SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKA
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| SACRED JOURNEYS trips to the sacred places in the Andes |
CHINCHERO
Chinchero, called "El Pueblo del Arco Iris" (the town of the rainbow), is high up on a
spectacular place, around 12,000 feet above sea level, with tremendous views of the
Urubamba mountain range as well as the majestic Salkantay mountain that reaches almost
19,000 ft. Chinchero is halfway between the Sacred Valley and Cusco, to the northwest of
Cusco, at 28 km. (17.4 miles). The town of Hispanic architecture is built on old Inka
constructions. Its people are very conservative of some andean traditions, wearing picturesque
clothing. Also outstanding the textile crafts (crafts as well as local produce).
There is a spectacular view of the valley and beautiful Andean landscapes surround the town,
outstanding the beauty of the snowy mountains Chicon and Veronica of the Mountain Range of
Urubamba. In Chinchero is a spectacular altar and ceremonial places for mother earth
(Pachamama).
Urubamba Valley: Less than one hour by bus northwest of Cusco lies the valley of the
Urubamba River. It's easy to see why the valley was considered sacred by the Inkas with its
spectacular panoramas and fertile alluvial low lands. The Urubamba Valley, is one of the most
fertile valleys in Peru, everything that is planted here grows with such abnormal vigor -
especially corn. The corn here grows approximately three times the size of the corn grown in
the U.S. and other parts of the world. This valley is located in both sides of the river Vilcanota
and their tributaries. The Inkas gave life to the stone and they built urban centres, palaces,
temples, agricultural constructions, and trails.
MORAY
In this archaeological site exist concentric agricultural terraces, some as deep as 150 meters.
This "Earth's Navel" is thought to be a large agricultural laboratory where the Inkas created
different microclimates to grow a large variety of crops. Here we may perform a metamorphosis
ritual, attuning our body/mind with electro-magnetic energy from Earth's Navel. An important
fact of the Inka's technology was that its works harmonize perfectly with nature. They used the
natural forces they mastered hydraulic engineering, and knew the use of the earth. For
instance, thanks to the "andenerías" (agricultural circular terracing) system, they could sow in
abrupt places and avoid the erosion. The attractiveness of this area can be distinguished for
its impressive landscape (nature and big snowy mountains), pleasant climate, fertile lands with
abundant water, megalithic cultural evidences, people and its traditions.
Chinchero, called "El Pueblo del Arco Iris" (the town of the rainbow), is high up on a
spectacular place, around 12,000 feet above sea level, with tremendous views of the
Urubamba mountain range as well as the majestic Salkantay mountain that reaches almost
19,000 ft. Chinchero is halfway between the Sacred Valley and Cusco, to the northwest of
Cusco, at 28 km. (17.4 miles). The town of Hispanic architecture is built on old Inka
constructions. Its people are very conservative of some andean traditions, wearing picturesque
clothing. Also outstanding the textile crafts (crafts as well as local produce).
There is a spectacular view of the valley and beautiful Andean landscapes surround the town,
outstanding the beauty of the snowy mountains Chicon and Veronica of the Mountain Range of
Urubamba. In Chinchero is a spectacular altar and ceremonial places for mother earth
(Pachamama).
Urubamba Valley: Less than one hour by bus northwest of Cusco lies the valley of the
Urubamba River. It's easy to see why the valley was considered sacred by the Inkas with its
spectacular panoramas and fertile alluvial low lands. The Urubamba Valley, is one of the most
fertile valleys in Peru, everything that is planted here grows with such abnormal vigor -
especially corn. The corn here grows approximately three times the size of the corn grown in
the U.S. and other parts of the world. This valley is located in both sides of the river Vilcanota
and their tributaries. The Inkas gave life to the stone and they built urban centres, palaces,
temples, agricultural constructions, and trails.
MORAY
In this archaeological site exist concentric agricultural terraces, some as deep as 150 meters.
This "Earth's Navel" is thought to be a large agricultural laboratory where the Inkas created
different microclimates to grow a large variety of crops. Here we may perform a metamorphosis
ritual, attuning our body/mind with electro-magnetic energy from Earth's Navel. An important
fact of the Inka's technology was that its works harmonize perfectly with nature. They used the
natural forces they mastered hydraulic engineering, and knew the use of the earth. For
instance, thanks to the "andenerías" (agricultural circular terracing) system, they could sow in
abrupt places and avoid the erosion. The attractiveness of this area can be distinguished for
its impressive landscape (nature and big snowy mountains), pleasant climate, fertile lands with
abundant water, megalithic cultural evidences, people and its traditions.
PISAC
Pisac is one of the most important Archaeological Sites in the Sacred Valley. It is located about 30 kms (18.6 miles) Northwest
of Cusco City. Possibly its name comes from a type of partridge very common in the area known as "Pisaka." A vital Inka road
once snaked its way up the canyon that enters the Urubamba Valley at Pisac. The city, at the entrance to this gorge site,
controlled a route that connected the Inka Empire with Paucartambo, on the border of the eastern jungles. Set high above a
valley floor patch-worked by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inka city
are magnificent. Terraces, water ducts and steps have been cut out of solid rock, and in the upper sector of the site, the main
Sun Temple is similar of the one in Machu Picchu. Above the temple lie still more buildings, and among the higher crevices
and rocky overhangs several ancient burial sites are hidden.
Today it is still possible to observe the surrounding wall that protected the most important zone of the Inka city. Moreover,
inside the protected area are the vast farming terraces that supplied enough food for its inhabitants in case of sieges or
conflicts; and there are also aqueducts that supplied water for agricultural development. It seems that water for consumption
of the inhabitants was harnessed on the mountain's upper side and transported through underground channels.
Towards the West, on the irregular almost vertical surface of the mountain there is a large amount of something like hollows:
they are looted tombs of the pre-Hispanic cemetery in the region. Today the cemetery is known as "Tantanamarka," and
according to some estimates it must have contained about 10,000 tombs. In the Inkan belief it was stated that once persons
died they began a newer life.
When the invaders arrived they soon knew that inside the Inkan tombs they could also find jewels of precious stones and
metals, thus they began with their diabolical profanation and pillaging of ancient Peruvians' tombs. That is why that cemetery
in Pisac contains mostly looted tombs and some mummies without their jewels and personal elements.
Intiwatana (inti = sun, watana = year) is the most important district in Pisac. It corresponds to the ceremonial core or spiritual
complex of the city that has the best quality constructions; that is, with polished-joint carved stones that have a rectangular
outer surface. Its location on the mountain's upper section is superb and dominates visually a great territory of the valley, this
sector must have been constituted by diverse temples. In the complex's central part is a semicircular building with one lateral
straight wall which main gate is toward the south, by deduction and analogy with other similar buildings it is established that
this was the Sun Temple in Pisac. By the middle of this building is the altar carved in the in-situ rock, with a central interrupted
conical protuberance that is known as "Intiwatana" ("Solar Meter", a "Saywa" or "Sukanka") and must have been used for
allowing observation of the solar movements with the help of some other elements or carved angles that served as "pegs" for
calculating the shadow projections. The altar served to carry out different ceremonies and celebrations to the Sun.
Descending the Sun Temple stairway, farther to the southwest side is another interrupted conical carving that was surely
used in a close relationship with the "Intiwatana". Even farther down to the west is a carved stone altar and a "stepping
symbol" sculpted in the natural rock representing the three stages of the Andean World: the heaven, the earthly world and
the subsoil. That sculpture was possibly used as a help element for solar observations too.
The colonial town named Pisac (2,970m) in the lower part of the valley was established as consequence of the famous
"Indians Reductions" by which the Quechuas were joined in small towns. The Pisac Market, happens now in this modern and
picturesque Andean Village, which is best known for its market, which draws hundreds of tourists. In spite of its popularity the
market retains much of its local charm, at least in the part where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their
produce. In the tourist section of the market you can buy a wide variety of handicrafts - mostly the same things you see in
Cusco.
Pisac is one of the most important Archaeological Sites in the Sacred Valley. It is located about 30 kms (18.6 miles) Northwest
of Cusco City. Possibly its name comes from a type of partridge very common in the area known as "Pisaka." A vital Inka road
once snaked its way up the canyon that enters the Urubamba Valley at Pisac. The city, at the entrance to this gorge site,
controlled a route that connected the Inka Empire with Paucartambo, on the border of the eastern jungles. Set high above a
valley floor patch-worked by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inka city
are magnificent. Terraces, water ducts and steps have been cut out of solid rock, and in the upper sector of the site, the main
Sun Temple is similar of the one in Machu Picchu. Above the temple lie still more buildings, and among the higher crevices
and rocky overhangs several ancient burial sites are hidden.
Today it is still possible to observe the surrounding wall that protected the most important zone of the Inka city. Moreover,
inside the protected area are the vast farming terraces that supplied enough food for its inhabitants in case of sieges or
conflicts; and there are also aqueducts that supplied water for agricultural development. It seems that water for consumption
of the inhabitants was harnessed on the mountain's upper side and transported through underground channels.
Towards the West, on the irregular almost vertical surface of the mountain there is a large amount of something like hollows:
they are looted tombs of the pre-Hispanic cemetery in the region. Today the cemetery is known as "Tantanamarka," and
according to some estimates it must have contained about 10,000 tombs. In the Inkan belief it was stated that once persons
died they began a newer life.
When the invaders arrived they soon knew that inside the Inkan tombs they could also find jewels of precious stones and
metals, thus they began with their diabolical profanation and pillaging of ancient Peruvians' tombs. That is why that cemetery
in Pisac contains mostly looted tombs and some mummies without their jewels and personal elements.
Intiwatana (inti = sun, watana = year) is the most important district in Pisac. It corresponds to the ceremonial core or spiritual
complex of the city that has the best quality constructions; that is, with polished-joint carved stones that have a rectangular
outer surface. Its location on the mountain's upper section is superb and dominates visually a great territory of the valley, this
sector must have been constituted by diverse temples. In the complex's central part is a semicircular building with one lateral
straight wall which main gate is toward the south, by deduction and analogy with other similar buildings it is established that
this was the Sun Temple in Pisac. By the middle of this building is the altar carved in the in-situ rock, with a central interrupted
conical protuberance that is known as "Intiwatana" ("Solar Meter", a "Saywa" or "Sukanka") and must have been used for
allowing observation of the solar movements with the help of some other elements or carved angles that served as "pegs" for
calculating the shadow projections. The altar served to carry out different ceremonies and celebrations to the Sun.
Descending the Sun Temple stairway, farther to the southwest side is another interrupted conical carving that was surely
used in a close relationship with the "Intiwatana". Even farther down to the west is a carved stone altar and a "stepping
symbol" sculpted in the natural rock representing the three stages of the Andean World: the heaven, the earthly world and
the subsoil. That sculpture was possibly used as a help element for solar observations too.
The colonial town named Pisac (2,970m) in the lower part of the valley was established as consequence of the famous
"Indians Reductions" by which the Quechuas were joined in small towns. The Pisac Market, happens now in this modern and
picturesque Andean Village, which is best known for its market, which draws hundreds of tourists. In spite of its popularity the
market retains much of its local charm, at least in the part where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their
produce. In the tourist section of the market you can buy a wide variety of handicrafts - mostly the same things you see in
Cusco.
| Mallku in Machu Picchu. Direct contact: 0051/84-98476.1007 |
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| OLLANTAYTAMBO The sanctuary of Ollantaytambo is located at the province of Urubamba. Here is an amazing architectural wonder, built by solar masters. The town is about 76 Kms. (47.2 miles) away from Cusco by the road of Chinchero - Urubamba and about 68 kilometers (42.2 miles) by railway at an altitude of 2700 meters (8856 feet). It is a very vast complex which central part is in the town and its surroundings; there is a large amount of farming terraces that are part of he complex. Those terraces are deteriorated and most of them abandoned. The water that irrigated them does not flow any more. Their stone aqueducts that were a master work of engineering were extended by many kilometers; but, today they do not exist any more. The reason is that today no one is preoccupied with keeping them and because we had almost five centuries in which the invaders were not interested in agriculture but only in mining gold and silver. Ollantaytambo is a compound Quechua word that is derived from " Ollanta" that is a personal name, and " Tambo" that is a Spanish form of " Tampu" that refers about a city that offered lodgings, food and comfort for travellers. "Ollanta" was the name of an Inka general whose history was kept as an oral tradition. The Ollantay Drama is considered as a classical work of Quechua literature. Ollantaytambo was a very important sanctuary, it also was a "tampu" in order to enable control of the roads toward the "Antisuyo" (jungle). Today, still some people name this sanctuary as "fortress", which in practice is improper and we will need more space to explain all this. Besides, for the noble population dwelling in this city there was a very ample and well planned urban sector, a plaza surrounded by important buildings and toward the town's South an impressive "Kallanka;" that is, a building which dimensions are colossal and completely roofed. It served as a lodge and perhaps also as barracks for the army of the region. The present-day town is located in the same site where the urban sector was in Inkan times. It is really interesting because here it is possible to find people living in the same buildings that served as homes for the nobility of the Inkan Society. Some of its narrow streets still keep their water channels where water flowed; they are by the middle or at one side. The streets still maintain their Inkan names. The town was divided in rectangular blocks with a very well planned geometrical layout giving the impression of being a town designed by modern architects. Every block was compound of two "kanchas" (patio, little plaza); the street gates had double jamb doorways which indicate that those were real palaces with rooms around a central patio. At least the lower part of the buildings is original and made with "pirka" type walls that were covered with a clay coat and possibly also had mural paintings. Today, their thatched roofs were replaced by red tiles and it is possible to breath a certain air of modernity as the town has electricity and tap water; but in short, the town has still an Inkan taste. Some decades ago in Ollantaytambo, a worldwide meeting of the "Andean" representatives was carried out and they declared this town as the " World Capital of Indianity." By that time there were some efforts willing to help for an effective conservation of original structures; in practice, it is so little what was and is done for that purpose, and it is so sad to prove that many of its innate elements are being lost slowly. Towards the town's east is the Pinkuylluna hill (pinkuyllo = wind musical instrument similar to the "quena" or Andean flute) where an imposing huge building stands out and about which there is a lot of myth. Some very imaginative "scholars" argue that it's been a school, a hospital some others, jail others, and even a hurling precipice!; according to archaeology and the Inkan architectonic characterization it was a "Qollqa", that is, a granary or storehouse for food, clothing and other elements. It has many doorways and openings that allowed ventilation, and surely they were built up there to enable protection of the stored goods. Likewise, some other smaller buildings are located in outstanding spots or angles of the mountain that served as watchtowers for controlling movement of persons in the valley. Toward the western end of the town and crossing the Patakancha (Upper Enclosure) stream is the great Plaza known as Mañay Raqay (Pleas Plaza) which seem to keep its original name, surrounded by sun-dried mud-brick buildings that were very important in their epoch. Towards the west of this plaza is the entrance to the Temples; somewhat higher is the spot of the most important temple: the Sun Temple that was constructed with huge red porphyry (pink granite) boulders. What is left of the Sun Temple are some peripheral walls and the classical major wall that according to most historians is part of the High Altar. It consists of six enormous stone blocks which average weight is about 60 tons and have as vertical joints some other smaller stones making a wall. It seems that this is a projection of the Tiwanaku architecture or possibly the architects were brought from the region of the Titikaka lake; but the final work is entirely Inkan with joints and outer surfaces complete and finely polished and glazed so that they could even serve as mirrors. On the external surface of the fourth boulder (beginning in the Southern end), there are carved stepped symbols. Even more, there are some other carved bulges that were broken. It is evident the presence of the "idolatries extirpators" who destroyed the Sun Temple; nowadays, the stones that were part of this fabulous temple are all over the place, over the terraces, by the plaza surroundings, in the church and curate house, and wherever a person looks with care. Toward the north of the temple’s entrance gate is a series of water fountains that because of their location must have performed duties of "Ceremonial Fountains", that is, used in order to honour the water elementary. There is one inside a mud brick square building where water still flows; toward the east of it there is another one baptized by tradition as the "Baño de la Ñusta" ("Princess's Bath") that shows stepped mouldings in its surface below the spillway. Farther north there are also many other fountains constituting a vast temple dedicated to the cult of "Unu" (water). Nearby is the sector that today has the hybrid name of " Inka Misana" (spot where the Inka says mass) that shows an aqueduct carved in the mountain rock face and a liturgical fountain, small stairways, double jamb niches or false openings capriciously sculpted in the mountain surface. On the upper area there is a carved conical bulge that was surely another "Intiwatana" (Solar Meter); more over, there are diverse mouldings which were part of a complex solar observatory used to measure the Sun variations during the year as well as for fixing solstices and equinoxes. |
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| AMEA * Andean Writers - Escritores Andinos * AMEA |
| CONTACT: shamanic@terrra.com.pe Phones: 0051/84-984.761.007 0051/84-984.760.187 0051/84-984.741.220 |