Unraveling the Mysteries of Machu Picchu

TLDRMachu Picchu is a magnificent ancient city in the Andes, built by the Inca Empire. Its origins are shrouded in mystery, but recent discoveries shed new light on its creation.

Key insights

🏔️Machu Picchu is an incredible feat of engineering and design, with its vertical terracing, open plazas, grand temples, and ceremonial gateways.

🧗‍♂️The Inca believed that Machu Picchu was the dwelling place of the gods, and its architecture reflects their reverence for the mountains.

🏛️The Inca built Machu Picchu on top of earlier pre-Inca structures, such as chullpas, which were circular burial towers.

🔍Using modern technology like LiDAR, researchers have uncovered more evidence of pre-Inca settlements on the hillside near Machu Picchu.

🏞️The Inca not only appropriated earlier structures, but also brought the ancestors of other tribes into their own belief system.

Q&A

Who built Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu was built by the Inca Empire in the mid-5th century.

What is special about Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu is known for its remarkable architecture, including vertical terracing, open plazas, grand temples, and ceremonial gateways.

What are chullpas?

Chullpas are pre-Inca circular burial towers that can be found near Machu Picchu.

What technology was used to uncover more evidence of pre-Inca settlements?

LiDAR technology was used to survey the hillside near Machu Picchu and reveal hidden structures.

How did the Inca incorporate other tribes' ancestors into their belief system?

The Inca brought the ancestors of other tribes into their culture and respected their burial sites.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Machu Picchu is a magnificent ancient city built by the Inca Empire in the mid-5th century.

02:51Machu Picchu's architecture reflects the Inca's reverence for the mountains, with its vertical terracing, open plazas, grand temples, and ceremonial gateways.

06:13The Inca built Machu Picchu on top of earlier pre-Inca structures, such as chullpas, which were circular burial towers.

09:59Using LiDAR technology, researchers have uncovered more evidence of pre-Inca settlements near Machu Picchu.

11:47The Inca not only appropriated earlier structures, but also brought the ancestors of other tribes into their own belief system.