Ollantaytambo Lecture Notes

Overview

• Located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, NW of Cusco
• Renowned for precise megalithic polygonal masonry
• Famous for the Temple of the Sun with remarkable stonework

Temple of the Sun

• Made of large slabs of pink granite
• Stone blocks weigh 50-70 tons, fused with precision
• One stone shows a Chakana cross pattern, an Andean symbol
• Surfaces have smooth, scoop marks hinting at advanced technology
• Similar marks observed at Stonehenge and Aswan quarry
• 1843 drawing by Johann Moritz Rugendas shows missing top stones

Masonry and Building Techniques

• Stones interlock precisely, making the structure earthquake-resistant
• Knobs on stones seen globally, suggesting the same builders
• Inferior stone work possibly by the Incas indicating the site was prehistoric
• Scattered blocks suggest cataclysmic destruction
• Certain granite blocks are perfectly rectangular with straight edges

Transport and Assembly Mysteries

• Found massive structures with precisely fitted stones
• Advanced methods indicated by smooth surfaces and precise cuts
• Some believe the use of lost technology and machinery to heat/melt stone
• Speculation of advanced drilling and cutting technology
• Comparison to other sites: Puma Punku, Tiwanaku
• Piezoelectric properties in stone influencing water flow

Inca Contributions and Repairs

• Built terraces (anden) with complex irrigation on steep Andean slopes
• Constructed storehouses for surplus food
• Other structures on Temple Hill for strategic and ceremonial purposes
• Inca repairs appear primitive next to original constructions

Theories and Conclusions

• Suggests an older advanced civilization (dating >12,000 years ago) pre-Inca
• Compared to Younger Dryas event cataclysms
• Official narrative attributes constructions primarily to Inca emperor Pachacuti
• Incan advancements remarkable but still less sophisticated than prehistoric builders

Key Observations

• Interlocked stones with no visible gaps on the main walls
• Inferior construction identified as Incan repair work
• Precision cuts in hard materials like andesite and granite
• Use of possible vitrification process
• Evidence of advanced machinery for cutting and drilling stone

Unanswered Questions

• What technology enabled such precision and transport?
• How were massive stones cut, transported, and assembled?
• Evidence of prehistoric advanced civilization
• Open research on the purpose and origin of megalithic structures

Additional Resources

• Documentary on pre-Egyptian technology: Link in top pinned comment