La Ruta Maya and the Inca Trail

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La Ruta Maya and the Inca Trail
SDF

• Presented to
• Boston Office

4 October 2002
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History of the Maya

• Mayan history begins in about 250, and lasts
  until about 1000. The famous disappearance of
  the Maya was actually a slow fade over about 100
  years. From roughly 700 AD, the center of Mayan
  civilization moved from the highlands of
  Guatemala to the lowlands of the Yucatan
  peninsula.
• The Maya were largely an urban people, building
  large cities surrounded by fields and residential
  suburbs. Each province developed its own
  architectural style and city design, with smaller
  cities mirroring the capital.
• The Mayan glyphs were a system of counting and
  writing that baffled scientists for many years.
  Only a few texts survived the conquest, and the
  stelae in the cities are largely ceremonial or
  astronomical in nature. The numerical system was
  deciphered first, followed by the textual glyphs.
  This decoding is still in progress, with some
  800 glyphs having been identified across the
  Mayan world.
• The Maya are known for the violence of their art
  and the vicious ball game played throughout the
  meso-american world. Personal mutilation was
  used in religious rites, generally by the ruler
  and his family. Human sacrifice was also
  practiced.
• After the decline of the Maya, other
  civilizations took over the lowland areas of
  Mexico and Guatemala. The Aztec took some
  aspects of Mayan civilization, including the ball
  game and the human sacrifice. In the highlands,
  the older Classic Maya tribes survive to this
  day, speaking Quechua and practicing the Mayan
  religion alongside Catholicism.

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Copàn

• Inhabited 400 800 AD
• One of the largest Maya cities with a population
  of 25,000
• Known for rich sculptural detail
• Cultural center of the Classic period
• Famous sites Hieroglyphic staircase, ball
  court, gathering of stelae

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These Mayan glyphs name the ruler during the time
the altar above was built. Note the detailed
carving, still visible after 1200 years.
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The carvings at Copàn are extremely detailed and
deep, in contrast to the Palenque relief. An open
plaza has been turned into a sculpture garden of
sorts, holding stela and bits of carving from
around the site.
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A typical stela will have a relief of a warrior
king on the front, and glyphs detailing the date
of the stela and its purpose on the sides. They
were erected to commemorate anniversaries,
victories, and other events in the reign of the
viceroy of the city. The subject is frequently
elaborately costumed and masked, holding ritual
gear. The calendar glyphs on the side give a
very precise date, used to create a history of
the people.
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The famous meso-american ball game was played on
courts like this one. Note the three round bird
heads on the side walls, probably used for
scoring. The stepped temple from which this
photo was taken probably served as a viewing
area. This is the fourth ball court on this
site, each built on top of the former. The green
tarp in the right foreground covers the
hieroglyphic staircase, which cannot be
photographed.
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The open plaza now holding the sculpture garden
can be seen behind the ball court.
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Tikal

• Inhabited 250 900 AD
• Vast urban area with a population exceeding
  100,000
• Considered classic or standard Maya city
• Long causeways link plazas, with temples
  overlooking
• Famous sites Templo del Grand Jaguar (I),
  Temple de los Inscripciones

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Temple I (Templo del Grand Jaguar)
Temple IV (unnamed)
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Temple II? This one you can climb.
Coatimundi as seen on the grounds
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This round altar is enscribed with glyphs around
the edge, which seem to contain both a date and a
rulers name. The central panel shows a
sacrifice. Very few stelae and other carvings
survive at Tikal, but the temples are in much
better condition and most can be climbed.
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Yaxchilán

• Inhabited 400 700 AD
• Accessible only by river, small population
• Many carved lintels and stelae in excellent
  condition
• Famous sites labyrinth

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The honeycomb tops on the temples at Yaxchilán
are specific to this region. Honeycombs are seen
further north and west, but not to the east. Note
the stonework on the bottom level, which is not
as fine as in other regions. Since Yaxchilán is
so remote, very few visitors or archeologists
come here. Unlike the other sites, this one is
more realistic with fewer signs, staircases, and
vendors.
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This set of caves is home to some tombs and many,
many bats.
The temples are less restored here, but still
accessible.
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The quality of carving is good, but much more
shallow than in Copàn.
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Bonampak

• Inhabited 600 800 AD
• Discovered 1946, until recently accessible only
  by 10k hike
• Brilliantly colored murals the only painted
  surfaces remaining in the Maya ruins
• Famous sites murals

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This is the entirety of the site. The stelae are
similar to those at Yaxchilán, with shallow
carving now largely eroded. The building on the
right with the doors holds the famous murals,
which cannot be photographed.
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Palenque

• Inhabited 250 800 AD
• Tower structure unique in Maya architecture,
  constructed to give a view of the winter soltice
• Shows influence of Teotihuacan culture
• Famous sites Tower, Temple of the Inscriptions

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The construction of Palenque is unlike most other
Maya sites, using corbeled vaults like these in
the hallways. While there are stepped temples,
they have square buildings on top (as in the last
slide). A few have honeycombs similar to, but
smaller, than those in Yaxchilán. Many of the
roofs have the small finials seen in this photo,
specific to this site. The carving in Palenque is
very shallow, and some of the human figures are
strangely out of proportion.
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This reproduction shows how the stelae would have
appeared at the time of the Maya.
Note the different style of this memorial, with
the glyphs on the left and the figure to the
right.
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The most famous building at Palenque is this
palace, most likely a temple and watchtower.
The tower is unlike anything in Maya
construction, and may be a Teotihuacan influence.
The flat roof and square construction is similar
to the temples in the rest of the site. From the
base of the tower, you get a lovely view of the
valley below the top room most likely commands
a 360 degree view for defensive purposes.
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Important Travel Tips
Most of the Maya sites are heavily visited by
foreigners and locals alike. There are
well-marked paths and staircases to climb.
However, there are some important rules to follow.
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History of the Inca

• Until 1400, the Inca nation was a small, regional
  culture based in the central highlands of Peru.
• In the 1400s, the Incas began the greatest and
  most rapid expansion ever recorded. After 50
  years, the Inca dominated a region from Columbia
  to Chile.
• By the time the Spanish arrived in 1532, Cuzco
  was a large and thriving metropolis with multiple
  palaces and shrines covered in sheets of gold.
• The Inca did not have a system of writing, but
  communicated across their vast empire with
  quipus, a strand of cord attached to color-coded
  strings with series of knots. These were carried
  by relay-runners, supported by an elaborate
  system of roads and lodges.
• After the conquest, the empire was broken into
  several provinces by the Spanish. There was an
  Inca resistance led by Tupac Amaru, but this was
  quickly put down. In 1572, 40 years after the
  Spanish first entered the Andes, the last Inca
  leader was killed.

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Inti Raymi

• Inti Raymi is a modern festival modeled on an
  Inca festival to welcome the return of the sun
  (Inti) on the solstice. The original celebration
  was banned in 1572, but was revived in the 1940s.
  Today, it is the second largest festival in
  Latin America.
• The festival begins at the Quoricancha, the Inca
  temple of the sun which is now topped with the
  church of Santo Domingo. In the plain beneath
  the temple, warriors and the queens handmaidens
  gather while the Inca, his consort, and the
  priests pray at the great sun disc.
• The Inca and his bride oversee the beginning of
  the ceremony, then are loaded into litters for a
  procession through Cuzco and on to Sacsayhuaman.
  The role of the Inca and other key participants
  are highly sought by the local tribes, and people
  work for hours to make elaborate costumes similar
  to traditional Inca garb.
• The procession slowly makes its way uphill and
  enters the central square of the fort. The Inca
  and the priest mount a central dias, while the
  warriors and handmaidens gather around the square
  in colorful geometric patterns.
• The stages of the festival include prayers, a
  (fake) lllama sacrifice, and the lighting of the
  ritual fires. After a celebratory dance, the
  Inca returns to this litter and is carried back
  to the city, followed by the rest of the group.
• All evening, local dance and music groups parade
  through the city in celebration.

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The Quoricancha and the disc of the sun, with
the church above.
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The central plaza of Cuzco, the Plaza de las
Armas, filled with a parade and spectators. Note
the rainbow flag of Cuzco on the right.
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In the plaza at Sacsayhuaman, the festival of
Inti Raymi continues on a stage. There probably
was an altar somewhere at the site, though not in
this area. The Inca queen is seen in brown and
white in the middle ground, surrounded by her
handmaidens in blue. People from the different
regions of the Inca empire are in different
colors in the four quadrants of the plaza. The
Inca is on the stage with priests and generals,
conducting the ceremonies.
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The llama sacrifice has just concluded, and the
warriors are removing the carcass to the storage
site below. Unfortunately, the llama refused to
play dead and squirmed quite a lot on the
way. The high priest is the gentleman with the
sun on his cloak.
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The Inca hails the crowd as he is carried out of
the plaza after the ceremony. His standard uses
the colors of the Cuzco flag. Note that his
bearers carry quipu bags.
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After the potentates leave, several local dance
troupes circle the plaza performing local dances
and piping. The costumes are specific to a
valley in the highlands.
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Sacsayhuaman
Sacsayhuaman sits on the hills above Cuzco.
Built of massive stones, it is a fort and
religious complex marking the source of the river
that flows through the city. The stones used here
are large are are carefully carved to fit
together. This is one of three kinds of
stonework seen in Inca sites.
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Pisac
Pisac, not far from Cuzco, is a fabulous site on
a hill over the Urubamba river. The stones are
smaller than at some other sites, set with
precision and artistry. It may have been as
astronomical observatory.
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Note the smaller, more rectangular and regular
stonework here. These are also fitted together
without mortar, but are more brick-like than the
large boulders generally associated with Inca
architecture. This is the second style of Inca
stonework, which seems to have been used for
important but non-religious buildings. Note the
slight inward incline of the walls, as seen at
the corners, which provides stability.
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Salineras
The hills above the Urubamba river have massive
salt deposits. These have been mined since the
days of the Inca, and are still active.
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Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is both a fortress and a temple.
The massive temple of the sun is unfinished, with
large stones left in a cleared section waiting to
be put in place. It is the best preserved Inca
site, and sits near the head of the Inca Trail.
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The entrance to the Temple of the Sun with
several niches to the side. Here we see the
boulder-style construction again, probably
denoting a religious site.
A bath fed by a stream
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The stones used in Inca buildings are carefully
carved and sanded to fit perfectly without
mortar. There is a stone in Cuzco with 12 sides,
the corners rounded and smoothed to fit into
place with no gaps.
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This stone was left during construction in this
interesting position. The meaning of the
protrusions is unknown. They might have been
used for construction to hold ropes, or they
might have been for some other reason. Some of
these protrusions have been left on the finished
stones, some were removed.
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Our first campsite was pretty luxurious, though
Im not sure about the little tent-huts.
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A view of Salcantay from our first campsite in
the early morning.
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Llactapata, a small farming community on the hill
near the river.
The Urubamba river
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The trail as seen from the Abra Warmiwanusca (the
first and highest pass).
One of these would be very helpful on the climb.
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Runkurukay
Runkurukay is a small fortress above the river,
with a curious rounded construction probably used
for optimal viewing. Note the third type of Inca
stonework piles of small stones held together
with mortar.
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A campsite near a pond is very scenic, but
careful where you step if you go out at night.
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Important Travel Tip Cameras are not
waterproof Nor is film
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Phuyupatamarka
Phuyupatamarka (cloud-level town) is set roughly
6 hours hike from Machu Picchu. It has very
unusual curved walls and a series of stream-fed
baths. Again, it uses the third type of Inca
stonework.
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Intipata
Intipata is a fairly newly discovered site on a
hill several hours from Machu Picchu. It is not
on the beaten path, and is currently under
excavation.
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Intipata has a classical set of stepped fields
for agriculture, some only a foot or two wide.
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Wiñay Wayna
Wiñay Wayna is one of the most beautiful sites on
the trail. Built on a steep hill, the city has
intricate rooms and stairways and commanding
views of the valley below.
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The residential section of the city is at the
bottom of the hill in a small quadrant with baths
and small rooms.
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Intipunku
Intipunku, the Gate of the Sun, sits along the
trail at the entrance to the valley where Machu
Picchu sits. From this point, you get your first
view of the city.
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Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a small city on on a sliver on
land in a bend on the river. It was nominally
discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. Many
theories exist about its use. Was it a sacred
city? A nunnery? A royal hunting lodge?
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The residential section of the city uses the more
casual stonework and has many windows for
artisans workshops.
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The Temple of the Moon has the more carefully
fitted form of stonework, with trapezoidal
windows. Note the altar in the background.
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Along the side of the slope are extensive steppes
and small storehouses or residences.
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Thank you!

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