September 4, 2018 – September 6, 2018
High above the market town of Pisac, sits the Inca fortress of the same name. From the townsite you can see bits of the ruin rising above the horizon, and many acres of ancient terraces stepping down the steep mountain sides. We were lucky to find a place to camp in the gated yard of a hostel just outside of town with great views of these terraces.
An american who has lived for 4 or 5 years in a small annex shack run by the hostel told us that he would be taking some friends around the area the next day to see some sites in the Sacred Valley, and told us we were welcome to join them. And so, the next day, we all piled into a van operated by the owner of the hostel and headed off for the day.
The first site we visited was Moray.
There are many theories about what these terraced amphitheatres were used for. One is that they were experimental labs for agriculture run by Incan farm research priests; the temperature in the lowest level can be 15 degrees Celsius warmer than at the rim. Perhaps they were used to see what grew best in different temperature zones and to selectively cross pollinate different strains of the same plants. Maybe a way to develop thousands of varieties of potatoes or hundreds of different types of corn, beans, squash and quinoa. Apparently, pollen studies have also determined that different parts of the rings have soils representative of different regions of the Incan empire and there is evidence of complex drainage capabilities that leave even the bottoms perfectly drained in heavy rains. On the other hand……
Our driver thought that these were sites for UFOs to land in, the different levels of rings allowing different sized saucers to land but still have an air pocket underneath to aid in lift off. A traveller we met later in our trip thought that the rings represented a giant vagina and that they were places where Mother Earth was worshipped. Hmmmm. They could also have had some pretty cool rock concerts there.
There are three different bowls at the site.
As the day went on, the shadow moved deeper into the bowl.
The countryside near Moray at about 10000ft elevation.
Next, we visited Salinas. Thousands of carefully built salt pans line the side of the valley with hot salty water being distributed to each through a complex network of little gulleys whose flow rates could be started and stopped. These have been used since Incan times, and until recently each family would maintain their own pan. Now the operation is run by a cooperative. It was strikingly beautiful. I would have loved to return to the site during a full moon.
From the road going in. It was hard to capture it with the sun being low in the sky.
Warm spring water is routed into the different pools, and as the water evaporates, salt is left behind.
In houses all over the Sacred Valley we see two “torritos” (little bulls). They are placed on the highest spot on the roof of the house for protection. These one’s at the Salinas are flanked by a couple of beer bottles. Extra protection for sure!
The following day Derek and I drove up to the the ruins of Pisac.
The fortress at the top of these terraces is difficult to see in this picture, it completely blends in with the surroundings.
Here’s another picture of the fortress. It guarded the Urubamba valley below as well as a pass leading to the jungle to the northeast.
Inca tombs.
The patterns you see in the walls of the terraces are cantilevered stone steps leading from one level to the next.
Some more quality stonework.
We spent several hours walking and climbing through the ruins at Pisac, and enjoying the views of the Sacred Valley from its perch high atop the mountain.