The Polygonal Walls of Sacsayhuaman. A Tour. Was It Completed? Was It A Fortress?

#stonemasonry #history #sacsayhuaman
A tour of Sacsayhuaman in Peru focusing on the largest wall sections.
Also showing evidence for it not being completed. The use of the site as a quarry after the arrival of the Spanish. The case for it being a fortress.
Special thanks to David Morley for his photos.
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[@danstevens9101]

You mention earth quake proofing, but fail to show any evidence of that. For example, how did they know when earth quakes were coming. Where are the examples of the prototyping work? Where is the evidence of that learning process. how was documented? Where are the sites that failed. And most importantly, you failed to consider the time that has lapsed between the first prototype, the earth quake. The next prototype, the next earth quake. The further revised prototype, the next earth quake....Etc. Your assumption also assumes the people had time to kill.

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

"You mention earth quake proofing, but fail to show any evidence of that" It's a big topic to cover and not the purpose of this video however in Rectangular blocks vs polygonal walls in archaeoseismology by Klaus-G. Hinzen and Arnaud Montabert would be one example relatively easy to find. Also the earthquake resistance of these and others in the area is well known and often mentioned so barely worth repeating. For instance the use of rubble in the foundations allowing the walls to move laterally, and how similar methods are now employed by modern engineers in earthquake zones. " For example, how did they know when earth quakes were coming." Living in an earthquake zones they would be more than familiar, before seismology the Japanese were using various methods to increase the earthquake resistance of their walls and pagodas. Where is the evidence of that learning process. how was documented? Where are the sites that failed. And most importantly, you failed to consider the time that has lapsed between the first prototype, the earth quake. The next prototype, the next earth quake. The further revised prototype, the next earth quake....Etc" Not really sure how to respond to that, in Machu Picchu for instance you can see where parts of the walls have significantly moved (failed) . Collapsed terraces vs rebuilt? Drystone walls everywhere are frequently rebuilt across across the world. Again it is an area has been studied and in far more detailed published works it can be found. It is even mentioned in made for TV documentaries. "Your assumption also assumes the people had time to kill." You are assuming they didn't? It's a standard feature of any reasonably developed civilisation or even culture to have time to kill. They produced art and such. The Inca leaders collected taxes through labour. That the Inca and every other empire / civilisation were making monuments is the clear evidence they had time to kill beyond merely surviving. It would be up to you to show that they didn't have time to kill since even in subsistence societies they have festivals and ritual and art production. The points you make would require that I and everyone else go through the entire history of various topics in every video. It would be more appropriate that you first caught up to speed in several very basic and well documented aspects.

[@robswright68]

You assume that the assumption assumes that "people had time to kill." How do you know it wasn't aliens or time travelers from the future who had time to kill?"

[@RostislavLapshin]

Probably, the Sacsayhuaman is the earliest and simplest star-shaped fortress that survived to our time. See details in the article “Fabrication methods of the polygonal masonry of large tightly-fitted stone blocks with curved surface interfaces in megalithic structures of Peru”. KZbin does not allow a direct link. Search by the article title.

[@RostislavLapshin]

The 8th article edition (DOI: 10.20944/preprints202108.0087.v8) is posted at Preprints. Search the article by DOI or by title.

[@danielpaulson8838]

Thank you for sharing all this work with us.

[@Eyes_Open]

Many thanks. Detailed photos and notes are amazing.

[@peterwikvist2433]

Excellent work Alan.

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

really appreciate the amount of time you must have spent researching this. 👍🏻 fantastic job. 🤠

[@drakedorosh9332]

You are a true geographer. You showed what really was the purpose of the site by using google earth. Saved me a trip. Thanks.

[@craigaxle1096]

Great analysis 👍 Appreciate all the work you're doing. It's always good to be able to understand our human past history. Thanks 😊

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

Much appreciated

[@blackmud]

If Sacsayhuaman was unfinished it's yet another example of the same thing that can also be found in Egypt, Lebanon and India: Large-scale civil engineering projects that were almost completed then mysteriously abandoned. The question with all of these sites is the same: What made the workers stop?

[@homesolutionsus443]

You’re the man! Thanks for all the time you spend doing the research and presenting it to us!!!

[@m_t_burton]

Loving your videos! Keep it up!

[@cathyd74]

Great video, cheers!

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

Thanks for the visit

[@peterwikvist2433]

I really liked this presentation, Alan. About Sacsayhuaman. It is presumed that it was a fortress, although it is also believed that it could be a ceremonial centre. I personally look at the walls as terraced walls. The doors are in the middle and central part of the limestone wall. Each door has its own name: Ajawanapunku, T’iopunku and Wiracochapunku. World History Encyclopedia: “The fortress was the largest structure built by the Incas. It was constructed on an elevated rocky promontory facing the northern marshy ground outside the Inca capital of Cuzco. Pottery finds indicate that the site had previously been occupied by Inca residents. Begun in the reign of the great Inca empire builder Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, or perhaps his son Thupa Inca Yupanqui in the mid-15th century CE, the design was credited to four architects: Huallpa Rimachi, Maricanchi, Acahuana, and Calla Cunchui. The first structures were made using only mud and clay. Subsequent rulers then replaced these with magnificent stonework which employed huge finely-cut polygonal blocks, many over 4 metres in height and weighing over 100 tons. To complete such a massive project 20,000 labourers were drafted in under the well-established Inca system of extracting both goods and labour from peoples they conquered. Working in a system of rotation 6,000 were given quarrying duties while the other 4,000 dug trenches and laid the foundations.”

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

Thank you There's a long book on it but in Spainsh. The parts i did translate over point to astronomical observatory also. I imagine just like cathedrals or castles back in the day they had multiple functions? It was just that I had seen a few videos poo pooing the idea of it being a fortress, such a mundane feature doesn't sit well with certain historical narratives. It's very similar to Ollantaytambo especially in strategic positioning including a spur that makes a perfect lookout position.

[@mikeshem7665]

The craftsmanship of whoever actually built these ruins is amazing. The fact that they are still as intact as they are alone states the builders definitely knew what they were doing. It's just too bad that some folks can't appreciate it instead of making false claims about it. Another great video Brother! 👍👍😎🤟🤟♒️

[@TonyTrupp]

I’ve read that circular structure on the top of sacsayhuaman was a water tower, where there was a spring bubbling up from the center. I think that was from the history about the Siege of Cusco (after the spanish had previously conquered it in the Battle of Cusco). To summarize that battle, Pizarro’s men were trapped in the lower part of cusco (not pizarro himself, but maybe his brother too). They were being attacked by the inca’s people, who were attempting to retake the city, and they were they were burning the roofs that the spaniards were bunkering down in. The natives had re-captured sacsayhuaman already, and were using that as a base to launch their assaults on pizarro’s men. Eventually the spanish decided to launch an attack on sacsayhuaman and ended up recapturing it. That’s likely the battle that the black and white photo is showing the re-enactment of.

[@TheMoneypresident]

This was as thrilling as women's soccer ⚽ or 🏀.

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

I'll turn up the drama to full volume again soon enough.

[@timvw01]

Makes you wonder how many ancient structures have been lost for ever because of quarrying.

[@peterwikvist2433]

Pharao Akhenaten at Amarna, large temple area, 1300s BCE, is a good example of this.

[@landspide]

You made a very good point about the terracing, that is what the Inca culturally were absolute masters at, Sacsayhuaman probably represents the pinnacle of that achievement. Have you seen the case for the Puma outline (specifically the head)? Could be apophenia but worth mentioning.

[@landspide]

Left and right of Cheech look to have the same faults/striations (left one definitely - right one in some photos).

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

For sure, especailly the thousands of kilometres of roads. Those pics from Tambomachay were great and forgot to include bu the raods leading away has a wall along it partially removed but the earthern wall behind still in excellent condition.

[@varyolla435]

Terracing is of course seen in other areas as well such as in Asia - where coincidentally the future inhabitants of North and South America came from. That shows whereby early on mankind developed an understanding of hydrology and geoengineering to manipulate his environment so as to survive. You see similar concepts in say the Middle East whereby in otherwise barren rocky mountainous terrain they created networks of underground cisterns to capture and hold the sporadic rainfall so as to allow year round habitation. Moral of the story: once again we see whereby ancient peoples may have been "less technological" than we are today = but they were not dumb. They understood concepts of land use and engineering to transform otherwise marginally hospitable landscapes into areas of habitation - and defensive positions as this video shows. That is what LAHT can not come to terms with. If they can not understand what they see = they assume others could not as well - and that opens the door to rationalizing all the fictional narratives.

[@Akimos]

Nice, TY.

[@Akimos]

Also 25k

[@pjqziggy]

Thanks for your hard work on behalf of my thirst for knowledge.

[@gerardhilde01]

Very interesting again, and well explained. Unfortunately there is just too many ads..

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

Sorry about that, I let youtube place those and they get a bit ad happy sometimes.

[@gerardhilde01]

@@SacredGeometryDecoded you will earn more money for sure😎

[@peterwikvist2433]

I think it is important to look at the large limestone walls in context. This article, which I stole from Wikipedia, describes in detail the circular structure on top of the hill there: "Muyuq Marka, also Muyuqmarka (Quechua, hispanicized spellings Moyoc Marca, Muyucmarca, Muyuqmarca, Muyucmarka, Muyuc Marca, Muyuc Marka), is an archaeological site in Peru. It is the base of what was a round Incan tower, which is situated within the fortress Saksaywaman above Cuzco. It was used as a Temple of Inti (god Sun), but became part of a complex of rectangular buildings which mostly still remain today. However, the temple and the two flanking towers were dismantled during the Spanish rule. What remains of Muyuq Marka indicates that it was "a round building with an open central court which had a fountain."The temple had triple walls, which were aligned with the zenith sunrise and the antizenith sunset. It was one of the three towers that were in the upper part of the Inca temple of Sacsayhuamán. This tower is famous because in 1536, in the Battle of Sacsayhuaman the Inca army soldier named Cahuide jumped from the top of the tower so as not to fall into the hands of the Spaniards. According to "Inca" Garcilaso de la Vega this tower was a store of pure water. The Muyuqmarka consists of three concentric, circular stone walls connected by a series of radial walls. There are three channels constructed to bring water into what many scientists consider to be a reservoir. A web-like pattern of 34 lines intersects at the center and there is also a pattern of concentric circles that corresponded to the location of the circular walls. Originally, the Myuqmarka was a building with 4 superposed floors. The first body would have had a square floor; the second would have been cylindrical; the third would have had also a cylindrical shape. The successive would have formed circular cultivation terraces with decreasing width, being the widest of 3.6 m and the narrowest of 3 m. The tower would have ended up in a conic ceiling. Muyu Marca must have reached a total height of 20 meters. It was an amazing work that generated the admiration of several chroniclers. The Spaniards destroyed it, in spite of the protests both from Cieza and Inca Garcilaso. Description by the chronicles: Several chroniclers name three towers that were on top of the hill of Sacsayhuamán. One of them is Pedro Sánchez de la Hoz who entered Cusco along with Francisco Pizarro. In his chronicle he tells us that in Sacsayhuamán there were three towers, the one in the middle in a cubic form of four or five bodies superimposed one on top of the other. However, Garcilaso de la Vega contradicts him by stating that the middle tower was circular in shape. But both agree that there were three towers and that their sizes were considerable. "Inca" Garcilaso narrates that under the towers there were huge tunnels that interconnected with each other even between the three towers, he also says that in his childhood he used to play there but only until the beginning of its destruction by the Spaniards. Subsequently, Pedro Pizarro referred to two towers "formed by two very tall cubes", probably he only managed to observe Paucamarca and Sallacmarca because Muyuq Marka had already been destroyed by the Spaniards."

[@varyolla435]

Absolutely they were fortresses as well as royal enclosures. Think Herod the Great and Masada. He built a "palace" which also was upon a high hill. Further he built it to withstand a long siege if necessary. So ancient people like the Inca built upon areas like this because in doing so they "stood out" to others so as to display their greatness to others + they were defensible positions. The book by Charles Mann - 1491: New Revelations about the Americas before Columbus - I have referenced before speaks to how Pizarro conquered the Inca with so few troops. It was not the horse nor even really the gun which allowed him to do so. It was because the Inca had been weakened by years of civil war prior to his arrival as well as things like diseases brought by Spanish/Portuguese explorers previously which systematically spread through Central and South America decimating populations.

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

Yes. I think similar on the the Pyramids as tombs thing. Something so grand having multiple functions. Cathedrals are tombs since they have crypts but of course that is not their only or even primary purpose, especially with adjoining buildings as part of the larger complex. Not the best comparison I know but if looked at as a whole the larger complex needs to be taken into account.

[@NAMAHE]

but why didn't they do the modern repair work in the same style as the original?

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

A few pieces of repair are polygonal but in a different type of stone, I imagine the budgets and availability of skilled masons was the biggest issue. The "repairs" more like preservation to stop the terraces eroding, and only in some places was it done. Based on that I would say the budget factor. Also listed as a World Heritage, there would be questions of repair ruining the original as well.

[@nzmason]

Nothing but gravity

[@occamsrouter]

Thanks for the great research! Was Ben & Co circling your undisclosed location in a spy plane?

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

I believe so ;-P

[@JamesSmith-bg5sv]

Have you done a video on how these huge stones might have been put in place before/during/after they were shaped? I am sure there are many theories, and I have my own. The divets on the back side of one of the stones renewed my interest; actually, I think about this all the time!

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

I have videos on lifting and moving , bits inserted amongst other site specific videos. It would be worth me doing a comprehensive one.

[@AndyBennett]

The "how did they do it" has been solved a few years ago but if you don't speak Peruvian or Russian your unlikely to come across it. Its the same chemical signature for the stones in the quarry and the walls. However the rock at the quarry site, the quartzite crystals are all in tact and the quartzite in the walls has been pulverised. That's how they were able to literely fit the stone together, it probably had the same properties as clay to mold. tada problem solved. Its jus hard to find the info .

[@SacredGeometryDecoded]

The stone is only fitted tightly in the face. When viewed from behind it’s rough with filler used. Also partially finished sections have rough stone. I show that all here . Definitely not formed.

[@recentparty8369]

What about WHITE POCKET in USA ?