Andean Inca 2

Summary

The 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

• 🏰 The Inca's 12-sided stone construction technique allowed them to create massive walls without the need for reinforcement or mortar.
• 🔍 The precision of Inca stonework is such that not even a credit card can be inserted between the stones in their walls.
• 🌱 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.
• 🏛️ The Spanish conquest led to the construction of churches on top of pre-existing Andean indigenous structures, including exquisite stone houses.
• 🌾 One such house, known as the 'Golden House,' was found filled with life-size golden corn sculptures and similar silver ones, showcasing Inca wealth.
• 🗺️ Machu Picchu, a well-known Inca site, is a three-day walk from Cusco and served as a vacation spot for the Andean elite.
• 🐪 The Inca did not use wheels or ride llamas; instead, they carried their belongings or were carried on a litter by others.
• 🌳 Machu Picchu's location and design follow the natural topography, providing both a luxurious retreat and a strategic defensive position.
• 🗿 The Inti Juanta stone at Machu Picchu was used in ceremonies to symbolically 'lasso' the sun, connecting earth and sky.
• 🌌 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

00:00

🗿 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.

05:00

🌌 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.

Keywords

💡Inca

The Inca were a pre-Columbian empire in western South America, known for their monumental architecture and advanced civilization. In the video, the Inca are highlighted for their unique construction techniques and their deep connection with stone, which is exemplified by the 12-sided stone and the concept of lithification.

💡12-sided stone

The 12-sided stone refers to a famous example of Inca masonry where stones are cut and fitted so precisely that they interlock without mortar. This construction technique is showcased as a symbol of the Inca's mastery over stonework and their ability to create structures that have withstood the test of time.

💡Lithification

Lithification, in the context of the Inca, refers to the belief that stones could come alive and that people could be turned into stone. This concept is central to the Inca worldview and is demonstrated in the video through the idea that stonework had an active transformation ability, linking the physical world with the spiritual.

💡Terracing

Terracing is a method of modifying the landscape by creating flat areas on sloping land to support agriculture. The Inca are noted for their extensive terracing, which not only allowed them to control nature but also showcased their engineering prowess and their ability to manipulate the environment to suit their needs.

💡Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a renowned Inca site, described in the video as a vacation spot for the Andean elite. It is noted for its remarkable preservation and its strategic location, which offers both a defensive advantage and a connection to the natural landscape. The site exemplifies the Inca's architectural and engineering skills.

💡Cusco

Cusco was the historical capital of the Inca Empire and is mentioned in the video as the starting point for the journey to Machu Picchu. It serves as a reference point for understanding the geographical and cultural significance of Inca sites and the distances that people would travel.

💡Inti Juanta Stone

The Inti Juanta Stone, located at Machu Picchu, is described as a 'hitching post of the sun' in the video. It is an example of how the Inca integrated sacred rituals with their architecture, using the stone for ceremonies that symbolized the connection between earth and sky.

💡Andean Windows

Andean Windows are a distinctive feature of Inca architecture, characterized by their trapezoidal shape and alignment to celestial events. The video mentions these windows as part of the observatory structures, indicating the Inca's advanced knowledge of astronomy and their integration of this knowledge into their building design.

💡Cleft Room

The Cleft Room, part of the observatory at Machu Picchu, is highlighted in the video as an example of the Inca's ability to blend natural rock formations with their construction techniques. It illustrates their desire to control and shape their environment, as well as their reverence for the natural world.

💡Observatory

The observatory at Machu Picchu is mentioned as a place where the Inca would have conducted astronomical observations. It is an example of how the Inca integrated their understanding of celestial bodies into their architecture, using it for both practical and ritual purposes.

💡Elite

The term 'elite' in the video refers to the high-ranking members of Inca society who would reside at Machu Picchu. It underscores the social hierarchy of the Inca and the importance of the site as a place of privilege and power.

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