Andean Inca 2
Summary
TLDRThe script delves into the remarkable Inca stonemasonry, showcasing the 12-sided stone's precision fit without mortar. It highlights the Inca's deep connection with stone, their belief in lithification, and the architectural marvels like Machu Picchu. The script describes how the Incas used stonework to demonstrate power and control over nature, with examples of terraces, windows aligned for celestial viewing, and the Inti Juanta stone used in solstice ceremonies. It also touches on the rediscovery of Machu Picchu and its significance as a retreat for the Inca elite.
Takeaways
- đ° The Inca's 12-sided stone construction technique allowed them to create massive walls without the need for reinforcement or mortar.
- đ The precision of Inca stonework is such that not even a credit card can be inserted between the stones in their walls.
- đ± The Inca had a deep connection with stone, believing in the concept of lithification, where stone could come alive and humans could be turned into stone.
- đïž The Spanish conquest led to the construction of churches on top of pre-existing Andean indigenous structures, including exquisite stone houses.
- đŸ One such house, known as the 'Golden House,' was found filled with life-size golden corn sculptures and similar silver ones, showcasing Inca wealth.
- đșïž Machu Picchu, a well-known Inca site, is a three-day walk from Cusco and served as a vacation spot for the Andean elite.
- đȘ The Inca did not use wheels or ride llamas; instead, they carried their belongings or were carried on a litter by others.
- đł Machu Picchu's location and design follow the natural topography, providing both a luxurious retreat and a strategic defensive position.
- đż The Inti Juanta stone at Machu Picchu was used in ceremonies to symbolically 'lasso' the sun, connecting earth and sky.
- đ The Inca's observatory at Machu Picchu, with its unique windows and cleft room, was designed for celestial observation and aligning with the sun during solstices.
Q & A
What is unique about the Inca's 12-sided stone construction technique?
-The Inca's 12-sided stone construction technique is unique because it creates enormous walls that do not require any reinforcement or mortar. The stones are so precisely fitted that a credit card cannot slide between the joins.
What does the concept of lithification mean in the context of Inca culture?
-In the context of Inca culture, lithification refers to the belief that stones could come alive and that humans could be turned into stone. This concept was fundamental to the Inca worldview and is evident in their stonework.
How did the Inca demonstrate their power through architecture?
-The Inca demonstrated their power through architecture by sculpting nature, terracing, and modifying natural stone outcroppings. They created structures that showed an altered connectedness with stone and showcased their ability to control their environment.
What is the significance of the 'Golden House' mentioned in the script?
-The 'Golden House' is one of the exquisite stone houses built by the Inca. It was found filled with life-size golden corn sculptures made from actual gold, and similar sculptures in silver, showcasing the wealth and craftsmanship of the Inca civilization.
Why is Machu Picchu so well-preserved?
-Machu Picchu is well-preserved because it was overgrown and forgotten after the fall of the Inca Empire, which protected it from damage. It wasn't until 1911 that it was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham, bringing it back into the awareness of the Western world.
What is the significance of the location of Machu Picchu in relation to the Andean peaks?
-Machu Picchu's location follows the topography of the Andean peaks, which not only provides a natural defense but also aligns with the Inca's belief in connecting with the natural world. The site was commissioned by the Inca Emperor Pachacuti.
How did the Inca use the Inti Juanta stone at Machu Picchu?
-The Inti Juanta stone, located at the highest point of Machu Picchu, was used as a 'hitching post of the sun.' The Inca would tie a rope around the stone's projection and throw it out to symbolically 'lasso' the sun during high ceremonial days, such as the equinoxes.
What is the purpose of the andean windows with a tapered top?
-The andean windows with a tapered top were intentionally designed for celestial viewing. They are lined up so that one can see through them to observe the sun, especially on the summer solstice, June 21st.
How does the 'Cleft Room' at Machu Picchu demonstrate the Inca's control over their environment?
-The 'Cleft Room' at Machu Picchu demonstrates the Inca's control over their environment by showcasing a combination of organic geometry with the naturally occurring stone. The Inca modified and cut out spaces to match the existing natural environment, blending raw stone with finely surfaced, finished stone.
Why was Machu Picchu a good defensive position for the Inca?
-Machu Picchu was a good defensive position because of its location high in the mountains, which made it difficult to approach without being seen. This natural barrier provided a strategic advantage for the Inca elite who resided there.
Outlines
đż The Art of Incan Stonework
The paragraph discusses the remarkable construction techniques of the Inca civilization, particularly their ability to create 12-sided stones that fit so tightly together no mortar is needed. It highlights the Inca's deep connection with stone, their belief in the transformative power of lithification, and their architectural prowess. The Inca's mastery is exemplified through the preservation of ancient walls, the Golden House, and the iconic Machu Picchu. The text also touches upon the Inca's use of terraces and modifications of natural stone outcroppings to assert their power and control over nature. The paragraph concludes with a description of Machu Picchu's significance as a vacation spot for the elite, its strategic defensive position, and the rediscovery of the site in 1911.
đ Incan Astronomical Architecture
This paragraph delves into the Inca's advanced knowledge of astronomy and their architectural innovations to align with celestial events. It describes how the Inca designed structures with specific windows and spaces to observe the sun, particularly on the summer solstice. The observatory at Machu Picchu, with its cleft room, showcases the Inca's ability to blend natural and man-made elements to create a harmonious relationship between their built environment and the cosmos. The paragraph emphasizes the Inca's desire to control their universe through the manipulation of space and the use of organic geometry, reflecting their broader cultural concepts of power and their influence on the world.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄInca
đĄ12-sided stone
đĄLithification
đĄTerracing
đĄMachu Picchu
đĄCusco
đĄInti Juanta Stone
đĄAndean Windows
đĄCleft Room
đĄObservatory
đĄElite
Highlights
The Inca's 12-sided stone construction technique allows for enormous walls without reinforcement or mortar.
Inca walls are so precisely fitted that a credit card cannot be slid between the stones.
The Inca had a unique connection with stone, believing it could come alive and transform.
The Inca's lithification concept was central to their worldview, influencing their architecture.
Andean indigenous pre-contact walls were repurposed by the Spanish for churches.
The 'Golden House' was filled with life-size golden corn sculptures made from actual gold.
Machu Picchu, a well-known Inca site, is a three-day walk from Cusco.
The Inca did not use wheels or ride llamas, instead carrying goods and being carried in litters.
Machu Picchu was a vacation spot for the Andean elite and follows the natural topography.
Machu Picchu was commissioned by Inca Emperor Pachacuti and remained in good condition due to being forgotten.
The site was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, introducing it to the Western world.
Machu Picchu's location provides a good defensive position due to its visibility.
The Inti Juanta stone at Machu Picchu was used in ceremonies to 'lasso the sun'.
The Inca walls at Machu Picchu are well-preserved and blend with the natural rock outcroppings.
The Inca created celestial viewing structures, like the observatory, for aligning with celestial events.
Andean windows are intentionally designed to allow specific solar alignments, like on the summer solstice.
The Cleft Room showcases the Inca's ability to work with and modify natural stone to create functional spaces.
The contrast between raw and finished stone in Inca structures symbolizes their control over their universe.
Transcripts
famous inca 12-sided stone
this is an unprecedented construction
technique
and it creates these enormous walls that
do not require
any kind of reinforcement or mortar so
if you take the time you can actually
count and see that there are 12 sides of
these things
and they're also um evidently they're so
tightly fit that you cannot slide a
credit card between the joins
in the wall this idea of sculpting
nature tariff terracing modifying
natural stone outcroppings as a way to
control
nature as a way to show your power
the inca seemed to have this altered
connectedness with stone
they believed that stone could come
alive and that
man could be turned into stone and so
this
lithification concept the active
transformation ability of stonework
was fundamental to the inca world view
and that is extremely evident in
several different examples let's quickly
here take a look at a before and after
these are andean indigenous pre-contact
walls
that they built a church right on top of
after
the spanish arrived we will find
these exquisite stone houses one of
which is
filled it's called the golden house and
the spanish found it
filled with big life-size
golden corn sculptures made from
actual gold and something similar in
silver as well
you have heard of machu picchu and that
is a very well-known inca spot
and it is about three days
walk from couscous remember these are
people who you cannot ride
uh a llama they they all carry your
stuff but you can't ride them
and they don't have the wheel so uh no
average people are walking and the high
elites are being carried on
a litter so that's like they're sitting
up on two big sticks that
you know seven or eight people are
carrying machu picchu was really
the vacation spot for the andean elite
from cusco the site
very much follows the topography of the
andean
peaks behind it and we actually
know that it was commissioned by the
inca
emperor pachacuti
one of the reasons that it is in such a
good condition is that
when the inca ceased to exist
independently of the spanish
it became overgrown and kind of
forgotten and it wasn't until 1911
that a guy named bingham uh uh
rediscovered it as a site in the western
world
the mountain peaks that surround it are
over a thousand feet high there are
beautiful
rapids in the rivers nearby and
it is much more jungle like than what
you find in cusco because it is
at a lower elevation and it is much more
humid so that we think that about 200
inca elite could reside here at any
point in time
and while it was sort of a vacation spot
it was
a good defensive position because you
couldn't get up there without
being seen
so looking at some of the features
including tourists you see that the
giant inca walls survive very nicely
in a residential complex but then we
also see
sacred sculptures like what you see here
this is the inti juanta stone
and it is located at the highest point
at machu picchu
and it is known as sort of like a
hitching post of the sun
so they would have taken a rope and tied
the rope around this
projection in the carved stone and then
the rope would have been
thrown out like a lasso to lasso up
the sun this would have been done
on high ceremonial days like the um the
autumnal and vernal equinox
as a way to connect the earth and the
sky
so beautiful cut stones made to blend
seamlessly with the natural
rock outcropping so they believe that
this was an observatory so here is the
natural rock
and then they placed cut rock stones on
top of it
you notice that the andean windows have
this really interesting
look of being tapered at the top and
they're intentionally lined up so that
you can see through them
you notice we've got these squared off
walls and then
curved walls which were created for this
sort of a
celestial viewing as a way to look at
the stars so the window's placed then
so that the sun can be seen especially
on the summer solstice on june 21st
and at the base of this structure
the observatory is a fascinating space
known as the
cleft room and what we've got going on
here is a combination of organic
geometry oops sorry of the uh
the naturally occurring stone and then
the inca come in
and then they modify or cut
out a space to match what is happening
in the naturally existing
environment the raw stone versus the
finely surfaced
finished stone sort of gives you this
idea of how
the inca were trying to control
their universe
sculpting nature terracing modifying
controlling as a way to send the
concepts
of power not just to the other incus but
to
the rest of the world beyond
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