• Incas had no draft animals or beasts of burden
• Incas had no concept of the wheel
• Incas had no written language
• Incas had no written arithmetic, yet understood
the concept of zero, as well a decimals
• Trapezoidal shape doors and windows reduce
earthquake damage
• Llamas and alpacas are descendants of the
camel. Llama wool is strong and a little rough, and has been used for
centuries to make rope, blankets and heavy clothing. Alpaca wool
is very fine and woven to make soft clothing, especially sweaters. |
|
Strategically placed at the north end of the Sacred
Valley is Ollantaytambo (pronounced: oy-yeah-tay-TOM-bo), said to be
named for a local chieftain. The original inhabitants of the
area, the Tampas, built the fortress as a bulwark against the invading
Antis, a savage jungle tribe who were never subdued by the Incas.
Built in a formidable natural setting, the fortress was used by the last
Inca, Manco Inca, in the last of the great battles against the Spanish
Conquistadors, and was so well planned and so immense that it took
the Spanish by surprise when they arrived in search of Manco Inca during
the early 1500's.
Ollantaytambo is perhaps the best preserved of all the
Inca settlements. The old walls of the houses are still standing,
and water still runs through the original channels in the narrow streets
which are believed to date from the 15th century. The elegant and
intricate walled complex contains seven rose colored granite monoliths
which still puzzle scientists today, believing that the stone was not
mined in the valley. Ollantaytambo also has plazas with sacred
niches, shrines, an area of stone stocks where prisoners were tied by
their hands, and ritual shower areas, including the Princess's Bath, or
Bano de la Nusta. A steep stairway enters the group of buildings,
among which the best known is the Temple of the Sun — an unfinished
construction in front of a wall of enormous boulders. Portions of
the original carvings on these huge stones can still be seen, although it
is unclear if they really are pumas, as some claim. It is speculated
that thousands of workers toiled many years building the stronghold with
ropes and levers, moving the massive stones, some up to 100 tons, from the
stone quarries three miles across the valley. |
Ken Sumiec views the east side of the immense
fortress grounds |
