Unearthing Sacsayhuaman’s Colorful Past<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.fertur-travel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sacsayhuaman-image-i-letunic-1024x671.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWell, it’s already revealed a fragment of an Inca mace weapon, evidence of white, red, blue and yellow pigments \u2014 the colors that once adorned the floors and walls at Sacsayhuaman \u2014 and teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thousands of teeth! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monkey teeth. Jaguar teeth. But mostly human teeth, and many with small holes bored into them. So, teeth that were once strung on necklaces or some other ornamental clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirty-nine Peruvian and foreign archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, and architects are involved in the three-year research project, jointly run by the Ministry of Culture’s Cusco Directorate and the University of Warsaw in Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project is led by Peruvian archaeologist Sabino Quispe and Alexei Vranich, a UC Berkeley-trained archaeologist who directs research at Warsaw University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vranich posted regular video updates on his Instagram throughout the excavation that are truly worth watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.fertur-travel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sacsayhuaman-archaeological-project-alexeivranich-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>[Click Image to Watch] Archaeologist Alexei Vranich posted regular Instagram reels about the 2024 Sacsayhuaman excavation. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Excavation: Key Sectors and Discoveries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Between June and August, a half dozen exploratory trenches were dug in three key sectors of Sacsayhuaman:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Muyuqmarka, where a great circular shaped tower once stood atop the temple fortress,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- at the base of one of the projecting bastions of the enormous zig-zagging walls,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- and, Cruzmoqo the southeastern wooded area behind the ruins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Vranich explains the various stages of the trench excavations and the significance of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“One of the big questions is, how did they move these stones?” Vranich says, as he strides past the cyclopean stone walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mystery of Sacsayhuaman’s Construction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“The other one is, how old were they? When was this built? And as a lot of people already noticed and pointed out, you can’t date stone with radiocarbon. But we do have an excavation around the corner that’s going to give us a lot of clues.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cut to Cruzmoqo: “So barely any tourists come to this side of Sacsayhuaman,” Vranich says. “This is where we were able to excavate behind these gigantic walls.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pre-Inca Occupation: New Evidence Emerges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The initial advances from the excavations confirm that the Cruzmoqo sector of Sacsayhuaman was occupied by pre-Inca cultures, like the Killke culture (900 – 1200 CE). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But precisely when they lived there, and when construction of the temple fortress began, are questions that have yet to be answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What we need now are the carbon dates back and we can give you the dates of when this was built,” Vranich says. “So stay tuned.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Treasure Trove of Ancient Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.fertur-travel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/teeth-sacsayhuaman-escavation-2024-alexei-vranich.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe 19,000 teeth are a particularly important discovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vranich explains<\/a> that with stable Isotope and DNA analysis and carbon-14 dating, “we can actually date how the Inca were expanding and capturing people and bringing them back” to Cusco.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTrying to visualize Sacsayhuaman in its former glory is no easy feat.<\/a> Once, precisely fitted stones soared skyward, forming imposing palaces, storehouses, and towers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.fertur-travel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sacsahuaman-virtual-reconstruction-north-facing-three-tiered-wall-view.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nPost-Conquest, the Spanish swiftly dismantled this cyclopean marvel, repurposing its stones to build colonial buildings and churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From Tiwanaku to Sacsayhuaman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWell, it’s already revealed a fragment of an Inca mace weapon, evidence of white, red, blue and yellow pigments \u2014 the colors that once adorned the floors and walls at Sacsayhuaman \u2014 and teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thousands of teeth! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monkey teeth. Jaguar teeth. But mostly human teeth, and many with small holes bored into them. So, teeth that were once strung on necklaces or some other ornamental clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirty-nine Peruvian and foreign archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, and architects are involved in the three-year research project, jointly run by the Ministry of Culture’s Cusco Directorate and the University of Warsaw in Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project is led by Peruvian archaeologist Sabino Quispe and Alexei Vranich, a UC Berkeley-trained archaeologist who directs research at Warsaw University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vranich posted regular video updates on his Instagram throughout the excavation that are truly worth watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between June and August, a half dozen exploratory trenches were dug in three key sectors of Sacsayhuaman:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vranich explains the various stages of the trench excavations and the significance of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “One of the big questions is, how did they move these stones?” Vranich says, as he strides past the cyclopean stone walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The other one is, how old were they? When was this built? And as a lot of people already noticed and pointed out, you can’t date stone with radiocarbon. But we do have an excavation around the corner that’s going to give us a lot of clues.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cut to Cruzmoqo: “So barely any tourists come to this side of Sacsayhuaman,” Vranich says. “This is where we were able to excavate behind these gigantic walls.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The initial advances from the excavations confirm that the Cruzmoqo sector of Sacsayhuaman was occupied by pre-Inca cultures, like the Killke culture (900 – 1200 CE). <\/p>\n\n\n\n But precisely when they lived there, and when construction of the temple fortress began, are questions that have yet to be answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What we need now are the carbon dates back and we can give you the dates of when this was built,” Vranich says. “So stay tuned.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 19,000 teeth are a particularly important discovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vranich explains<\/a> that with stable Isotope and DNA analysis and carbon-14 dating, “we can actually date how the Inca were expanding and capturing people and bringing them back” to Cusco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trying to visualize Sacsayhuaman in its former glory is no easy feat.<\/a> Once, precisely fitted stones soared skyward, forming imposing palaces, storehouses, and towers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Post-Conquest, the Spanish swiftly dismantled this cyclopean marvel, repurposing its stones to build colonial buildings and churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>The Excavation: Key Sectors and Discoveries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
The Mystery of Sacsayhuaman’s Construction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pre-Inca Occupation: New Evidence Emerges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Treasure Trove of Ancient Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom Tiwanaku to Sacsayhuaman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n