Featured Title:
Bending the Boyne: a Novel of Ancient Ireland |
 |
| The Henge Monuments of the British Isles: Myth and Archaeology |
 |
| Login |
|
Don't have an account yet? You can create one. As a registered user you have some advantages like your own home page, fewer ads, and your contributions link to your page. |
| Who's Online |
There are currently, 92 guests and 0 members online.
You are a guest. To join in, please register for free by clicking here |
| |
Moderated by : Andy B , TimPrevett , coldrum , Klingon , MickM , TheCaptain , bat400 , davidmorgan , Runemage , SolarMegalith , sem
The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map : Index >>
Stones Forum >> Five Cusco travel tips from Peru historian and guide
|
 |
| Author |
Five Cusco travel tips from Peru historian and guide |
Andy B
Joined:
13-02-2001
Messages: 7050
from Surrey, UK
 OFF-Line
|  Posted 05-12-2010 at 14:49
Historian and author Brien Foerster was born in Rochester, Minnesota, but grew up on the west coast of Canada. His life-long passion for ancient history and native cultures has seen him travel across 65 countries, from Europe to South-East Asia, Australia, Tahiti and Central and South America. He turned his attention towards Peru more than four and a half years ago, with a particular focus upon the Inca civilization.
Brien’s recent book, "A Brief History of the Incas," published by CMYK Impresores SAC in Lima, provides an excellent introduction to the Incas.
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146413902
Seeing as he’s something of an Inca expert, I thought I’d ask him a few questions about historic sites in and around Cusco and setting up a tour company in Peru.
Recommended historic travel destinations in Peru
You’ve spent a great deal of time exploring the historic sites in and around Cusco. Beyond the more famous locations, what sites would you recommend to travellers and residents of Peru?
1. Chinkana: This is a single stone, much larger than a house, located about a quarter mile north of the famous zigzag wall at Sacsayhuaman (whose original name is Sachsa Uma, "the head of the puma.”) The Chinkana has many carved seats and niches in it, and three large "thrones" on the north side. Erosion of the stone surface suggests that the sculpted surfaces are very much pre-Inca; according to Jesus Gamarra, who is a Cusco resident and has studied these sites for 40 years, the Chinkana is several thousands of years old and was adopted by the Inca in the 12th century.
2. Temple of the Condor at Ollantaytambo:
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=23421
Located at the western edge of the Ollantaytambo archaeological site, the Temple of the Condor is a massive, seemingly sculpted structure in the shape of a condor. There are many carved niches similar to those at the Chinkana, and stairways that seemingly go nowhere. Again, this is dated by Jesus Gamarra at being several thousands of years old.
3. Naupa: This mysterious structure is inside a cave in the Sacred Valley, and is along an Inca trail (not the Inca trail) which goes to Machu Picchu. Its exact location I do not wish to disclose at this time.
4. Temple of the Moon:
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=27080
This is located east of Sacsayhuaman (Sachsa Uma) by about one mile. It is a single solid stone with carved niches, thrones, and two caves; the cave of the sun and the cave of the moon. Its antiquity matches that of the Chinkana and the Temple of the Condor, so is clearly pre-Inca. It is presently being excavated.
5. Temple of the Rainbow: This magnificent cave structure is about three miles northwest of Sacsayhuaman (Sachsa Uma), along another stretch of an Inca trail (Qapaq Nan). Its vintage is probably the same or similar to those above, and the site is still used for cleansing and purification rituals.
By Tony Dunnell
http://www.livinginperu.com/travel-1801-cusco-five-cusco-travel-tips-from-peru-historian-guide
 Profile
 Email
 Reply
|
Runemage
Joined:
15-07-2005
Messages: 2425
from UK
OFF-Line
| Posted 05-12-2010 at 20:52
3. Naupa: This mysterious structure is inside a cave in the Sacred Valley, and is along an Inca trail (not the Inca trail) which goes to Machu Picchu. Its exact location I do not wish to disclose at this time.
Looks intriguing.
http://www.casttv.com/video/7q74ny6/inca-temple-hidden-away-in-a-side-valley-video
Rune
Profile
Reply
|
davidmorgan
Joined:
23-11-2006
Messages: 1620
from The New Forest
OFF-Line
| Posted 06-12-2010 at 11:17
"Its exact location I do not wish to disclose at this time."
Oh dear, that's a bit selfish, I think (probably just trying to increase his credibility as an "expert").
It's approximately here.
Directions for getting to it on the Lonely Planet travel forum -
"the location is across Pachar bridge, the last, small bridge before Ollantaytambo. There is a train depot of PeruRail close to that bridge. You need to cross the bridge, and go some 3 km into the Huraocondo gorge. Then the Ñaupa Iglesia cave/temple is at the top of a group of visible Inca terraces on the right side of the gorge. There is a short footpath (2 minutes) from the train tracks to the bottom of the terraces. Then you can use the Inca staircases in the terraces to reach the temple."
[ This message was edited by: davidmorgan on 2010-12-06 11:31 ]
Profile
Reply
|
Andy B
Joined:
13-02-2001
Messages: 7050
from Surrey, UK
OFF-Line
| Posted 06-12-2010 at 15:11
Calls for a site page then I think. Can you find the location of Temple of the Rainbow as I'm struggling
Profile
Email
Reply
|
davidmorgan
Joined:
23-11-2006
Messages: 1620
from The New Forest
OFF-Line
| Posted 06-12-2010 at 20:17
Just some notes while I'm in the groove.
Ñaupa Iglesia (or Choquequilla - the Cave of the Golden Moon(?)) is at -13.292214, -72.232222 according to a document I've found on the net.
The Temple of the Rainbow (or Cusillochayoc) is at -13.508077, -71.965841
Profile
Reply
|
davidmorgan
Joined:
23-11-2006
Messages: 1620
from The New Forest
OFF-Line
| Posted 07-12-2010 at 00:12
This subject brings up some pretty interesting sounding documents on the net. E.g.
Cosmology in the Inca Empire:
Huaca Sanctuaries, State-Supported Pilgrimage, and Astronomy
and
Dimensions of Place: The Significance of Centers to the Development of Andean Civilization: An Exploration of the Ushnu Concept.
And this one that has the coordinates of a lot of Inca sites:
eprints.jcu.edu.au/10346/6/06Appendices_and_Bibliography.pdf
[ This message was edited by: davidmorgan on 2010-12-07 00:13 ]
Profile
Reply
| |
|
|
|
|
|
IMPORTANT NOTES: This site uses COOKIES. Please do not use this web site if you do not agree to our Terms and Conditions of use.
If you plan to visit ancient sites in person, please make sure you follow our Charter.
Articles, photographs and comments are the property of their respective authors or contributors, please contact them for permission to reproduce. Site design ©1997-2012 Andy Burnham.
|
Main News