In the Peruvian Andes, not far from Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire, there is one of the richest valleys with numerous cultural monuments. It is the Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado), stretching over more than a hundred kilometers from Pisaq to Machu Picchu. It contains the remains of important Inca cities and ceremonial centers. At an average altitude of 2800 m, the valley provides optimal conditions: a mild climate with an average temperature of 18 °C, rich flora and fauna, and fertile soil irrigated by numerous water streams formed from the melting snow at altitudes above 4000 m.
Flowing through the valley is the mighty river named Vilcanota or Urubamba. It was once called Willcamayu – the Sacred River, because for the Incas, it represented the earthly depiction of the Celestial River, known as the Milky Way, which is referred to as Mayu in the Andes.
Following the Inca Trail, which passes through the Sacred Valley, one encounters ceremonial sites that were like different stations on the path of religious pilgrimage towards the hidden sanctuary of the Incas – Machu Picchu.
The Location of the Hidden City
This final stronghold of the Inca dynasty is located downstream at the very end of the Sacred Valley, where the eastern slope of the mountain ridge crosses the turbulent waters of the Urubamba River. The riverbed abruptly turns to the right here, and then to the left, forming a reversed “U” shape around the foothills of the mountain ridge. Completely protected by the powerful river on three sides, like a peninsula, a steep hill rises a thousand meters above the river. On its saddle lies the best-preserved Inca city.
During the conquest of Peru, the Spaniards were unaware of the existence of this city. Although tales were told of a hidden city and its priceless treasure, it wasn’t until more than four centuries of searching had passed that the first white man laid eyes on this city. It was in 1911 when Hiram Bingham III, a young scientist from Yale University, arrived in Peru. A local resident guided him to the top of the hill. Upon seeing Machu Picchu, Bingham exclaimed, “What an incredible dream!” He had discovered an unimaginable archaeological site. rko i žensko. Tako se grad sastoji od dva dijela – gornjeg i donjeg grada. Gornji grad predstavlja svijet besmrtnih, svijet božanstava, dok je donji grad mjesto života običnih ljudi. Ova polarizacija također se odražava u rasporedu građevina u samom gradu. Naime, hramovi su smješteni na višim terasama, u gornjem dijelu grada, dok su obiteljske kuće, skladišta i radionice smještene na nižim terasama, u donjem dijelu grada. Na taj način, Inke su vješto spojile religiju i svakodnevni život u jednoj harmoničnoj cjelini.
Male and female… The most important thing was the vertical division of the world. In the Quechua language (spoken by the Incas), there are two terms that describe this division: Hurin Pacha, meaning “lower world” and Hanan Pacha, “upper world”. The lower world was associated with cults of caves, springs, and rivers. This was the kingdom of Pachamama, Mother Earth. The upper world was the sky, the dwelling place of Viracocha, the Sun, the Moon, and the stars. It was associated with solar cults.
The symbols often used to represent these two worlds were the condor and the jaguar. The condor was associated with the upper world, the zenith sun, while the jaguar represented the “womb of the earth”.
The concept of the sacred among the Incas was determined by the unity achieved through the harmonious relationship between the celestial and the earthly. They had a term for the sacred called huaca. This literally included anything that had a certain connection to the other, higher world: a spring, a mountain, an unusual stone shape, or a tree trunk could be huacas.
Determining sacred places meant finding those places on earth that would, apart from their physical characteristics, establish a strong spiritual connection to the higher world. These places were often used for religious ceremonies and rituals. Machu Picchu was an important site for astronomical observations and a complex cult center where wise men, amautas, dedicated themselves to learning about solar and stellar movements. The city was built in accordance with the principles of Inca sacred geography.
The north-south axis is emphasized by three megaliths, three huacas (sacred stones) that are located at the far end of the The axis passes under the main tower (in the center) and at the northernmost part of the city. This axis divides the city into two parts: Hanan Pacha or the “upper city” located on the western side, which was intended for contemplation of the celestial world, while Hurin Pacha, the “lower city” (eastern side of the city), was intended for the daily life of its inhabitants.
In the lower city, there were warehouses, workshops, main agricultural terraces, but also very important cult places. There was a quarter dedicated to the Earth, where the aforementioned main tower is located, an unusual semicircular building that houses the central huaca of the city. Below that tower (torreón), there is a cave where indentations were found in the wall for Inca mummies (royal mausoleum) and a staircase-shaped altar with seven steps. This is one of the symbols of Pachamama (Mother Earth) who directs her sons towards higher forms of existence with her energy. Throughout the Andean region, the cave serves as a link to the underworld and as a place of human origin, according to myth. The magical-symbolic meaning.
The semicircular tower (torreón) – the central huaca of the city
In the eastern part of the lower city, now known as Los Carceles (prisons), there is one of the most interesting unresolved puzzles. It is a labyrinth of interconnected rooms. Allegedly, there are several labyrinths beneath the city that were closed off when its last inhabitants left. Underneath a large rock, there is a stone staircase that descends into the now buried underground. On the flat stone surface in front of the entrance to the underground, there is a striking relief of a condor, whose wings form the sides of the unprocessed rock. This is a symbolic representation of the rising sun, which, like a condor, emerges from the bowels of the earth, ready to soar at dawn.
In the same quarter, there is also the House of the Virgins of the Sun – a complex of several identical residential buildings that are believed to have been the dwelling place of the significant religious order Acclas, consisting of girls dedicated to the god of the Sun (Inti).
On the western side, in the upper city. The Temple of Viracocha and the Temple of the Three Windows are located next to each other.
The Three Windows of the temple are facing the main square and are oriented towards the east. They are aligned with three important points of the Sun’s apparent movement during the year: two solstices and one equinox.
Due to the importance of the Intihuatana in Inca religion, Spanish conquerors would destroy such stones wherever they found them. Thanks to the fact that the Spanish never discovered Machu Picchu, that particular Intihuatana remained intact.
From the top of the hill, a staircase descends to the other side to the Intipampa (Sun Plain), where, according to some scientists, the most significant annual ceremony – Inti Raymi – took place during the winter solstice. This is the main square, the largest flat area in the city. In the center, there was a large square stone altar. Others believe that the ceremony took place in a semicircular tower where the central huaca of the city is located. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. other because the Inti Raymi ceremony consisted of several ceremonial parts.
The representation of the condor as a symbol of the rising Sun
The Ceremony of the White Llama
On the altar of the Viracoche temple, in the form of a large rectangular monolith, a sacrifice dedicated to the White llama was offered. This was a significant ceremony led by Villac umo (High Priest) during the Celestial Llama ceremony, which was related to the constellations Lyra and Sagittarius.
Namely, the constellation Llama had a special place in the Peruvian sky. Additionally, among the historical records, we find an Andean constellation called Catachillay or Yacana, which according to the chroniclers represented the llama and its offspring. This constellation was associated with two stars: Alpha and Beta Centauri, which represented the eyes of the llama. Even today, in agricultural regions of the Andes, these stars are called Llanac Nawin – the eyes of the llama.
This constellation is located in the southern part of the Milky Way, just below the Southern Cross. When the constellation is at its lowest point and the disappearance from the horizon (in late October), it is said that the llama lowered its head to drink water from the sea and that it would prevent the world from sinking. In this way, water from the sea enters Maya, or the heavenly Sacred River (Milky Way), and later falls back to earth in the form of rain.
The llama rituals took place during the initiation of young men, when the young and old danced together. Some accepted the active responsibility of adults in society, while others abandoned it. In this way, they marked the initiation of young people into the flow of life, that is, their acceptance of adult responsibility.
Inti Raymi – Celebration of the Sun
Intihuatana – Sun Stone
While Europeans were lighting fires before St. John in honor of the Sun after the summer solstice, in the southern hemisphere, the Incas were holding a winter solstice celebration at the same time, celebrating Inti Raymi, the cult of the Sun’s death and resurrection.
Historians describe the course of this magnificent celebration in the empire’s capital, the city of Cusco.
With My ceremony was preceded by three days of general fasting. We abstained from everything except a little white corn and water. It was forbidden to light a fire, which was then extinguished in all the cities.
At dawn, on the day of the ceremony, the Inca ruler would leave his palace and head towards the main square of Huacaypata, accompanied by a procession of nobility in festive, richly adorned costumes. They would then take their places in the square, strictly according to the hierarchical order. The whole crowd awaited the sunrise.
The Inca then assumed the role of the high priest. First, he led the preparatory ceremonies such as Titinci, a greeting to all the forces of nature, and the ceremony of quenching the thirst of the Sun Father by pouring holy drink into a large golden fountain. The initial ceremonies concluded with the Inca sacrificing golden goblets to the Sun Father.
The main part of the grand Inti Raymi celebration was the Musoccnina ceremony. The sacred fire, which was extinguished every year, was to be renewed by the sun. A bracelet called the “solar bracelet” was used for this. ipana, which was otherwise worn by priests. It had a concave lens-shaped medal on it, which was used to ignite prepared cotton with sunlight. Then, the “heavenly flame” was transferred to Coricancha (the main temple in Cusco) and used to light the votive lamp that maintained the eternal fire.
On that day, the ruler sent his closest relatives and distinguished military leaders to all parts of the city and the empire to bring the new fire in his name. After the return of the envoys, a joyful celebration began that lasted for several days.
There is no record of what happened during that time in Machu Picchu because the city remained unknown to Spanish chroniclers who recorded part of the oral tradition and history of the Incas.
Viracocha Temple
The Secrets of the Hidden City
When Hiram Bingham III first saw Machu Picchu on July 24, 1911, he realized it was not an ordinary site. Upon reaching the part called the Royal Mausoleum, he was amazed. Surrounded by a wall of bright granite, he wrote: “It is slowly becoming clear to me that these walls with the attached semicircular sanctuary above the cave can be compared to the most miraculous stone craftsmanship in the world (…) I was literally left breathless. What could that space be?” Since then, questions started arising: With what precision was the granite processed? Who built Machu Picchu and why? Why are there so few traces left of its inhabitants? Although the stone skeleton of the city has been preserved untouched, little has been found to tell us about its life. Undoubtedly, it was the intention of the last inhabitants to remove or bury what they considered valuable, and they had enough time to do so before leaving the city. What have they hidden from us? Regardless, they took their most valuable treasures with them, along with many secrets of this hidden city of the Sons of the Sun. container]