Dearborn and White 1983
existence of the ruins was known to local Quechua, and reported to Charles Wiener in 1875, but he was unable to reach them. No mention of Farrabee. Three possible observatories are
Toerreon, "Sentry Tower" or "Semicircular Tower"), was designed, according to D&W as a precise instrument for fixing the date of the winter solstice (June) as well as defining a period for the zenith passage date and for observing certain constellations.
Annie's lantern slides included one for the "Temple of the Sun" and I interpreted that as being the observatory now called the Torreon. But is that right? Don't think so. I think she was talking about the Coricancha in Cuzco, and it is very possible she never made it to MP.
Dave Dearborn was convinced that the Torreon was an observatory.
Dearborn, D. S. P. and R. E. White. "The “Torreon” of Machu Picchu as an Observatory." Journal for the History of Astronomy, vol. 14, no. 5, 1983, pp. S37–S49, doi:10.1177/002182868301400502.
The Torreon, known as the Serpent's Door has the "finest stonework in the Citadel" according to Bingham and D&W.
Ziolkowski et al. 2022
Intihuatana
nice quote from Reinhard 2007 about the sacred location of MP
MP: exploring an acnient sacred ceter, CIA, UCLA 2007. I have no idea of I have it.
defines two categories of arrangements: one for precise measurement by priests, etc. one for entertainment/edification of the masses (I think this is just on the Torreon, so oh well. New map of the sites.
Torreon built on the top of a pile of big granite blocks. the lower part occupies an irregular cave-like space between large lumps of granite wedged against each other. Gaps are filled iwth fine ashlar, with several trapedzoidal niches. Upper part called "Temple of the Sub: ia built over oblong, artificially shaped rock and surrounded by "probably the best ashlar masonry one can find on MP" the top of the rock is carvd with several steps, horizontal platforms, seats, and sharp edges forming a Z-like figure which is usually interpreted as an altar. Nine embedded niches, three openings in the wlls pointing to the east, southeast and north. the easter one (window A) has it's outer face elements unusual for this location. Four pegs are carved in stone blocks around Window A's corners, but wTF they are for, is debatable. D&W explain them by assuming they are a rement owindow sill of a planned and ulitamately wester facing window. Previous work show diffrences in shape and orientations
Window A: Pleides would have been in the cener of the field at June solstice 1450 but not in 1500
Window B doesn't seem to be specific, although on June solstice you could see almost the entire tail of Scorpio at an altitude of 34-38 degrees. They don't think the Torreon was a prceise instrument of astronomy
The Intihuatana. a stone altar on top of a rocky prominence, teh highest place of the "religious sector", attributed by Bingham, because it looked like a similar one named that way in Pisac. A Quechua name meaning "place where the sun is tied", but first named such like by Clement Markham about a similar monument in Ollantaytambo. Specialists believe that it did not perform as solar calendar, but historically used as a marker for horizontal observations. Reinhard said it was the focal point for sacred mmoutains were aligned with the cardinal directions. The sun sets beyond the pillars from April 29 and May 3 late fall, and August 10 and 14 in late winter. correspond with the festival of Santa Cruz (according to D&W)
Sala de lost mortars (or mirrors) was probably roofed, and only one is set u to be illuminated during solstice days.
The Temple of the Condor. Nope. The Intimachy. maybe
Summarizing. Seven sites: one (room of mirrors or mortars) was not designed for astronomical observation. The Intihuanata of the Llaqta of MP an the River Intihuatana may have served as horizontal observation sites. But no clear obvious location of signalling on the horizon (where?) Definitely the Torreon was inteneded to follow the movement of the sun's rays in the periods around teh soltices, and in the suns' passage through the zenith at Cuzco (and/or locally). The movement of the stars, such as the helical rising of the Pleiades or the tail of the big Dipper could be followed, but doesn't seem high precision.
gnomonic: (sundial)
horizontal (viewing the horizon)
zenithal
Ziółkowski, Mariusz and Jacek Kościuk. "Astronomical Observations at Machu Picchu: Facts, Hypothesis and Wishful Thinking." Machu Picchu in Context: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Human Past, edited by Mariusz Ziółkowski et al., Springer International Publishing, 2022, pp. 167–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_5
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_5.pdf.
existence of the ruins was known to local Quechua, and reported to Charles Wiener in 1875, but he was unable to reach them. No mention of Farrabee. Three possible observatories are
- Intihuatana
- the "Torreon"
- the "Temple of the Moon"
Toerreon, "Sentry Tower" or "Semicircular Tower"), was designed, according to D&W as a precise instrument for fixing the date of the winter solstice (June) as well as defining a period for the zenith passage date and for observing certain constellations.
Annie's lantern slides included one for the "Temple of the Sun" and I interpreted that as being the observatory now called the Torreon. But is that right? Don't think so. I think she was talking about the Coricancha in Cuzco, and it is very possible she never made it to MP.
Dave Dearborn was convinced that the Torreon was an observatory.
Dearborn, D. S. P. and R. E. White. "The “Torreon” of Machu Picchu as an Observatory." Journal for the History of Astronomy, vol. 14, no. 5, 1983, pp. S37–S49, doi:10.1177/002182868301400502.
The Torreon, known as the Serpent's Door has the "finest stonework in the Citadel" according to Bingham and D&W.
Ziolkowski et al. 2022
Intihuatana
nice quote from Reinhard 2007 about the sacred location of MP
MP: exploring an acnient sacred ceter, CIA, UCLA 2007. I have no idea of I have it.
defines two categories of arrangements: one for precise measurement by priests, etc. one for entertainment/edification of the masses (I think this is just on the Torreon, so oh well. New map of the sites.
Torreon built on the top of a pile of big granite blocks. the lower part occupies an irregular cave-like space between large lumps of granite wedged against each other. Gaps are filled iwth fine ashlar, with several trapedzoidal niches. Upper part called "Temple of the Sub: ia built over oblong, artificially shaped rock and surrounded by "probably the best ashlar masonry one can find on MP" the top of the rock is carvd with several steps, horizontal platforms, seats, and sharp edges forming a Z-like figure which is usually interpreted as an altar. Nine embedded niches, three openings in the wlls pointing to the east, southeast and north. the easter one (window A) has it's outer face elements unusual for this location. Four pegs are carved in stone blocks around Window A's corners, but wTF they are for, is debatable. D&W explain them by assuming they are a rement owindow sill of a planned and ulitamately wester facing window. Previous work show diffrences in shape and orientations
Window A: Pleides would have been in the cener of the field at June solstice 1450 but not in 1500
Window B doesn't seem to be specific, although on June solstice you could see almost the entire tail of Scorpio at an altitude of 34-38 degrees. They don't think the Torreon was a prceise instrument of astronomy
The Intihuatana. a stone altar on top of a rocky prominence, teh highest place of the "religious sector", attributed by Bingham, because it looked like a similar one named that way in Pisac. A Quechua name meaning "place where the sun is tied", but first named such like by Clement Markham about a similar monument in Ollantaytambo. Specialists believe that it did not perform as solar calendar, but historically used as a marker for horizontal observations. Reinhard said it was the focal point for sacred mmoutains were aligned with the cardinal directions. The sun sets beyond the pillars from April 29 and May 3 late fall, and August 10 and 14 in late winter. correspond with the festival of Santa Cruz (according to D&W)
Sala de lost mortars (or mirrors) was probably roofed, and only one is set u to be illuminated during solstice days.
The Temple of the Condor. Nope. The Intimachy. maybe
Summarizing. Seven sites: one (room of mirrors or mortars) was not designed for astronomical observation. The Intihuanata of the Llaqta of MP an the River Intihuatana may have served as horizontal observation sites. But no clear obvious location of signalling on the horizon (where?) Definitely the Torreon was inteneded to follow the movement of the sun's rays in the periods around teh soltices, and in the suns' passage through the zenith at Cuzco (and/or locally). The movement of the stars, such as the helical rising of the Pleiades or the tail of the big Dipper could be followed, but doesn't seem high precision.
gnomonic: (sundial)
horizontal (viewing the horizon)
zenithal
Ziółkowski, Mariusz and Jacek Kościuk. "Astronomical Observations at Machu Picchu: Facts, Hypothesis and Wishful Thinking." Machu Picchu in Context: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Human Past, edited by Mariusz Ziółkowski et al., Springer International Publishing, 2022, pp. 167–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_5
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-92766-0_5.pdf.