MACHU PICCHU

Machu Picchu is one of the most important places in the Inca empire. The architecture of the buildings at Machu Picchu is very symbolic of the Inca people. Most of the buildings built by the Incas are constructed of stone walls, and the places we saw at Machu Picchu were of no exception. Machu Picchu is mysterious in that many people are still coming up with theories about what exactly it was and what its meaning was in the Inca empire. It is said that Machu Picchu resembles that of the royal estate in Inca settlement, "the estates were defined as being outside the state administrative system and its support area, belonging instead to a specific Inca ruler and his descent group segment" (26). This theory is consistent with some of the things we saw at Machu Picchu. For example, we went into a part that was said to be the king's quarters where his bathroom was, signifying roylaty. There were also places used for agriculture at Machu Picchu, we came across many fields of grass and there were actually some llamas roaming around there. In an earlier post we mentioned the water mirrors for looking at the solar system, at Machu Picchu we saw two of these next to each other. It was interesting that there were two because duality is a major theme in Inca society, so perhaps the two mirrors are significant of that.
Machu Picchu was home to the royal and elite and there were three residential places that had terraces looking toward the central plaza. These areas are different than the normal residential areas at Machu Picchu so it can be concluded that perhaps this was home to the elite. Each one of these places is different in architecture. They are surrounded by stone walls and the biggest of the three, the Ingenuity Group and Private Garden Group, is split up into 4 different parts. The parts are connected however by "narrow stone staircases" (28).
Throughout Machu Picchu there were many shrines showing us that there is also very strong religious connotation on the compound. The upper part of Machu Picchu contains many buildings and architectual settings that were used for ceremonies and activities of that nature. The areas are the Main Temple, and the Intihuatana. The Intihuatana is "an elegant carved stone with a tall vertical shaft, that may have served to follow the movements of the sun" (36).
Machu Picchu, as mentioned before, is one of the most fascinating places in the Inca empire. Climbing up the vast compound and walking around the grassy areas, surrounded by mountains, was a life changing experience. The area is so well protected and really symbolizes many themes seen throughout the Inca empire, such as astrology, agriculture, religious worship, architecture, etc.