Qorikancha
December 29th, one month after our departure from Bellingham, we were back in Cusco after visiting Machu Picchu and the ancient sites in the Sacred Valley. Daveed took us walking through some of the oldest streets to show us the stonework that still supports hotels and other buildings after so many centuries and the pre-Inca streets with the drainage channel down the middle.
Our walk brought us to the Santo Domingo Convent and Church. However, inside is not only a magnificent church but also what remains of the Qorikancha, or Temple of the Sun, the most important temple in the Inca empire. The church and convent were built around and on top of the old temple. The entire complex is now a fascinating museum
Daveed explained how the temple was a center for the Inca shamans -- key wise men who specialized in astronomy, architecture, and healing. The precision of the stonework was amazing, even for Inca standards.
David was fascinated by the displays showing how the Incas created water conduits within the stonework and made invisible notches to stabilize the joints.
One beautiful artifact that survived the Spaniards is a golden plaque embossed with symbols representing the Inca cosmology. The drawing, done much later, is an interpretation by a descendant and native author. It depicts how the universe is divided into male and female influences.
On the Hills above Cusco
Next, Daveed took us up into the pass leading from Cusco to the Sacred Valley and we visited several interesting sites.
The first one was up an ancient cobblestone road going up into the hills. It road led to a peaceful spot with fountains and the usual jigsaw of stonework and niches. Daveed explained that there are several theories about the road -- that the area was used for hunting, that the ruins were a small water temple, and that it was a kind of spiritual pathway continuing on into the mountains. Perhaps, it was all three.
Look at the rocks just to the right of the row of niches on the top level. Doesn’t that look like the head of lizard?
The next stop was an area of stone walls on a high hill overlooking the road into Cusco. This is thought to be a kind of military outpost.
When we arrived at the next stop, we were surprised to see just a big lump of rock with no fancy stonework.
However, hidden behind and under that rock was a labyrinth of a passage that wound back and forth and down into the dark.
In the darkest part, where it was coldest, was a platform that is thought to be an embalming altar where the royalty and high-ranking people were prepared for the afterlife.
Another site we visited had several distinct areas. First, there was a pitch black tunnel that we went through in single file -- me holding on to Daveed’s back and David holding onto mine.
That was pretty exciting. We came out into a very large open basin surrounded by a low stone wall. It looked like an amphitheatre, but Daveed said it was a where they would split rocks by filling the cracks with water and letting it freeze.
After the big basin, we climbed some rocky platforms
And came out at an area with smooth sliding rocks -- a kind of natural playground.
Then we climbed down off the platforms to a large grassy area with a series of wavy terraces on the other side
It started to rain at this point so we didn’t linger to ponder the point of the terraces. They remain a mystery to us.
On the way back, we got an incredible view of Cusco from the top of the mountain.
That evening, we had a delicious dinner at Pacha Papa in a cozy room out of the rain. David was impressed with the tiny rolls they served.
Next Santiago, Chile.
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