Sacred Valley to the Amazon

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Tuesday, 16 April 2024 - Visited the impressive Sacsayhuamán archaeological complex above Cusco with its massive dry-stone walls, wandered among llamas and Inca ruins, explored Qenqo's subterranean galleries nearby, shopped for alpaca goods, then returned to Cusco for lunch and visited the Casa Concha museum with artifacts from Machu Picchu.

Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Site sits above Cusco. The Incas built the complex in the 15th century, particularly under Sapa Inca Pachacuti and his successors.

peru2024 — Located on a steep hill that overlooks the city, the fortified complex has a wide view of the valley to the southeast. Archeological studies of pottery at Sacsayhuaman indicate that the earliest occupation of the hilltop dates to about 900 AD.

peru2024 — Dry stone walls constructed of huge stones were built on the site, with the workers carefully cutting the boulders to fit them together tightly without any mortar.

peru2024 — The longest of the three walls is about a quarter mile. They are about 20 feet tall. Estimates for the weight of the largest limestone block vary from 140 tons to almost 220 tons.

peru2024 — While we were there several llamas wandered in for a bit of breakfast.

peru2024 — Sacsayhuaman with Cusco hills in the background.

peru2024 — A door into the complex.

peru2024 — The walls display a precision of cutting and fitting so closely spaced that a single piece of paper will not fit between many of the stones. This precision, combined with the rounded corners of the blocks, the variety of their interlocking shapes, and the way the walls lean inward, is thought to have helped the ruins survive devastating earthquakes in Cuzco.

peru2024 — Huge stones.

Following the siege of Cusco, the Spaniards began to use Sacsayhuaman as a source of stones for building a Spanish Cuzco. Today only the stones that were too large to be easily moved remain at the site.

peru2024 — Trapezoid door leading to another doorway.

peru2024 — The view of Cusco from the top of Sacsayhuaman - in the middle is the main plaza.

peru2024 — Christ the Redeemer on the hills over Cusco.

peru2024 — The hills around Sacsayhuaman sport many archaeological sites.

A short distance from Sacsayhuaman is Qenqo - an archeological site consisting of a complex of subterranean galleries, canals, and a semicircular amphitheater-type structure.

peru2024 — Although the ruins may date back to a civilization before the Incas, archeologists and historians agree that the Incas used it as an important ceremonial site. In the lower, underground portion of Qenqo, Inca death rituals likely took place on a slab cut into the stone.

peru2024 — Some also believe that the Incas used the underground tunnels to mummify important members of Inca society.

peru2024 — Coca leaves left as offerings on the smooth stone slabs.

peru2024 — Another archeological site near Qenqo - or part of it.

peru2024 — We then traveled to a community co-op store where they had a type of zoo with the various Peruvian camelids.

peru2024 — Cal and our guide, Chris, with a Llama.

peru2024 — Cal and a Llama.

peru2024 — Virginia Ann really liked the animals - I was a bit scared she would try to put one in the suitcase.

peru2024 — Of the two Alpaca breeds the Suri is only about 10% of the population.

peru2024 — A little Guanaco - the wild version of a Llama.

peru2024 — The more common Huacaya Alpaca.

peru2024 — Another Huacaya Alpaca.

Virginia Ann did browse the attached store and purchase a few Alpaca items.

peru2024 — Back to Cusco for lunch and some free time.

We walked through this plaza on the way to the main plaza several times. This is the Basilica and Convent of Our Lady of Mercy.

peru2024 — Virginia Ann's lunch salad at Campo Cocina Andina.

peru2024 — The bell tower of the cathedral.

peru2024 — Our guide told us that the Museum of Machu Picchu was worth a visit so after lunch we headed over.

The museum is in an old Spanish home - Casa Concha - which is beautiful. Opened in 2011, this well-curated museum just off the plaza displays artifacts that Hiram Bingham unearthed in 1911 when discovering Machu Picchu. Bingham brought 360 pieces back to Yale, where they were subject to an international dispute between Peru and the university. They are now back in Peru.

peru2024 — The string and knots used by Inca to count - although it is unknown how the knots are read.

peru2024 — Small pottery figurine.

peru2024 — Inca pottery bowl.

peru2024 — Gold inlaid jewelry.

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