The Sacred Valley of the Inca

The sacred valley of the Inca is an extension of the heart of the Inca culture which is the city of Cusco.  Thus the valley is the "heartland" of the Inca.  However, the "valley" is more than the valley of the Urubamba River which flows through the cities of Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes (seen in the Google relief map below).  The valley also includes the farm land on the high lands; such as by Chinchero, and the river valleys to the west of Pisaq.

The valley of the Urubamba River declines sharply as the river flows westward. By the time the waters reach Aguas Calientes (where Machu Picchu is located), the river is ferocious (we visited at the end of the rainy season).  The agricultural richness of the Urubamba River valley is highlighted by the extensive corn grown through the valley.  In the highlands around Chinchero, the main crops are potatoes and quinua.

Our trip through the valley came in two parts:  a day-long bus trip and then a half-day private tour in a van.

The day-long tour passed through the Inca homeland with stops at three chosen archeological sites (the valley is replete with archological sites).  Above, Julie waits for our tour van in front of the hotel with a traditional Inca doorway, and Harold waits by our tour bus.

The map above gives details about our tour which started in Cusco at the bottom of the map; we traveled counter-clockwise until we returned to Cusco.

Here is a view of the small village of Pisaq (often considered the start of the Sacred Valley).  We visited the fortress, temple and cemetery located on the mountain side above the city.

 A view of the temples, guard houses, etc. that make up the hill-top complex.

Agricultural land is needed to support the hill-top complex, so terraces were made.

These holes are actually graves for the common folk of the Incan culture.  These people were not the elite people who would be buried with ceremony and many supporting artifacts. There are thought to be over 25,000 graves in the area. 

After our visit to the archeological site, we visited the Pisaq Market and enjoyed a bread snack from the above baker and watched a silversmith practice his profession.  Julie happily bought a silver bracelet from him.

After our visit to Pisaq, we stopped at this restaurant for our buffet-style noon meal and were there before the big rush when more buses arrived. This business is a good example of the impact the tourist industry has on the valley.

The entry into the Ollantaytambo archological site.  We toured in the "off" season, but we learned quickly we must share space with other tour groups.

 Looking up the "hill" to the top of the fortress and temple site. We were awed by the view and were also thinking about our walk required to get to the top.  Puff. Puff. (and puff some more)

As we walked to the top, we could see structures to the sides. These niches in the walls would have been used to display various god icons.

A view from the top that also shows some of the current city of Ollantaytambo.  The early Spaniards attacked this site but were defeated by the Inca who used boulders from the cliff sides as weapons and a flooded plain to hinder the Spanish horses.

Julie and Harold pause for a picture and to catch their breath.

The structures on top were never completed. Here is a huge stone left on an incline, and it still has the protrusions to which ropes would have been fastened.  The "fasteners" would have been removed when the stone was in the intended position.

This picture was taken from Wikipedia and shows what is thought to be a backdrop for an intended temple to the sun.  The six slabs of stone are of a pink granite that is not found locally. The backdrop is not finished.

Our guide Adriel expounds on the Incan greatness.  He was willing to argue with common ideas about the Incas. Did the Incan royalty marry their sisters?  No! All women were called "sister," and the early Spanish chroniclers did not know that.  How come the Inca did not use the wheel?  They did! They used wood or stone rollers to move their huge stones.

 Some detail on the top structures at Ollantaytambo.

The above protrusions from the walls are thought to be the "quick way" to the top with out using the other, more formal steps.  No, we didn't use these!

The surrounding mountain tops were as interesting to observe as the top site at Ollantaytambo.  The white area to the right of the peak is the quarry used for most of the stones in the building of the temple and fortress.  We were told there are abandoned stones that mark the way from the quarry to the top of Ollantaytambo.

The view of another mountain shows granaries that would have stored food to be used in case of some emergency.  The site was safe, secure and well ventilated.  There were other structures on the mountain - watch towers, etc.

A group of the citizens of Chinchero.  The people of Chinchero have been noted for their textiles since the time of the Inca and for their production of potatoes and quinua.

This young lady gave an interesting (and humorous) presentation on the methods used to create their textiles.  Here she washes wool with a "soap" from a local plant. The colored yarn are in baskets with the source of the organic dyes that give the color.

We also visited the remains of the Incan temple and plaza at Chinchero.  We were interested to learn there is a proposal to build an international airport in the area as this agricultural area provides space and is close to Cusco and, of course, to Machu Picchu.  As you might expect, the locals had mixed opinions about this planned airport.

On the private-van trip through some of the other sites in the valley, we visited the Incan water baths at Tambomachay just outside the city of Cusco.  We stepped over the ropes to take this picture (don't tell!).  The water has said to be flowing in this manner for over 500 years.  The splitting over the water into two streams is said to represent the duality of nature: sun and moon, male and female, black and white, yin and yang, good and evil, etc.

Here are the natural stones that have been incorporated into a temple of Mother Earth (Pachamama) at Q'enqo (again outside the city of Cusco).

Beneath the natural stones at Q'enqo is a "cave" that was used to honor Mother Earth, but is also thought to have been used as a mortuary because of the table structures and natural coolness in the "cave".  The shape of the image you see is also thought by some not to be an accident.  It appears to be the head of a llama (note the same image inserted on the lower right hand corner that has been rotated 90 degrees). 

The Sacred Valley of the Inca is an interesting place, and there are many books that expound on the meaning of all of the places.  Some meanings are apparent and others not - but it is all interesting!  To add to the excitement of the place, more artifacts and ideas are emerging every year.