Machu Picchu

We spent an afternoon and a  morning at this important center of the Inca Empire which thrived in the 15th century .There are many theories about the function of Machu Picchu in Inca life.  Our guide, who is a descendent of the Inca and finishing her Ph.D., believes it was a major religious center where the Sun God was worshipped,  especially during the solstices and equinoxes.  There is much archeological evidence of certain rituals involving astronomy.  To grow crops in the mountains,  the Inca developed sophisticated agricultural methods building terraces on the mountainsides for crops.

No camera can capture the beauty and mystery of Machu Picchu,  but here are a few snapshots of it.