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Before the Spanish conquest of the Americas several large civilizations inhabited the new world,the largest being that of the Inca Empire. It is said that around 1200 AD the first Inca, Manco Capac & Mama Ocllo ( Hauca ) migrated to the Cuzco (Cooz-co) region from Lake Titicaca's Island of the Sun. The city of Cuzco, or Q'osco (Cos-coe) as it is known to the Quechuan Indians (Cetch-u-an) who are the direct decent of the Inca, believed that the location of Q'osco was/is the center or navel of the universe. Here the Inca would establish one of the greatest and short-lived empires to ever exist. What historical information that remains from the Spanish tyrant's quest for the riches of gold and jewels is that the Inca ruled an area of about 3000 miles stretching as far north as Columbia, eastward into Bolivia and south into Chile. They interlinked their empire with the most sophisticated highway system for their time. This highway or Inca Trail as it is known consisted of tambo's that were storage or resting points along the highway. This allowed the traveler, weather for pleaser or battle that their people could be assured of food and supplies were just ahead at the next tambo. In the city of Cuzco and the surrounding area are many important archaeological ruins. The city itself has the most important ruins that of Q'oricancha (Kor-ee-kan-cha), or the Temple of the Sun, which was once the center of the Inca empire and is where priceless treasures worth millions were looted by the Spanish. Historical documents from the Dominican's ( Catholic Church ) state that there was literally a garden of actual gold around the palace. After the Spanish looted and destroyed as much as they could they built the Church of Santo Domingo atop the foundation of Q'oricancha. Though the glory of the Inca temple is not what it was in the 1500's the site still has accessability to view the three side chambers dedicated to the moon, thunder and the rainbow. Other important ruins just on the outskirts of town include the royal Inca baths of Tambo Machay, (Tom-bo Ma-cheye), the "red fort" Puca Pucara (Puke-a Pu-car-a) and Kenko (Ken-coe ). It is also known that they were expert craftsmen in metal and stone. Their architectural ability of working with stone has yet to be understood. Though Machu Picchu (Ma-chu Pea-chu) is the focal point of most tourism into Peru, the archaeological locations of Sacsayhauman (Sack-say-wah-man) and that of Pisac (Pee-sack) are far superior in quality from the standpoint of its masonry. Here they were so precise in their work that modern day architects, archaeologist and mathematicians from around the world have only hypothesized the methods used in its construction. Several other important archaeological and cultural locations around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley are excisable such as the towns of Wijoc (oldest settlement ), Patacancha, Chinchero, Piquillacta, Andahuaylillas, Urcos Market and the Maras Salt Mines. |
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