Sacred Plaza are the most important buildings of Machu Picchu. The Principal Temple is an example of excellent Inca stonemasonry, with its large stone blocks polished smooth and joined perfectly. The jumbling of the stones in one corner is due to the settling of the earth over the years, and not to any defect in construction. The Inca used no mortar to hold their walls in place; they relied upon precisely cut stones, geometry, and female and male joints in the corners and foundations. Their best-built structures withstand the passing of centuries, and even multiple earthquakes, without suffering.

Next to the Principal Temple is the Temple of Three Windows, named for its three identical, trapezoidal windows that open into the main plaza. Beneath the Principal Temple is a small room called the Sacristy. It contains a polished stone bench and several carved niches in the wall, presumably for religious objects. The two stones flanking the doorway have more than 30 angles each. The Inca performed many religious rites to aid warrior/priests in prayer and war. An important ceremonial drink was chicha, a fermented corn drink. Chicha was drunk from special containers, such as the Inca wooden vessel. Hallucinogens were also used by priests in transforming rituals. The warrior priest bottle depicts a warrior/priest using mushrooms. A Chavin pottery head also shows a priest undergoing a ritual transformation.

At the top of a final set of stairs is the centerpiece of Machu Picchu. Intiwatana or "hitching post of the sun" is a carved rock pillar whose four corners are oriented toward the four cardinal points. The Inca were accomplished astronomers, and used the angles of the pillar to predict the solstices. The sun exerted a crucial influence on the agriculture, and therefore the well-being of the whole society. It was considered the supreme natural god. (The ceramic corn god, created by the Moche, evidences the spiritual devotion to the natural world that was common to all pre-Inca cultures.) At the winter solstice on June 21, the high priest would rope a golden disc to the Intiwatana, to symbolically catch the sun and bring it back toward earth for another year's cycle of seasons. The Intiwatana at Machu Picchu is the only one of its kind not lopped off by the Spanish conquerors, who made a point of destroying all implements of Inca religion. Many people today feel that Machu Picchu is one of the Earth's magnetic focal points, and carries an inherent spiritual or metaphysical power. Indeed, it is difficult to sit at the edge of the Sacred Plaza overlooking the Urubamba River below, the stone temples and plazas to the front, and the mountain peaks of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu to the left and right, and not feel the magic.

Descending from the back of Sacred Plaza is the Central Plaza, a large grassy field that separates the Sacred Plaza and Intiwatana from the more commonplace areas on the far side. On this opposite side you will find the Temple of the Condor, and the adjacent prison complex. The Temple of the Condor is ingeniously created from a natural rock formation resembling the outspread wings of a condor in flight. On the floor of the temple is a rock carved in the shape of the condor's head and neck feathers, completing the figure of a three-dimensional bird. Historians speculate that the head of the condor was used as a sacrificial altar. Under the temple is a small cave that contained a mummy. A prison complex stands directly behind the temple, and is comprised of human-sized niches and an underground maze of dungeons. According to historical chronicles that documented similar Inca prison sites, an accused citizen would be shackled into the niches for up to 3 days to await the deliberation of his fate. He could be put to death for such sins as laziness, lust, or theft.

Across the Central Plaza and at the far end of Machu Picchu is the Sacred Rock, an object common to most every Inca village. Before a village could be erected, a sacred stone must be dedicated to the site. The Sacred Stone of Machu Picchu sits at the base of Huayna Picchu (little peak), from where you can take a one-hour climb to the top for another excellent view of the entire valley.

These were the words of the Spanish Chronicler Pedro Cieza de Leon, writing to King Philip II of Spain in 1558. The amazing part is that he hadn't even seen Machu Picchu, arguably the most impressive and spectacular accomplishment of the Inca Empire. It is possibly one of the greatest things there are to report of Peru.