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A 'Lost' Inca City? (November 21, 2003, Two)

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Program Summary

The announcement this month of the rediscovery of the lost Inca city of Llactapata in the Peruvian Andes caused a stir in the archaeology world. While the exploration of the site is certainly an achievement, some archaeologists object that the city two miles from the famous Inca fortress Machu Picchu was never lost—it has been visited several times since its original discovery by Hiram Bingham in 1912, including once in 1982 by one of the members of the latest expedition. It seems this information was omitted in a press release from England’s Royal Geographic Society.

What is significant about the rediscovery is the use of remote sensing to help locate the structures. Employing a thermal camera, the team flew a light plane over the area and measured variations in heat readings to map the site (stone structures give very different readings from earth and vegetation). Remote sensing has been used to pinpoint sites in other parts of the world, but it’s the first time this method was used in the Vilcabamba Valley of Peru, where steep, rugged terrain and almost constant cloud cover had made it nearly impossible.

The expedition then made a difficult trek on foot to examine the site and do preliminary archaeological work. They found that the city had already been extensively looted, as have most sites in Peru. It is hoped that remote sensing techniques will enable scientists to locate and preserve more cities before looters destroy them.

Guests

Gary Ziegler, Ph.D, archaeologist at Adventure Specialists in Westcliffe, Colorado

Mark Rose, Ph.D, executive editor of “Archaeology” in New York

Related Links and Resources

“Archaeology,” November 18, 2003: “Llactapata: A Big Inca Discovery, or Not?”
Archaeology on the Net
Society for American Archaeology

For Discussion:

• Why is Llactapata significant? Why did it remain unexplored for so long?
• How does thermal imaging work? How did archaeologists use it in Peru?
• Do you think the “rediscovery” is really important archaeologically, or is it just hype on the part of the expedition members?
• What are the architectural differences between Machu Picchu and Llactapata? If they are so close to each other, why are they so different?
• Does tourism help or hurt archaeological sites? Should they be closed to tourists?

Activities

The magnificent Inca. The discovery of Cerro Victoria, an early Inca settlement, is described in City Occupied by Inca Discovered on Andean Peak in Peru (National Geographic News). The discovery changed previous theories of Inca presence in the Vilcabamba Valley, the last refuge of the Inca against the Spanish conquerors. The article also gives a brief overview of Inca history and culture.

Sacred site or royal playground? In "Lost City" Yielding Its Secrets (New York Times), archaeologists reevaluate artifacts found at Machu Picchu, leading them to rethink the purpose of the massive fortress. The article is also the basis of an excellent lesson plan on archaeology, A City Lost and Found (New York Times Learning Network). Students explore archaeological methods through discussion questions and research and write an audio tour of Machu Picchu based on the results.

How about a date? Dating Techniques at the University of Minnesota’s Emuseum outlines how technological advances in dating have allowed scientists to determine reliable ages of artifacts and assemble more accurate timelines. The museum has an extensive site full of information about anthropology and archaeology.

Remotely interesting. Remote Sensing Archeology Research at NASA explains the different methods of remote sensing and how it was used at Mayan sites in Central America. Students can also view satellite imaging of sites in other locations at Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeology.

Plan on it. Teaching Archaeology from the Society for American Archaeology provides a rationale for teaching archaeology in the classroom and several lesson plans that demonstrate how to do it. One fun activity, What Ought to Rot, has students observe what happens to vegetable matter in different climates.

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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