High in the Andes Mountains of Peru sits Machu Picchu, one of the best-known sites from the Inca Empire. The settlement was built during the 1400s, when the Inca Empire was expanding across western South America.
Machu Picchu was connected to a much larger civilization. The Inca built roads, managed farms, organized labor, and governed millions of people across mountains, valleys, and coastal regions. Machu Picchu gives archaeologists an important look at how the Inca built and lived in a challenging mountain environment.
A Community in the MountainsMachu Picchu stands about 8,000 feet above sea level on a ridge above the Urubamba River. Steep mountains surround the site, and flat land is limited.
The Inca changed the landscape to make settlement possible. They built terraces into the mountainsides, creating flatter areas that could be used for farming and helping reduce erosion. Farmers grew crops suited to the Andean environment.
Water was also essential. Inca builders created channels and fountains that carried spring water through the settlement. These systems provided water for people living there and show how carefully the site was planned.
Machu Picchu probably supported several hundred residents at a time, although the exact population is uncertain.
What Was Machu Picchu Used For?Archaeologists still debate exactly why Machu Picchu was built. Many researchers think it was connected to the Inca ruler Pachacuti and may have served as a royal estate. Religious ceremonies also appear to have been important at the site.
Machu Picchu contains temples, plazas, residences, storage areas, agricultural terraces, and other structures. Some buildings appear to have had religious or ceremonial purposes, while others were used for everyday activities.
The site’s location may also have been significant. Mountains were important in Inca religious beliefs, and several structures at Machu Picchu appear to connect with the surrounding landscape and the movement of the sun.
Because the Inca left no alphabetic written account explaining Machu Picchu’s purpose, archaeologists must study buildings, artifacts, landscapes, and other evidence to understand how the site was used.
Why Did So Much of Machu Picchu Survive?Spanish forces conquered the Inca Empire during the 1500s, but they never established a settlement at Machu Picchu. As a result, many of its structures escaped the destruction that affected some other Inca sites.
Its location also helped keep it relatively isolated after it was abandoned. Vegetation eventually covered much of the settlement.
The construction itself helped many buildings survive. Inca stoneworkers shaped stones so they fit closely together, often without mortar. This type of construction could move slightly during earthquakes instead of cracking as easily as rigid walls.
Local people continued to know about Machu Picchu after it was abandoned. In 1911, local residents guided American historian Hiram Bingham to the site, helping bring it wider international attention. Bingham did not “discover” a place that no one knew existed. His work helped make the site widely known outside the region.
What Do We Still Not Know?More than a century of archaeological research has answered many questions about Machu Picchu, but mysteries remain.
Researchers continue to debate exactly why the site was built, who lived there throughout the year, how different buildings were used, and why the settlement was eventually abandoned.
These unanswered questions are part of what makes archaeology important. Archaeologists compare buildings, human remains, tools, pottery, environmental evidence, and other clues to develop explanations about the past. As new evidence is discovered, those explanations can change.
Today, Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains an important place for understanding Inca history and engineering.