Continuing our tour of the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, Let's look in more detail, at those monolithic blocks we left off with in Part 1.
In the above image, it can be seen that the monolithic block lays on top of the later, Incan construction (the opposite of what occurs, stratigraphically, in the archaeological record). This is because the monolithic block was re-positioned, post Conquistadorial Gold Rush.
There are hundreds of these monolithic blocks, scattered in disaray.
Here, evidence can be seen of a metal casting technology (the metal itself, having long ago eroded into dust), being used to interlock the blocks, perhaps the reason why, the unpillaged section of the site, still stands intact, despite numerous earthquakes in the region.
The undamaged sections, on the planes of these blocks, are glass smooth.
The famous, Temple of the Sun, at the summit of the site
Again, Incan stone work is interspersed throughout the older, monolithic constructions. Perhaps an attempt to restore the site, after the conquistadorial destruction, but lacking the technology to do so?
Even more amazing than the magnitude of the construction, is that these stones were quarried from 5km away (3.11 miles), as your history books will tell you. That 5km though, is "as the bird fly's". Now that would be an incredible feat even on a flat plane, at 2,792m (9,160 ft) elevation, but the quarry is on the other side, of the neighbouring mountain.
So important, was this particular site, to raise this "temple"on, that they quarried the stone in a valley, hauled it over a mountain, through the next valley and up to the top of this mountain.
These trapezoid "shelves"? can be found all over Cusco
The acoustics in them are amazing, I just had to let out a good AUM! :)
I'm sorry, I don't know either ^^
A llama, just chillin
Well, that's it for today's selection. If you've enjoyed it, please join me again tomorrow for part 3, where I will share another 12 images, this time, focusing on the water features of the site.
Peace.
Wow that is amazing moving those stones all that way.
Yeh man, and at that altitude, I was struggling just to carry my daypack ^^
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Hiya, just swinging by to let you know that this post made the Honorable mentions list in today's #TravelDigest!