The Choqek'iraw Mystery, the Other Machu Picchu: The Last Hidden Inca City

The Andes, this high mountain barrier bordering South America, A harsh and rugged environment has been the cradle of a civilization with an astonishing destiny. This is indeed where the Incas built the center of a vast empire. built according to myths in less than a century, and whose arrival of the Spaniards hastened its downfall. Francisco Pizarro landed in Peru in 1532 and learned that the rulers of the kingdom were embroiled in a civil war. After the death of the Inca sovereign Huayna Capac in 1528, Cusco, the capital, is embroiled in a terrible struggle for succession between his two sons, Huascar and Atahualpa. Moreover, Pizarro encountered numerous peoples along his path who wished to free themselves from Inca rule. Aware of the opportunity, he realizes he has everything to gain from the government's weakening. With a handful of soldiers, he will bring an entire empire to its knees within four decades. But it is above all the murder of Atahualpa that will shock an entire people for whom the Inca, the divine incarnation of the sun and guarantor of world order, was invincible. Her disappearance was inconceivable. These bearded beings, descending from floating palaces and riding creatures straight out of the underworld, appear as terrible gods, capable of killing the Inca so easily. Pizarro therefore holds all the cards at this moment. He installs whomever he wishes, converts people left and right, and places on the throne of the Inca whomever he desires. He nonetheless makes a calculation error by placing Manco Inca at the head of the Empire. Manco, then his sons, entrenched in the Vilcabamba mountain range, fierly resisting the Spanish oppressor. The site of Choquequirao, established on a rocky spur of the Vilcabamba mountain range, discovering the entire Purimac Valley, a buffer zone between Inca and Spanish territories, poses the question of his role during this troubled period. Choquequirao, the cradle of gold in the Maras languages Could it, for example, have served as a fortified stronghold of the Inca resistance? Talking about Choquequirao also allows us to raise certain questions. Did the Spanish army that captured Tupac Amaru in 1572, the descendant of Manco II, know the location of the site? Did these armies that departed from Vilcabamba reach Choquequirao? Legends tell of numerous accounts claiming the site was a gold mine. that the site was the last stronghold of the Incas at the time of the Spanish conquest. Or, today, we have accounts from Spanish chroniclers showing that the name of the site Choquequirao was evidently already known during the Spanish colonial period, but nothing allows us to know whether the site was still occupied. The old paths of access have been lost. Today, once again, we have not located them. However, on the other hand, the site itself is visible. If I had been a Spanish conquistador and someone told me, "Over there, there's gold," Knowing the immense value of gold, I mobilize everything and raise an army. to cross the river, even though it was very difficult to go investigate the gold located at Choquequirao. The researchers are certainly convinced that the site was abruptly abandoned. This is based on the fact that several openings have been blocked. and before being sealed, offerings had been placed on their thresholds. These discoveries enable us to understand that the site was suddenly abandoned. It was surely at that time that the Andeans foresaw the Spanish invasion. that this site has been blocked and abandoned. The abandonment of the site would correspond to the time when Manco Inca's son, Tupac Amaru, was captured. His defeat, which marked the end of Inca resistance, took place in the very same region of Vilcabamba. and chronologically associated with the fire, followed by the abandonment of Choquequirao. Let us first return to the origin of this empire, The tragic ending cannot overshadow the astonishing expansion. The adventure thus begins in Cusco, the navel of the world in Quechua, the capital of the empire. After their victory over the rival group the Chancas in 1438, begin the reign of the 9th Inca, Pachacutec, the great reformer who will go from victory to victory, thus creating the most powerful state in America. In the middle of the 16th century, he ruled absolutely over the famed Tawantinsuyu, the empire of the four quarters. because he administratively divided their territory into four parts, not the main routes projected from the heart of the Inca territory, Cusco. To the north was the Chinchasuyo, to the south the Collasuyo, To the west, the Kuntisuyo, and to the east, often in the Amazonian foothills, the Antisuyo. At its height, the Tawantinsuyu extended from the southern part of present-day Colombia to Argentina and Chile. beyond the equator, Peru and Bolivia, that is, the western part of all of South America. Far from the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range. This represented a territory stretching 4,000 kilometers in length. and covering an area of over 3 million square kilometers. This vast territory brought together many very different communities. The success of this remarkable achievement, consisting in the organization of such vastly different communities, rests on three fundamental pillars. First, in the centralization of power in Cusco, located in the strategic heart of the empire. Subsequently, through the establishment of a hierarchical administrative system that manages the conquered regions. This bureaucracy was represented by the Zorrerrones. They were the officials representing the supreme leader, the Sapa Inca. Finally, the final foundation of the empire lay in the institutionalized use of a single, unified language, Quechua, throughout the entire territory. The parade of institutions during the Sun Festival, Inti Raymi symbol of the Peruvians' unwavering attachment to Inca culture still testifies today to the diversity of the Andean peoples who coexisted in the Tawantinsuyu. Who lived in Choquequero? So, we think that Choquequero, being both an administrative and ritual site, was inhabited by multiethnic populations. There were pre-Inca populations, which were local populations possibly linked to a Shanka group. because we know that the Shankas lived in that very place, lived in this province of the empire before the arrival of the Incas. The Quechua, who are the original inhabitants of the region, would also be there, would occupy the site. And then, when the Incas arrive, the Incas evidently establish settlers, who are originally from different parts of the territory of Tawantinsuyu The empire of the four quarters, who are specialists. A walk through the streets of Cusco is enough to show that there are still two capitals in Peru. While Lima is the administrative capital, Cusco is its cultural heart. Rich in millennia-old Andean traditions, It reveals in all its details the vibrant life of the former Inca capital. that the Spanish restructuring could not suppress. Thibault Saintenoy participates in the research at Choquequirao since the beginning of the French mission in 2004, under the direction of Patrice Lecoq. He puts the finishing touches on preparing for his next departure at the site. At the San Pedro market, Thibault acquires the final items necessary for the successful execution of his mission. What can a young archaeologist do with a llama fetus? For knowledge, it is time to take the path that will lead us to the Choquequirao site. In Cusco, village after village, the Andean spirit becomes a little easier to grasp. The Incas established for their empire this simple fact. It is better to rely on a shared ancestral cultural heritage than to oppose it. That is why it is appropriate to make a distinction between two closely related concepts, the Andean tradition and the Inca tradition. During the Inca period, there were two types of organization. The state organization, which has existed since the very beginning of the empire's creation. And simultaneously, we have the traditional Andean organization of communities, who has existed there since time immemorial. This organization is community-based, and the community is called Lailu in Quechua-Nema. Lailu is a territory, so it's just a community in two scales, which relies on the family unit. And there, important decisions are made at the community level. And the community elects a leader, called the curaca. When the Incas arrived, they adopted this communal organization. by overlapping a state organization based on the Inca's own power. The genius of the Incas lies less in reclaiming existing traditions within the various communities within the structuring of a vast territory populated by barrier ethnic groups. For example, they maintained an economy entirely based on barter. Each person arrived with their own production and exchanged what they needed with other families. This system still exists in many Andean markets. To grasp the power and speed of the Inca expansion, not in the domination that only emerged in the last century of Andean world history, A fundamental concept must be grasped. One of the institutions of Inca society that enabled this economic, political, and religious dynamic, was reciprocity, which is called "haini" in Runasimi. It was therefore a whole socio-economic organization based on the regulation of production and distribution of goods. That is another concept of the Inca and the Haini, What is this notion of helping one's neighbor through reciprocity? But it is something human that one finds everywhere. I give you something, you must bring something else. Whatever it may be. Andean reciprocity is something quite particular that has existed since the earliest times, that is linked to a work performance. Thus, from the Inca period onward, these labor services became mandatory contributions known as the mita. This concept of reciprocity was the foundation of Inca civilization's functioning. She applied herself so thoroughly to economy, to diplomatic relations, and to her relationship with the deities. Thibaut took advantage of his visit to this village of multiers to borrow a vehicle more suitable for the journey as well Who will lead him down a mountain, across the Apurimac River? and climb the slope of the mountain Choquequirao. In these agricultural communities, one discovers the faces of the people who lived in the Andes during the Inca era. who lived on these small high-altitude terraces and depended on larger sites such as Choquequirao. Thus, we are located within a circular-plan structure built of stone. which constitutes the typical domestic habitat of the late pre-Hispanic period. This village constitutes a settlement where the inhabitants of the cordillera lived. which was a major satellite of Choquequirao situated on a ridge overlooking the Choquequirao site which lies on the other side of the Apurimac Valley. The Indian population remains essentially agricultural. In these mountainous regions, the life of a center such as Choquequirao centered around these peasant communities. And then, of course, there were the peasants who were attached to the service of the leaders. but they were few in number. I think it was they who lived on the outskirts of the site. and who were responsible for cultivating the essential products necessary for the population's survival. There is every reason to believe that at Choquequirao we also encounter farmers. and herders who ate whatever they found on the ground that is, llamas that were sacrificed and then roasted And then corn, quinoa, and potatoes. It is the natural consumption of an Andean peasant. But the diet of the inhabitants of these high-altitude sites also required a particular organization. Communication between the different levels of the Andes is essential. High-altitude communities had to exchange with populations from the lowlands. the products necessary for their survival. These goods were transported by llama caravans or on dodome. Therefore, agriculture and pastoralism are two ecological strata. You have two types of production upon which the entire economy of this site is based. The road leading to Choquequirao also allows one to form an idea what the Inca Empire was supposed to be at its peak given the incredible network that crisscrosses the Andes. Along a rough, stony path that only experienced mules know how to navigate without difficulty It is the entire mystery of the Inca Empire that comes to mind. His ingenuity and his inability to defend himself effectively in its pride and its swift subjugation. It is also the effort that the first explorers had to make. to traverse the Andes alone in search of hypothetical lost cities. In 1847, the French vice-consul in Peru, Léon Sangant, drew up the first plans. It would have to wait until 1909 for the American Hiram Bingham The discoverer of Machu Picchu, two years later, begins the first excavations there. The site subsequently falls into oblivion due to its difficult access and isolation. Beneath our feet, the Apurímac River, the speaking lord, plays its uninterrupted melody. echoing against the walls of the vast valley it contains. At dawn on the third day of marching, fatigue prompts a simple question. Why build their political and ritual centers in such inaccessible locations? But the growls fade away, emerging from their shroud of mist the first slate walls clinging to their mountain slopes. At 3,100 meters in altitude, this complex of geometric structures instead of trenches with the fabulous surrounding landscape, seems designed by and for him. It took two days to cover the final 30 kilometers separating Kachora from Choquequirao. What strikes one at first is the dual organization of the site. It is clearly visible that the heart of Choquequirao consists of two distinct parts. Generally, this community organization is dual, meaning it is based on two halves. That is, we have a top half and a bottom half. A part of the community occupied the upper section, so it was called the upper half. and founded a full-fledged society with its own kuraka. And then, in the lower half, in the valley, there was another part of society, Same thing, with its own leader who was the kuraka and the same organization. Of course, the upper kuraka prevailed over the lower kuraka. This division of space was evident from the smallest village to the largest cities such as Cusco. Among the Incas, everything is a matter of reciprocity. through the maintenance of balance by scrupulously observing the prescribed ritual procedure. The upper part, Hanan, was built at the top of the mountain's ridge. and shelters buildings related to worship. Thus, one discovers there an entire complex of buildings, temples, granaries, or storage jars. Terraces adorned with niches that would have contained idols and were irrigated by an extensive network of canals. The lower section, the Hurin, reached by a dizzying flight of stairs, seem to be mainly reserved for administrative representatives. There are large two-story buildings there, typical of Inca architectural tradition. organized around a fountain that would be the dwellings of the elite. What are the main elements we have at Choquequirao? First, the large Cayanca, which has six entrances and consists of only one level and whose lateral facade defines the main square. Adjacent are the two-story buildings intended for the nobility. who housed those called the Incarantines, the substitutes or the ambassadors of the Inca. Overlooking the two sections is the Uxmu, which is regarded as a promontory of extreme ceremonial importance. It is a hill completely devastated and transformed into a vast oval-shaped platform. The organization of the site and the style of construction leave little doubt about their Inca origin. This site belongs to a model of a sacred city, as was the Inca city of Cusco. Choquequirao corresponds to a pre-Hispanic urban planning in the following manner. It has a political, religious, economic, and social function. At the current stage of site clearance, Choquequirao consists of an urban area regrouping the major buildings related to power and peripheral areas where homes and workshops are located. Indeed, since 2004, it has been in the new district known as Piquiwassi. where the efforts of the French mission were focused. Of course, most of the research projects on Choquequirao They have made architectural study a central aspect of their research. The study I am currently conducting in a complementary manner enables the comparison of these architectural techniques and to understand their spatial organization across the entire site. The 2004 excavations at Piquiwassi enabled the identification of likely the presence of a pre-Hispanic village from the pre-Inca antiquity. This website has been abandoned. On the other hand, we know that at a certain period the Incas arrived. and they completely redesigned the architecture and the space corresponding to Piquiwassi to accommodate the monumental buildings that can be appreciated today. These rectangular buildings were probably textile workshops. as suggested by the results of the subsequent excavations by the co-director of the mission, Omar Gallegos. What essentially came out of the excavations at Choquequirao corresponds to a textile activity. What I am holding in my hand is a spindle. Its main element is the fusaïole, mainly made of bone, ceramic, and in a few cases stone. The new sector has been historically contextualized. For example, there are references concerning those we commonly know under the name of Mamakonyas. Mamakonyas are women specialists in textile work. Weaving, dyeing. They used local plants and minerals to obtain a variety of colors. The presence of these workshops is interesting. because it implies the existence at that time, on the site or in the neighboring villages, herds of camelids, llamas or alpacas, providers of wool. The Incas also had the habit of seating their power by relocating certain populations to make them settlers, the mitimaes, bearers of specialized knowledge in certain artisanal activities such as textiles or goldsmithing. Members of the Chimou people, specialists in goldsmithing work, seem to have resided at the site. Moreover, mortars were found in the Ourine area. which could have been used to work metal. But if certain facilities give rise to thought that the site was equipped with metallurgical workshops, Nothing proves that it constituted a gold reserve of the Inca Empire. For the Incas, gold was the sweat of the sun. while the money was made from the tears of the moon. The Incas also saw gold as the flesh of the gods. this sunlight around which their entire universe revolved. Walls of certain temples, idols, and garments, Everything was to be offered to him to testify their adoration of the sun of life. Let us recall, Choquequirao is located at an altitude of 3,100 meters. In Inca religion, mountains played a major role. They were perceived as sleeping giants. who could awaken at any moment and trigger catastrophes. Most of these mountains, which are regarded as sacred in the Andes They are also believed to house a guardian spirit often called an Apu. The Apu is that spirit; it can also be the embodiment of the souls of the dead. who are supposed to reside at the tops of mountains to protect their descendants. And most Inca sites were indeed located under the protection of an Apu. that is, of this spirit, of this protective ancestor. And in the Urubamba Valley, sites such as Choquequirao or Machu Picchu were surrounded by sacred mountains, which are often snow-capped mountains. who are supposed to be protective Apus. So there is an entire hierarchy of Apus. There are Apus of varying strengths. Then the most important ones, such as Salcantay, Apu Salcantay, It is the one that dominates the entire valley, and of course it is the most important, the most powerful. Even today, it is still believed to be the incarnation of a very, very powerful spirit. And often this mountain has a secret name known only to the local inhabitants. and that no one else can utter on their behalf. And they invoke the name of this mountain to ask for their protection. And it would appear that this was indeed the case at Choquequirao during the Inca period. We are almost convinced. This symbolic configuration is also found in the orientation of certain buildings relative to the river. This introduces the concept of the ritual cycle of water, which was very important to the Incas. We are at the foot of the site, by the Apurimac River. The Apurimac River flows exactly westward. And the west is where the Pacific is located. And in certain unworthy traditions, the Pacific is believed to be the repository of souls. The receptacle of the dead. And indeed, the water carries the souls of the dead to the Pacific, where they will find refuge. Thus, there is an entire ritual connotation between rivers, mountains, water, and the sky. And it is this connotation that gives Choquequirao, or Machu Picchu, or many other Inca sites their distinctive character. all that sacred and ritual role that would have been attributed to it. All the network of channels that traverse the site are part of the site's primary ceremonial function at Choquequirao. These fountains and canals as well as the crops were supplied via an aqueduct that transported water from the Yanacocha glacier who dominates the site at 5,400 meters altitude. The rite of pago, also known as Mesa Dulce, which could be translated as "sweet table," participate in this fundamental respect of the Andean people for the environment. When the son arrived at the site, Thibaut did not deviate from the norm. He organizes a ritual to seek the mountain's favor in order to successfully carry out his mission. The offering of a llama fetus often accompanied important decisions in the life of the Andean person. This rite also uses coca, a plant of crucial importance in the Andes. who, in addition to helping the traveler in his exhausting walks, It was a symbol of power for the Incas. La Mesa Dulce is a complex ritual that involves offering colorful items to the mountain by burning them. to achieve a good result. The orientation of certain buildings appears to be deliberately aligned with the surrounding landscape. But that is not all. The importance of the sun for the Incas is fundamental. Let us recall that the Inca was an incarnation of the sun god. The architects of Choquequirao, moreover, oriented the site according to specific viewpoints related to the sun's appearance. The Choquequirao site was evidently oriented preferentially with respect to the sun. Thus, we were able to observe that on this day of the June solstice, or Intiraimi, The sun appeared inside the cradle, to the right of the Apumarcana. Thus, we have an occultation by the Moon and an occultation by the Sun. More generally, in their view, certain elements of nature such as trees, springs, rivers, and rocks, embodied the forces and sacred powers of these deities. Some stones at the site appear to have been sanctified, as they replicate in miniature the shape of a nearby mountain. Thus, they would worship all those whose form reminded them of their protective deity. In contrast, the huacas are minor deities compared to the appous. At Choquequirao, there are several alignments of these stones along the walls toward various elements of the ritual landscape. This animist attitude toward the Andes explains why they often built their cities on rocky elevations. in locations overlooking particular landscapes, at the confluence of watercourses, with a view of a river or mountains. The priests of the Inca religion were required to be as close as possible to their gods in order to communicate with them more effectively. It is not surprising that the environment held such importance in Inca belief. Indeed, the Andes have always been shaken by natural upheavals—earthquakes, landslides, cyclones. The particularly rugged topography of Choquequirao forced the Incas to carry out numerous modifications to the environment. But the Inca determination to settle on these eagle's nests, aware of the difficulties this must entail, It may also have to do with another essential element of their civilization, which becomes apparent as soon as the site's name is mentioned. It is interesting to note that at Choquequirao, you have a mountain overlooking the site, called Corrihuarachina. and which denotes the place where gold is melted. And, as if by chance, the site is also called Choquequirao, which means the cradle of gold. Thus, there is a sacred connotation between the two, and when one looks at the protective mountain of the site, Who is Corrihuarachina? Indeed, when the sun sets, one gets the impression, The rays of the setting sun lean over this mountain and make it glow red. And she takes the appearance of a mountain of gold. Therefore, it is possible that the site's name is also given according to this mountain. who emerges as if rising from a golden cradle, who emerges from the site. And thus we have this sacred connotation between the cradle of gold, The sacred mountain and the ancestral dwelling. Moreover, it is likely that the first explorers were attracted by the site's enticing name. Choquequirao, the cradle of gold. In any case, the site's position within its setting, apart from being in symbiosis with the mountainous environment he considered sacred, also allowed one to be closer to the stars. Due to its unique location atop a flat spur and in a completely open area, the truncated hill, designated as Uxnu at Choquequirao is particularly well suited for observing the surrounding mountains or the celestial vault. The Uxnu could symbolize a symbolic access to the inframund. or like in Cusco, a ceremonial center from which astronomical lines and sacred paths originated, serving the spatial organization of the city according to the nearby sacred sites. Another interesting aspect is that Uxnu is a completely independent platform. which is perfectly suitable for observing celestial bodies, particularly at night. At night, when the sun sets, the first star that appears directly overhead at the site, It is, of course, the Southern Cross, located slightly to the south. And ten minutes later, right on the site, we see two stars, Alpha and Beta of Centaurus. but in Andean cosmography, which are considered the two eyes of a great celestial llama, who is supposed to reside at the center of the Milky Way. For the Andean people, the Milky Way is believed to be a celestial river. inhabited by a certain number of animals represented as dark patches. Then these dark spots are interpreted by the Andean population as representations of a celestial Lama accompanied by his little one, a shepherd, as well as a toad, a serpent, and a fox, which all have a ritual connotation. Therefore, it is very likely that we are present at Choqué-el-Kourou, and notably in the presence of Louchenot. a celestial calendar that allowed observing the constellations, and in particular the constellation of the llama. Thus, the negative zodiac served to determine the key dates of peasant life. like sowing and harvesting, or guiding shepherds and caravaners, during their journey across the Andes. The vital importance of the llama to the Andean people is well known. Its meat is used for food, its wool for making clothing, its water to make tools, and its excrement to make fertilizer or fuel. It is also the only domesticated animal known from the pre-Columbian era. Many legends attribute a divine origin to him. Given to humans by the earth-sea, Pachamama, to help them survive in this hostile environment, The lama would have emerged from springs, lagoons, and other water sources considered to be places of origin of life. It is a recent discovery made by Peruvian archaeologist Zenobio Balencia in September 2004. Who sealed the privileged relationship between the sacred animal and the site of Choquequirao. It was while going through each of the 130 terraces that we became aware of the presence of these representations. We have recorded a total of 24 llamas. During the disaster phase, the work was really difficult for us at first due to the slope. which is approximately 60–70 degrees, from the Apurimac River. We therefore had to go up and down each day. In fact, it complicated an easy topographic survey. The other aspect is that at this stage, when we discovered their existence, We began checking each of the llamas. and we realized many details, numerous technical aspects that the Inca architects and engineers had implemented. If we start from the anthropomorphic figure, the little shepherd, and we project ourselves all the way to the Sixteenth Lama, We will have an exact reference to the East. We therefore determined that they had an orientation leading probably to the upper part of the site. where the archaeologist Persipaz had discovered, in earlier excavations, an enclosure with llamas. In fact, the llamas appear to be connected to this enclosure in the same way that this enclosure is connected to the ceremonial sector. What does this tell us? As the llamas are walking, they are dynamic. We don't know where, but it is certain that they are connected to the temple. and of course at the court, which is at the top. These 23 large panels, unique in Inca architecture and known as the Lamas of the Sun, they therefore face the rising sun and are arranged on terraces oriented toward the nearby major peaks, as well as toward the lower course of the Apurimac River. This carved caravan thus embodies the notion of harmony between the Andean peoples and their environment. constantly reaffirmed in Inca architecture. The terraces of llamas were presumably built in this area of Choquequirao. in order to celebrate the llama caravans and the herders, They were an essential element in the life of Choquequirao. That is to say, the caravan of llamas, in a way, articulate all exchanges and ecological complementarity of the Andes. The site of Choquequirao thus allows, thanks to its diverse aspects, both an economic, religious, and astronomical observatory center, to lift a veil on the complexity of Inca civilization. This empire, built in record time, has too often given the image of a stern bureaucracy, having as their only asset a strong sense of organization and an excessive ambition, a sharp cut caused by the arrival of the conquistadors. The discovery of the site's symbolism enables us to see that this people makes of people possessed a great cultural wealth. The Incas' evident respect for the environment in which they constructed their main sites Prove that the Andes cannot be tamed. They dictate their rules to all cultures they harbor. This notion owes much more to feelings than to any scientific study. You can make plans, but what you won't see on the plan is where the sun rises. It is the mist that clears very early in the morning, allowing the orientation of certain buildings to be captured. in relation to such a mountain that we have not seen. It is the ray of sunlight that will fall in the evening, as night descends upon the mountain's peak. and gives it this reddish hue. There, it defies the entire experience of the archaeologist. It is the human experience, which is why it is necessary to go on site. to truly understand what the site means for the local populations. It's an entirely different spacetime. Choquequéro is not a site. Me, I'm going to Choquequero; I regard it as such, even though I am French. as a ritual space socialized with the mountains. I am in the middle of the mountains. I am on the back of Celestial Lama. The Incas therefore did not use a worldview to establish their domination. They adopted it because they had no other choice. Today, the Andean people continue to live according to these codes, which seem obscure to us. The notion of effort for a highlander is merely the just return for what the mountain gives him. And Choquequérao might be partly that. A gift from humans, to the Andes.