By Glen B. Jenks
Buried deep in the Andes Mountains of Peru is one of the best known and least understood of the cities of the ancient world. In 1911 when this city was first discovered it was believed to be the ancient lost city of the Incas called, Vilcabamba. It was built around 1450 to hold approximately 1000 people. It eventually became clear that what had been discovered was not Vilcabamba, but the city of Machu Picchu. a treasure of modern scientists of a dozen more disciplines as well as tourists from all over the world. Machu was a thriving city for about a century. Suddenly the city was abandoned at about the time the Spanish Conquistadors arrived and conquered the Inca civilization. Over the centuries that followed this abandoned city was covered by the jungle vegetation and became completely invisible.
The marvels of Machu Picchu can only be touched upon in an article like this. Some are well known and others are not so well known. For example it is well known that most of the city is built of quarried stone that is so finely worked to fit together so that no concrete or other material is used to hold the stones in place. It is less well known that there is a water drainage system built below the city that has preserved this city from the ravages of the rainforest in which it is located. This drainage system is an engineering achievement virtually unparalleled in the ancient world.
I was privileged to visit Machu while on Sabbatical in 2008, a year before I retired as Rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Cave Creek. One enters the city after a long journey by bus and train through the city of Cuzco, Peru (at 11,000 ft. elev.) through the long valley known as the Inca Trail, to the town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountain that is crowned by Machu Picchu. The actual entrance is at the end of an overgrown tunnel-like walk of about 50 yards that ends suddenly and there you are staring at the incredible city that has been vacant since the mid 1500’s, built by engineers and artisans, whose skill and knowledge has impressed even the greatest builders ever since.
My first urge was to climb to the top to photograph the signature image that identifies Machu Picchu. I soon found I was physically incapable of such a climb and I had to learn to accept and enjoy the experience and the photos I could take from the areas I could reach. That was a moment I will never forget, because at first I felt sorry for myself having come so far and not being able to “see it all”. Then I told myself to stop the “Pity Party” . Here Iwas, standing where few will ever get to stand, walking and seeing what few ever get to experience and I was feeling sorry for myself. I quickly recovered.
I included the couple in the photo below to give the viewer a sense of scale. This couple had no idea they were a part of my photo story and I never spoke to them. I am grateful they were there and that the lady wore such strong colors. {A photo tip: a photo like this requires that the person(s) in the frame have solid and strong colors}. To them I say: “Thank you whoever you are.”
In order to appreciate the skill and meticulous attention to the detail of every stone, you have to look closely at some of the walls. It is true that in some sections at the lower levels they did employ some concrete-like material to hold the stones. However, in this city built to accommodate nearly 1000 persons, the vast majority of every wall, every structure is built by fitting each stone to perfectly align with the adjoining stones.
These terraces are not cut into the mountain. They are constructed by first setting the drainage system that runs beneath every structure in the city. Second they built the retaining wall to form the terrace, Then they filled the enclosed space with new dirt These terraces cover a significant portion of the entire constructed area and presumably provided, or were intended to provide a rich farming area for the city. At some time shortly after this city was built it was abandoned. No one knows for sure what happened. However it is believed by many scientists that the incursion of the Spanish Conquistadors at about the time the city was abandoned had something to do with this historical mystery.
One of the most astounding features of Machu is located on the top of the cone-shaped mountain on the far side of the city on the right-hand side. The top of that mountain has buildings, terraces and other structures. You can’t help but wonder how did these “primitive” people with primitive tools ever create such a wonder. Even today only the hardiest of the hardy can climb to the pinnacle of that mountain.
First, locate the cone-shaped mountain in the photo above. Second, in the photo to the right, see how long and steep the mountain is. Third, in the photo below, notice the buildings and terrace. Finally, look closely and you will see white dots on the photo below. These are the hardy souls who climbed all the way to the top.
Recent Comments