Sacsayhuaman

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El Mundo Magico

Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas

Sacsayhuaman

Impressive megalithic stone-work at Sacsayhuaman, in the Peruvian Andes

On the mysterious nature of Sacsayhuaman

< Among the many magnificent buildings constructed by the Incas, the Cuzco fortress undoubtedly deserves to be considered as the greatest and most praiseworthy witness to the power and the majesty of these kings. Its proportions are inconceivable when one has not actually seen it; and when one has looked at it closely and examined it attentively, they appear to be so extraordinary, that it seems as though some magic had presided over its construction [..]

If we think, too, that this incredible work was accomplished without the help of a single machine, it is too much to say that it represents an even greater enigma than the seven wonders of the world? >

Garcilaso de la Vega, The Royal Commentaries of the Yncas

(Lima 2002: 284, 286)

Whether Sacsayhuaman is to be considered a "Fortress" or not, is today almost out of question. But ascertaining by whom it was originally conceived is an altogether more arduous matter to establish.

It might have been at once a true wonder of Inca architecture (as it is more commonly accepted), and - as authors like Graham Hancock (1a) suppose - a stupendous achievement of an ancient pre-Inca, Megalithic civilization, only re-modelled in a later period by the Incas. Scholars like Kelemen (2a), lent credit to the view that Sacsayhuaman could have been the work of a pre-Inca civilization:

< It may be supposed, from certain signs, that this fortress was begun in pre-Inca days and later enlarged and reinforced by the Inca dynasty, of which the Spaniards were to know the last representatives >

Garcilaso, Inca chronicler of mixed blood, gives us his precious testimonial on the nature of Sacsayhuaman - which - accordingly to him - was The House of the Sun, "both its arsenal and its Temple". The fact that the Incas took refuge inside the complex in their last stand against the Spaniards, and the massive proportions and layout of Sacsayhuaman induced many to believe - erroneously - that this was merely a fortress.

Garcilaso then goes ahead talking about the existence of tall towers that were built inside the triple enclosure (made by three zigzagged walls) that define the main structure of the complex:

< [...] three tall towers were erected on a large narrow ground. The largest of them was called Mayac Marca, which means the round tower. It was built over a clear abundant spring, fed by underground canalizations, concerning which nobody knew from where or how they came: the Inca and the members of his supreme council were always the only ones who knew such secrets as these.

This round tower contained rooms with gold and silver paneled walls, on which animals, birds, and plants figured in relief, as though in a tapestry. It was here that the king lived when he came for a rest in the fortress [...]. The two other towers, which were round, not square, in shape, were called Paucar Marca and Sacllac Marca, and were used to house soldiers of the garrison, which was composed only of Incas by privilege, ordinary men, even combatants, not being allowed inside this fortress, which was the house of the sun, both its arsenal and its Temple. >

Garcilaso de la Vega, The Royal Commentaries of the Yncas

(Lima 2002: 287)

The account of Garcilaso on the presence of these towers is now matched by archaeological excavations on the upper part of the site, where the foundations of at least one of the three towers - the largest one, Mayac Marca - have actually been brought to light. Garcilaso also tells us of a labyrinth of tunnels and underground chambers, of which many speak to our very days:

< [...] An underground network of passages, which was as vast as the towers themselves, connected them with one another. This was composed of a quantity of streets and alleyways which ran in every directions, and so many doors, all of them identical, that the most experienced men dared not venture into this labyrinth without a guide, consisting of a long thread tied to the first door, which unwound as they advanced. I often went up to the fortress with boys of my own age, when I was a child, and we did not dare to go farther than the sunlight itself, we were so afraid of getting lost, after all that the Indians had told us on the subject. >]

Garcilaso de la Vega, The Royal Commentaries of the Yncas

(Lima 2002: 288)

In these tunnels "people descend to be lost forever, or to emerge gibbering, mad, clutching items of treasure" (3a) Garcilaso continues his chronicle on the topic of the Sacsayhuaman towers, providing the names of the Inca architects who presided to its construction. On the account of the Inca origins of the complex cast the shadow of doubt Sir Clements Markham, who comments:

< [...] Its origins are unknown as that of the Tihuanaco ruins. The Incas knew nothing. Garcilaso refers to towers, walls and gates built by the Incas, and even gives the name of the architects; but these were later defences built within the great cyclopean fortress. The outer lines must be attributed to the megalith age>. (4a)

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