Ancient and hidden, Machu Picchu's complexity uncovered by archaeologists

The Machu Picchu discoveries, which include parts of a water system that ran through the area, are yielding new insights into Inca civilization and the role of ceremonial complexes at"Only very privileged people could get to Machu Picchu, because it was a very special place," said Dominika Sieczkowska, the deputy director for organization and development at the University of Warsaw's Center for Andean Studies, who led the research.

Chachabamba, which sits in the Vilcanota Valley, centers on a main stone altar surrounded by 14 baths, which Sieczkowska said most likely were used for ritual ablutions. Water to the site flowed through a complex network of channels fed by the Urubamba River.The site is tricky to study, because the area is mostly overgrown, with archaeological ruins receding deep into the jungle.

The lidar scans revealed about 12 structures all within about 60 feet of the main ceremonial part of Chachabamba.The laser scans also revealed stone channels running partly underground that supplied water throughout the Chachabamba site. The researchers then developed models based on the slope and depth of the canals to re-create how water may have flowed to the various ritual baths.

The archaeologists plan to conduct further research at Chachabamba, including excavations of interesting features that were identified in the lidar scans. "The idea was to excavate some of the structures, but because of the pandemic, we had to cancel our plans for now," Sieczkowska said."But maybe, maybe, we'll get there next year."

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