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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman, a Temple for Incas and
a fortress for conquistdors. Since the arrival of conquistador everybody asks what was this work of art? , who
built it?, and who made it?, etc. It was a work made by gods or men? , who could move those giant stones?,.
How high were those walls?, and what people did in this platform in the 15th century?

First of all, let me tell you something about the ancient

civilizations which lived before the Incas and the reason of the
collapse of civilizations. If I point the north and the south, there
were two big civilizations that controlled a vast territory, one of
them called Tiwanakus (Tiawanakus) and the other was called
Moches. The first one inhabited around Titicaca Lake and the
other in the north coast of Peru. Tiwanakus lived close by Titicaca
Lake around 2000 BC to 1000 AD; they lived for more than 20
centuries. For instance, there are at least three reasons for the
collapse of civilizations: natural disasters, diseases and the conquest of a town. The collapsed of Tiwanakus
was as a consequence of a huge flood and after a period of drought around the end of the 10th century. Leaders
and survivors decided to migrate when they arrived to this beautiful valley with lakes, rivers and the most
important with a good land for agriculture deciding to live around this area, also they found ancient towns
with good agricultural technology which were living around this area almost for more than 1000 years before
Christ, those towns joined and after absorbing, sharing the best technology they had such as knowledge,
agriculture, engineering after that they could build this masterpiece. In addition, Peru is located in an area
which has a lot geographical features, natural disaster are common, if there are a lot hurricanes, typhoons in
the north hemisphere, we have earthquakes and as a consequence of the current EL NIÑO that frequency
brings huge rains in the north of Peru for thousands years and after that a long period of drought in the
highland in Peru.

In consequence, pre-Hispanic people had to adapt to different living condition and reached an
impressive technology to be able to build this kind of masterpiece.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

THE FIGHTING BETWEEN INCAS AND CHANCAS

Around the third decade of the 15th century (In 1430) in the Valley of Cusco life seemed
to be normal as every day when an alarm woke the Incas up. In an era characterized by constant
changes as fighting, disputes to have the dominion and control of the land in these territories,
the Chancas decided to conquer the Incas.

In fact, Chancas were people characterized to have an

aggressive, cruel, warlike and bloodthirsty behavior so they sent
a messenger to the Inca King Wiracocha saying if you don´t
surrender we will destroy your town, looking this situation and
feeling so old and tired the Inca King decided not to fight against
them and abandoned the city with his court, this decision
generated a chaotic situation. In terms of sociology, a chaotic
situation determines a good or a bad answer, in that case the
answer was good, the youngest son of the King decided to fight
against them, the prince Cusi Yupanqui called PACHACUTED,
organized the city. First of all to defend the city, Incas opened lots of holes around the city and
went to look for strategic alliances offerings them a reciprocity system, land and crops instead
of conquering. Some of the towns accepted and some of the others didn´t, some towns felt scary
for the consequence they could have, if the Incas could be defeated by Chancas.

Chancas attacked Cusco with a big cruelty but they felt surprised of the Incas defense,
they didn’t come alone they came with his sacred mummy USCOVILCA, it was amazing that at
the time of the fighting Pachacuteq with his warriors achieved to take the Chancas mummy at
the precise moment in the fighting, that event generated a profound demoralized in the
Chancas army and they decided to abandon and scape from Cusco after that they were chased
persistently until its final submission and dominion. Pachacuted decided to build
Sacsayhuaman in honor to the victory to the Chancas as a gratitude for their gods that helped
them in that war.

Consequently, Sacsayhuaman was a temple for the Incas but at the same time was a
Victory Temple.
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

S ince the arrival of Francisco Pizarro, conquistador of Peru, everybody mistakenly

calls fortress to this place, probably for its giant walls that it has. By the way, the
Spanish chroniclers, warriors, priests who were witnesses to see this place said that
it was 50 meters (164 foot) (100 meters) high (328 foot)). In fact , they wrote “ It´s an offensive
building for our God “, “ Any men who live in this world are able to do it, it’s a place made by
demons” ”“ It will live on forever until the human beings disappear”; description wrote by
Sanchez de la Hoz who was the secretary of Pizarro.

(Ladies and gentlemen) If you see those impressive walls in front of you, researchers
said that there were same walls behind the hill and stones of them were taken out to build the
new city. This temple called Sacsayhuaman for Incas was the quarry to build the Cathedral of
Cusco. Scholars coincide that Sacsayhuaman means satiate /ˈseɪʃɪeɪt/ falcon, other
translation we have for this place is Puma´s Head, knowing that the city had a shape of puma.
By the way, this temple was built in honor to the lightning (Illapa) and other important deities
so the zig-zag form which was built represented it (the lightning God) or the fertilizer God for
Incas.

Let me support my ideas, this place never was a fortress, a defensive wall or a rampart
for Cusco city. The Spanish world view was different than the Incas in the 15 th century, if
European built big castles with defensive walls in the Peruvian Andes, the Incas built impressive
temples. Sacsayhuaman was a temple built by the Incas in honor to the lightning and it was not
a fortress as Spanish warriors thought. It was built after the Chancas conquest by the 9th Inca
king Pachacuteq, researchers estimated to build this megalithic construction that Incas took
at least 90 years, that information gave by them coincides with the information wrote by the
chroniclers that said “ It was around 1430 when the Incas started the construction of this place
by the order of the 9th Inca King Pachacuteq and finished after ninety years in the governing of
Huayna Capac the 11th King, and was necessary 30 thousands builders in those years to
complete this work of art. This fascinating complex was intact for 10 years before the conquest
of the Incas.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

THE FIRST CUTTING HAIR AND THE WAR INITIATION RITUAL

If we come back to the 15th century and see the Incas alive we can imagine those
festivities, the first one: The First Cutting Hair (Rutuchicuy) for children and the
second one The War Initiation Ritual for teenagers (Warachicuy).

To start describing those festivities, we know that the

Incas´ names were changed twice in their life for men,
the first one was when they were around two years old
in the fiesta of the First Cutting Hair and the second
one when the pubic hair was completed in the War
Initiation Ritual. Chroniclers described those
festivities in an impressive way. Let me describe both
rituals and the meaning of the word Huaman or Huamani for Incas.

First of all, the first cutting hair was when Incas children were two years old and their
hair was cut for the first time in the ceremony participated
(participates) the whole family and the town community before
the party it was not allowed to eat before the ceremony, all of
them were for fasting . At the same time, llamas, corn, silver and
gold were offered for the newborns in the local sacred shrine they
had, after that the ancient priest named them with their sacred
gods names or their ancestors (mallquis), then one part of the hair
was sent to local sacred mountain for putting there as an offering
as well as the other part of the hair was saved in their houses as a
sacred and lucky stuff.

Other information that we have about this ritual is that it was just a family party where
Incas practiced a reciprocity relationship between relatives. They knew they had to
come and give some gifts to the children and their parents invited them the Andean
beer calls chicha and food to their relative.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

WARACHICUY- THE PUBERTY AND THE WAR INITITION RITUAL

Before starting the festivity of the puberty and the war initiation ritual,
teenagers took a ritual shower in a small lake that was behind that natural formation
(called Calispuquio, Betanzos and Molina ).

In fact, the shower taking by teenagers in

that lake was a magical ritual where water purified
them; diseases were chased away. Being in contact
with a female god called cocha made feel them
secure, protected and strength. In the other hand,
it was a regeneration shower to rebirth that gave
them a new life.

The moment had been arrived, teenagers had to show

their skills in the useful of attacking and defensive weapons,
so they showed their skill to be able to attack their enemies
as well as being able to obtain their own food. They had to
know how to use the different weapons as slingshots, (bows
and the arrows), clubs, axes, blowpipes, whips, knives,
leather shields. After passing this test, the young warriors
received the adult underwear called wara, after that their
ears were pierced and the relatives gave them some jewel
and clothing. At the end, the family was grateful to their gods
to let them to pass this test.

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WARACHICUY – THE INITIATION WAR CEREMONY

Everybody who was part of the Inca society had to participate in the war
initiation ceremony. All Incas teenagers had to pass different kind of tests if they
wanted to be considered real men.

In fact, one of the most famous chroniclers called Garcilaso de la Vega described
those exciting tests in a real way. Let me tell (describe) you something about them. For
example, the first one consisted in showing skills such as throwing stones with
slingshots, lances, darts and arrows to hit in the mark. Moreover, anybody could show
any kind of fear for that reason they had two tests : The first one “The physical
testing ” consisted in not to sleep for some nights so they were put as sentinels in
guard houses if they were found sleeping by the instructors (sinchis) it was not good,
if it happened, they were publically punished. Other chroniclers said that they were hit
in their arms and legs with a stick and if they showed pain in their face the instructor
felt upset and hit them and he said “If you feel this pain how you can resist the attack
(and force) of our enemies”. Also, the second one was “The Fear Testing” consisted
in making two lines and putting them looking each other and the skilled warrior
(sinchi) in the use of weapons entered in the middle and tried to hit them with one of
the weapon. For example giving a whip closed to their eyes or trying to introduce a
lance inside of them, if teenagers blinked, they wouldn’t past the test; other test
consisted in trying to hit with a club in their arm or leg if they shrunk it, they would
punish by the instructors so if somebody showed fear was publically throw out and if
it happened it was the most offensive thing in the Inca society. That ritual finished with
a collective battle that had a brotherhood meaning.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

Warachicuy – The War Initiation Ceremony

When it was the time to give the weapons, in the weapons delivery
ceremony, everybody stood up and the eldest father´s brother gave them
the weapons, it was an exciting moment such as for the family as well as
for the young warrior after that it was time to pierce the ears, time to be
huamanis or young falcons. Also, the relatives gave them gifts such as cattle
(alpacas, llamas), precious metal as gold and silver bracelets and pendants.

It´s amazing to remember that, because when relatives gave a gift to

the new warrior they whipped him once and told him: “Have faith in the
Sun and be loyal to the Inca King” and the oldest men in the family gave
him the ROYAL CLUB and told him : “ Auca Cunapac! ” “With this weapon
punishes tyrants, traitors, cruel and bloodthirsty people”.

At the last of the ceremony, the most important priest offering a bird
to their gods for good luck to the new young men warriors of the Inca
society.

Architecture and the Quarry

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Many people have speculated how Incas could move those giant stones. It´s funny when
people said that it was made by demons as it was thought by conquistadors in the 15 th century
or nowadays that was made by aliens. (Really offensive for our pre-Hispanic civilizations and
human being).
Called as a fortress by conquistadors.
Sacsayhuaman is one of the most impressive
architectural feats built by the Incas in 1430 by the
order of Pachacuteq King. They erected those giant
walls in honor to the lighting god, to make offerings to
their gods and to practice their rituals as I described.
For construction and engineering technologies,
Pachacuteq moved the best stonecutters from the south
of Peru close by Titiqaqa lake. In addition, Historians
estimate that was necessary at least between 30,000 to
50,000 builders to construct this temple and took at least 90 years to complete it. Also, the place
where Incas took the stones was closed by. The quarry (of Sacsayhuaman) was behind that
natural formation. Archaeology research states that the boulders were spread around when
this temple was built. Thus, after carving and polishing, the stones were put one on top of the
other, and the small ones were brought from quarries which were behind the hill and close by.

On the other hand, this complex is constructed of large,

polished dry stone walls, with boulders cut and fitted together
tightly without the use of mortar. The weight of the biggest
boulders are estimated between 90 to 120 tons and the
construction process involved using ramps built of mud bricks,
and rubble(rock remains) to drag the blocks.

In conclusion, all boulders are firmed, to be able to resist its own weight. Stones fit
together so closely that we cannot fit the blade of a knife between the stones. Incas built this
megalithic masterpiece that after centuries of earthquakes and other forces couldn’t be
destroyed it. It was only destroyed by man´s hand.

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INCAS ARCHITECTURE

For building this temple, Incas used local materials, such as granite and limestone (that) they
had in this area. To cut these stones they used harder stones which worked as hammers calls
jiwaya (meteoric stones or stony iron). For splitting the stones they used the natural fracture
the stones had.
Other thing that surprise us it´s how Incas
moved those boulders. Scholars said: “After
finishing the ramps, stones were dragged
and rolled up with wood beams (wood
rollers) or stone rollers on (the earth) these
ramps. The smallest ones were brought by
hand”. Juan de Betanzos, Spanish chronicler
wrote: “Thousands of local people pulled
ropes to move these giant boulders”. In
addition to man power. Incas used ropes made
of llama wool and leather.

In the other hand, everybody said that Incas

did not (didn´t) use mortar to join the stones
but there is good information that talked
about it. For example, it was written by
Garcilazo de la Vega (mestizo chronicler),
who said “Incas used a kind of liquid to glue
the stones. which was a kind of milky liquid”,
so they used it as cement to glue stones.
Furthermore, archaeologists have found
around the quarry tools such as hammers made of stone, metal bars, chisels and plumbs
made of metal and stone.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

At the end of our tour, let me show you the

basement of the Temple of the Sun described by Pedro
Cieza de Leon, which was called Muyucmarka (round
building). In the other hand, Garcilaso de la Vega a
mestizo chronicler said that this construction was at least
10 meters (33 foot) high and it was a round building with
an open central court which had a fountain and there were
two rectangular enclosures around here. The first one
called in Quechua language Paucar Marca or happy place
and the second one Sallacmarca or rough place. Researches
don´t exactly know what were the purpose of these
buildings. In fact, they could be the temple of the Sun, or a water temple (a water reservoir), the new
investigations will give us more answers, and the other enclosures probably were Incas astronomer’s
houses.

As an astronomical place has a lot relation with the

information wrote by chroniclers at the middle of the 16 th
century and at the beginning of the 17th century. In fact,
there are at least four chronicles between indigenous and
Spanish who described how Incas controlled the time. For
example, if they wanted to celebrate the Fiesta of the Sun
(Inti Raymi), the War Initiation Party (Warachicuy) or the
Fiesta of Dead People (Ayar Marka Killa), they looked to the
east (sunrise) where in some mountains Incas built small
towers called sukankas which helped them to know the
time. They built four (six, eight, twelve) small towers which were located in the east.

In addition, Incas astronomy was linked to those towers. They used them to know when the
winter solstice (21 ft. of June) and the summer solstice (21 ft. of December taking place. In the first one,
it was the celebration of the Sun where Incas celebrated the new year and in the second one, the
celebration of the Inca king (Capac Raimy). It was time to make friends, time to thank to nature for a
good raining season. Looking the moonrise was extremely important, too. Specially for their religious
ceremonies. For example, if they wanted to celebrate the time of their dead people, the Ayar Marka
Killa, (November) the priests looked to the moonrise in the east and knew when they had to celebrate
that religious party . In consequence, those towers were not exclusively used to know when the solstices
took place; also they were used for practicing their religious ceremonies. Those sukankas (towers) were
in the mountains until middle of the 17 th century (1650) when they were completely destroyed in that
year. (In one of the hardest inquisition time in Cusco).

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

QENQO

Ladies and gentlemen your attention please. We are still in (the Archealogical
National Park of) Sacsayhuaman. This place calls Qenqo or the labyrinth. Qenqo was
an important shrine dedicated to the toad, considering the raining deity.

For all pre-hispanic civilizations in my country, toads were (are) significant and
considerable. In fact , linking people with nature was extremely important and the
relation between nature with a totem was common such as raining – toads or season –
humming bird, etc. Also, for them, the animals played an important role in their world
view (cosmovision), they were decisive and important in their life. The animals were
not only appreciated for their beauty as well as what they could tell them about the
changing weather or the natural disasters. For example, the toad croaking was (is)
associated with rain arriving or no toad croaking with droughts.

This part that seems to be an amphitheater

with 19 sits was totally different. It was a beautiful
(an amazing) wall with 19 trapezoidal niches were
probably showed some idols. At the same time, we´ll
see a cave with an impressive altar where in the
eighties archaeologists found alpacas bones, clearly
evidence of some rituals, being grateful for a good
raining season or to apologize for droughts.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SACSAYHUAMAN

QENQO
This stone altar was carved in this cave using stony iron (jiwayas), and in this
trapezoidal niche set an important mummy or deity. As we can see, everything was
carefully carved such as the floor, the ceiling and walls.

This must be the most impressive altar we have in all

archaeological parks we´ll visit. We don´t know why
this altar was not destroyed as the others, if it was a
pagan altar. To disappear this place (temple), the whole
area was completely covered with soil. In fact,
conquistadors wanted to disappear this temple for that
reason the Viceroy Francisco Toledo decided to erase
this place of the map (Sacsayhuaman) ordering to cover with tons and tons of soil this
temple. This altar was a worship place for making offerings with sacred corn, coca
leaves, some gold and silver artwork and probably a mummification spot.

Let´s me tell you something about the Dead Festivity

Party called Aya Marcay quilla “the month of the dead
people ” “La fiesta de los difuntos ” related to the moon
calendar. It was celebrated in November, in this month; the
mummies were taken out of their niches and set in litters. In
addition, their family fed them with food such as corn,
potatoes, and fruits to drink chicha, the Andean beer. Also,
they were dressed with rich clothing, wore feathers on their
heads, and the town played music, made them and danced
together, carried them and walked around the streets and
ending in the main plaza. At the end of this celebration, the mummies were brought
to their niches where Incas offered gold and silver idols in case they were the Inca Kings
and clay idols for the common citizens. Offering alpacas was part of this celebration.
The Incas society offered the best they had for his dead people in this celebration.

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PUCAPUCARA – THE RED FORTRESS

We are in Pucapucara or the red fortress. It´s not really clear what was this complex,
archaeologists think that for the evidence they found like a different kinds of artifacts such as
ceramics, pottery, etc.) Pucapucara was a fortress , a check point or probably it was Qolqa or
food storage. Also has a precise alignment with a shrine that was (is) located in a Water Temple
(Tambomachay) and marked the way to go to the jungle by an Inca road system (Qapac Ñan).
As a fortress had a strategic location to see any enemy who decided to attack to the Incas and
remember that Incas never fought in rainy season or at night. As a check point could take
control of the products that went and came from the jungle as corn, dry potato, yucca, feathers,
etc. As a Qolqa or food storage could store the products that Incas grew in this area such as
potatoes, corn, quinoa really famous in the world now.

On the other hand, the Inca road system was

the most extensive and advanced transportation
system in South America in the 15th century. The
network was based on two north-south roads with
numerous branches. Also, the Inca road system linked
together about 40 000 kilometers (25 000 mi) of
roadway [and provided access to over 3 000 000
square kilometers (1 200 000 sq. mi) of their territory.
In fact, we can be in more than 14 000 feet and in just 50
minutes in less than 6000 feet.

Historians found two interesting description about

this place. The first one wrote by the secretary of Pizarro
who said “I saw the bones of a whales bones around here ”,
but he didn´t give more details. In the other hand, there is
a unique information wrote by Guaman Poma de Ayala an
indigena chronicler which gave more details about it, he
wrote “In the town called Yuncaypata there was a
shrine where Incas showed a Totem, the bones of a whale which were brought by the
order of the 11th Inca King called Huayna Capac when he conquered the Chimus empire
who lived in the north coast of Peru at the same time of Incas”.

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TAMBOMACHAY

(At the end of our tour) This is the highest point in our tour today, we are at 3700 meters above
the sea level (12 000 feet-foot ), after your photos we´ll join the group.

This complex is called Tambomachay or Resting place and it

was a WATER TEMPLE and the beginning of the real Inca Trail that
went to Machupicchu (to the Antisuyo) or to the jungle. Machupicchu is
located 120 Kilometers (75 miles) from this place. Also, that platform
(small tower) you see there was an orientation point that let them
observe where was the north and the south.

This water temple was

made around 1430. In fact, Incas used a natural spring water
before they built it, the water is really clean and it is still running
since those days. (There is a tradition here that is said if we
drink this water, we´ll be young forever). For a farming society
that lived in contact with nature, water played a very important
role. Many times some scholars compare Incas that lived in 15 th
century with people who live in the highland in Peru, nowadays,
that is a mistake. Definitely, there are some little customs
which are still practicing, especially in the religious aspects. In
the other hand, It´s a huge mistake when it said and wrote that Incas were dirty people, if water was
God and they took a ritual shower as I describe in Sacsayhuaman, it was forbidden to be dirty so they had
to be in contact with water every day. Let me support my ideas, Garcilaso de la Vega (a mestizo
chronicler) said that they showered babies with cold water every day and Guaman Poma de Ayala said
that it was a punishment for dirty people when Incas saw (found) a dirty family, what Incas did with
those people?. It is described by chroniclers who said that Incas showered them after that they used the
water, urinated (took a pee), cooked in it and fed them.

In terms of communication Tambomachay was a significant place, it was the entrance to go to

the jungle, to make business and to practice a reciprocity system, it was very normal to exchange (barter)
products so Incas had corn, potatoes, quinoa and Antis ( people from the jungle) had feathers and coca
leaves.

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