ROCK ART HAS BEEN DISCOVERED NEAR THE RUINS OF MACHU PICCHU:

Machu Picchu, Peru. Internet photograph, public domain.

Pretty much everybody, at least everybody interested in archaeology, has heard of the famous site of Machu Picchu, Peru, discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Actually, discovered is incorrect as it was never lost, locals who lived in that area knew of it all along, Bingham had been taken there by a native guide. Recently rock art has been discovered near Machu Picchu. Again, referred to as being discovered by an outside visitor, although a native guide apparently had known about it and taken the "discoverer" to it.

Petroglyph near Machu Picchu, Peru. Image Fernando Astete, National Geographic.

"More than 600 years ago the ancient Incas built a village in the Andes on the rocky outcrop that links the mountains Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, at an altitude of 2,490 meters (8169.29 ft.). It is a town whose original name would have been Llaqtapata, which is known today as Machu Picchu." (Marilo 2016) The ruined city of Machu Picchu is so overwhelming that, archaeologically speaking, it sort of sucks all the oxygen out of the area. So many of us thought of it as the big attraction and would never have thought to look for other archeology in the area. Recent discoveries, however, have brought to light a number of faded pictographs which have been brought to life through DStretch.

Camelids, Machu Picchu, Peru. Photograph Fernando Astete  Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco.

Archeologist Francisco Huarcaya, however, was aware of the probability of other significant discoveries to be made in the area around Machu Picchu. “Human remains and rock art have been discovered on the banks of the Vilcanota River along the railway leading to the Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu by archaeologists from the Decentralized Culture Directorate in Cusco. Archaeologist Francisco Huarcaya said the images, including camelids, the sun, and geometric shapes were painted on different parts of a huge rock. He thinks they could be associated with guardian deities in the form of mountains, and may have a funerary context. ‘There are other images that cannot be identified due to geological problems and rock wear cased by long exposure to the sun, wind, rain, and water filtration,’ Huarcaya said.” (Saraceni 2022)

Machu Picchu, Peru. Photograph Fernando Astete  Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco.

“Archaeologists from the Decentralized Culture Directorate in Cusco (DDC Cusco) have discovered samples of cave art in a sector of the Qhapaq Nan or Great Inca Trail that crosses the Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu in Peru. This information was provided by Francisco Huarcaya, the person responsible for the sector of the Inca Trail that crosses the aforementioned park.” (Andina 2022)

"New samples of rock art are found both painted and engraved on the surface of the rock and are mainly concentrated in two sectors of the magnificent Inca city, areas known as Paraguachayoq and Inkaterra. In the Pachamama sector, where there is a natural cave, the archeologists have registered more than six graphic groups, including pictographs and graffiti 'with various motifs formed by black figures and geimetric curvilinear designs.'" (Marilo 2016)

Machu Picchu, Peru. Photograph Fernando Astete  Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco.

"The archaeologist explained that this cave art was associated with a funerary context and the cult of the apus (Guardian deities in the form of mountains), such as the Huacayhuilca and Casamentuyoc mountains, as well as the Huilcamayo River - considered sacred and located near the area." (Andina 2022)

Closeup of previous design, Machu Picchu, Peru. Photograph Fernando Astete  Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco.

"In addition to said evidence of cave art, archaeologists found human bones of a skull and a femur, which were exposed to the surface and partially covered by brush." (Andina 2022) This may have been the weathered remains of an Inca mummy bundle but, as of now, I have seen nothing that really ties the pictographs and burial to Machu Picchu itself, except the location.

Machu Picchu, Peru. Photograph Fernando Astete  Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco.

It stands to reason that these other archeological discoveries would have been made around a location as special and highly prized to the Incas as this, the area around Machu Picchu. Indeed, I would expect other discoveries to be announced in the future. I would imagine that ever since the construction of Machu Picchu, the locals would have special feelings, even reverence, for it and the area around it. It makes sense that burials would be made there for some time after it was abandoned, to place them in the sacred presence.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Andina (Agencia Peruana de Noticias), 2022, Peru: Cave art found on Inca Trail crossing Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu, 15 September 2022, https://andina.pe. Accessed online 16 September 2022.

Marilo, T. A., 2016, New Rock Paintings Discovered in Machu Picchu, 5 August 2016, https://www.ancient-origins.net. Accessed online 17 September 2022.

Saraceni, Jessica E., 2022, Rock Art Discovered Near Machu Picchu, 19 September 2022, https://www.archaeology.org/news?page=1. Accessed online 16 September 2022.