Vilcabamba, Peru
A study of the locations of the exiled Incas and the Lost City.
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Vilcabamba
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4. Hanan 13. Plaza Groups 18. Hurin |
| History 1539. Built up Vilcabamba by Manco. Manco again tried to move out, this time to Quito, but he quickly found that there were too many Spanish to be able to move safely. Hemming 1539 Apr - Jul. Gonzalo arrives in Vilcabamba. It's abandoned, he ransack the city and captured Cura Ocllo. He returned to Cuzco in July. MacQuarrie 1557 a large envoy arrived via Chuquichaca and included Juan Sierra, Juan Betanzos, domimican Melchor sent by Viceroy Canete to negotiate Sayri's return from Vilcabamba. The Inca council was indecisive and contradicted themselves several times in allowing them, then rejecting their arrival at Vilcabamba. They returned to Cuzco via Andahuaylas. Hemming 1572 Jun 24. Toledo's march for Tupac Amaru. The Spanish, led by Arbieto, arrive to find the city abandoned and smouldering. MacQuarrie Even the Sun Temple was burned. Arbieto, Hemming. Tupac hoped the lack of food would force the spanish to return home. MacQuarrie Sarmiento placed a flag at the town center. Hemming. The Spanish set up their headquarters here. Groups were sent out to capture Quispe Titu and Tupac Amaru. Instead of finding them, they found cache of gold, silver, emeralds, and the golden image of the sun - stored with the Chunchos. Also found the mummies of Manco and Titu Cusi. Lee. Tupac Amaru and his family were captured by Garcia de Loyola 170mi further down river. Lee. 200mi total from Vilcabamba. MacQuarrie |
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Background Vilcabamba, Espiritu Pampa 4900ft. 30mi from Vitcos. "Sacred plain, sacred valley". MacQuarrie The valley is well defended by several tikuy rikuqs or lookouts. Espiritu is fertile and supported by a river, could support a large population. Navigatable rivers into inner jungles only 2 days away. Benjamin and Flavio Cobos guided Savoy to the ruins. Savoy Several circular structures are found, maybe lived in by the Antis, conical huts common in Amazonia. Cobos also found Tiahuanaco style pottery, copper rod, blue stone carved into a tooth, and Spanish horseshoes. Savoy The city was built in divisions - Hanan, upper sections for the ruling Inca class. Clearly divided. Looks like 15 groups - 11 more than Hurin, maybe because of civil war between Huascar and Atahuallpa. Lee Stone masonry, mostly rough pirca and field stones with clay mortar. Some plastered and painted. Murua / Savoy Group 17 had finely cut and fitted stonework and roofed with tile. Enclosure around group is the best in the city - maybe home of mamaconas. Lee Houses roofed with ichu - grass type brought in from the highlands. MacQuarrie City of Huacas. Several extremely large white boulders were found right in the middle of the city. Also called vilca stones and explains why the place was named Vilcapampa - pampa of vilca stones - a very sacred city. Savoy Rumors of a giant stone surrounded by buildings hidden in nearby forest. Adams Savoy claimed the ruins were mostly non-Incan, built by Chachapoyans. Incorrect - lack of maps and plans. Lee Tupac Inca had ordered an administrative center to be built here. It was populated by the Pilcosuni. MacQuarrie Largest city in the province. Calancha. 300 - 400 houses. Arbieto. City is 0.5 league wide and a huge distance in length. Lee. Now there's at least 700 buildings and 1sqmi. Adams Laid out like Cusco. Hemming. Inca's multileveled palace had roof tiles. Lee. It was painted. Hemming. The rest of the buildings were thatched and painted with beautiful pictures, doors of cedar. There was a large square. Lee. It was big enough for many people and even horse races. Murua, Hemming. Incas had nearly the luxury and splendor of Cuzco. Many kinds of birds raised and lots of fruits and vegatables. Lee Set in a 'large, gently sloping valley, between steep forested mountains. Murua, Lee Ceramic pot found that looks like the story of Manco - images of natives, serpent, horse. Adams On December Solstice, Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba align. Adams |
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R. Eromboni River |
C. Canal |
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4. Hanan 1452m. Lee Hanan - above and upstream from Hurin. Looks like 15 groups - 11 more than Hurin, maybe because of civil war between Huascar and Atahuallpa. Lee |
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13. Plaza Groups Groups 14, 15, 16, 17. Lee |
| 16. Plaza Group 16 Patallacta, Pisac Pisacllacta, Kanaraqay, Vilcabamba, Huanuco Pampa - These sites have paired house groups. Two buildings have openings that face each other and have a shared space in between. There is not an enclosing wall, they are made of fieldstone in clay. They fit well on terraces like at Patallacta and Pisac Pisacllacta. It also works well in flat areas, like Huanuco Pampa north section. This arrangement is probably an intermediate stage of social rank between the common Simple House and the Kancha. Niles |
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17. Plaza Group 17 Trapazoid-shaped plaza. Lee Roads enter at the other corners just like at Cuzco and Rosapata. Lee Rd iv enters from SE corner passing fountains, fine channeled stream and bridge - still in contact. Lee |
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17a. Kallanka |
17h. Huaca Very large uncarved boulder in the NE corner of plaza. Lee Possible center of ceque system - no evidence. Lee This large boulder probably helped connect the mountains to this low jungle site. It probably also acted as an usnu. Christie |
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18. Hurin 1446m. Savoy called this place Large Stones and Fine Ashlars. |
21. Classical Unusual plan - only door is in the corner. Upper stones found scattered about - probably a temple. Lee |
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Bibliography
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Vilcabamba: Machu Picchu / Inca Trail region Vilcabamba - Flash version |
Andy Roscoe's |
Tips: Mini Bibliography : Thomson : Locations based on material from Hugh Thomson, Mark Rose, John Hemming, Pedro Sancho, John Hyslop, Paul Fejos. Bingham : Locations based on the books and writings of Hiram Bingham, Paul Steele, George Squier, Kim MacQuarrie, Richard Burger. Prescott : Locations based on material from William Prescott, Victor von Hagen, Adriana von Hagen, Walter Alva. National Geo : Locations based on the books and magazines of National Geographic, Edward Hyams, Vincent Lee, and Gene Savoy. Detailed Bibliography. |
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