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Machu Picchu Timeline
(c. 1450 CE – Present)Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, built around 1450 CE during the reign of Emperor Pachacuti. Abandoned during the Spanish conquest, it remained largely unknown to the outside world until American explorer Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911. Today, it stands as one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and a symbol of Inca engineering and culture. More Less
Inca Era
Radiocarbon evidence suggests occupation from 1420 to 1530
1420 - 1530
A 2021 study led by Richard L. Burger, professor of anthropology at Yale University, reporting 26 AMS radiocarbon measurements from human remains concluded that Machu Picchu was occupied from around 1420 to 1530. Similar conclusions supporting an earlier 15th-century chronology have been reported by other radiocarbon studies.
Image source: Machu Picchu
Construction under Pachacutec and Túpac Inca Yupanqui
1438 - 1493
Construction appears to date from two Sapa Incas: Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1438–1471) and Túpac Inca Yupanqui (1472–1493). Rowe's historical reconstruction placed the beginning of construction around 1450, ten years after Pachacuti's takeover.
Construction of Machu Picchu begins
1450
Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru at 2,430 meters (7,970 ft), is estimated to have been built around 1450, believed to serve as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, though no contemporary written records exist to confirm this.
Site likely originally named Huayna Picchu
1450
Although the original name given to the settlement by its builders is not definitively known, a 2021 study in Ñawpa Pacha: Journal of the Institute of Andean Studies suggests the site was likely called 'Huayna Picchu', after the smaller peak nearby, or simply 'Picchu'.
Heavy rainfall since 1450 supports agriculture
1450
It is estimated that the area around the site has received more than 1,800 mm (71 in) of rain per year since AD 1450, which was more than that needed to support crop growth.
Abandonment during Spanish conquest era
1550
Machu Picchu was abandoned roughly a century after its construction, likely during the Spanish conquest. It is believed to have been abandoned in the mid-16th century, likely due to the collapse of Inca rule and disease following European contact.
Spaniards document indigenous returns to Huayna Picchu
1590
In the late 16th century, Spaniards who had gained control of the area documented that indigenous individuals mentioned returning to 'Huayna Picchu', the name believed to be originally given to the site by locals.
Baltasar de Ocampo notes visit to mountain fortress Pitcos
1597
The Spanish conquistador Baltasar de Ocampo had notes of a visit during the end of the 16th century to a mountain fortress called Pitcos with sumptuous and majestic buildings, erected with great skill and art, all the lintels of the doors being of marble and elaborately carved.
Jungle overgrows the site over centuries
1600 - 1900
Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle overgrew the site, and few outside the immediate area knew of its existence.
Rediscovery and Exploration
Maps reference Machu Picchu as early as 1874
1874
Maps reference Machu Picchu as early as 1874, and a 1904 atlas labeled it as Huayna Picchu.
Key Facts
- Machu Picchu was built around 1450 CE during the reign of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, likely as a royal estate or ceremonial retreat.
- The site sits approximately 2,430 meters (7,970 feet) above sea level on a mountain ridge in the Peruvian Andes.
- Machu Picchu was abandoned around 1572, possibly due to the Spanish conquest, but was never discovered by Spanish colonizers.
- American historian Hiram Bingham brought Machu Picchu to worldwide attention in 1911 with support from Yale University and National Geographic.
- In 1983, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2007 it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Source
This Machu Picchu timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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