- The world's most famous "lost city" - the Inca
ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, found in the early 20th century - was part
of a much larger complex, according to sensational new archaeological discoveries.
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- While investigating a mountain ridge facing the Andean
city, an Anglo-American expedition has discovered a previously unknown
series of high-status sacred ceremonial buildings scattered over at least
a square mile of jungle.
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- So far, using airborne infra-red reconnaissance and exploration
of the jungle itself, the team - led by the British explorer Hugh Thomson
and the American archaeologist Gary Ziegler - have found 33 previously
unknown buildings. They also found seven others which had originally been
located by the American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1912, but the whereabouts
of which had been lost, as Bingham left no compass bearings.
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- Preliminary examination of the ruins suggests that the
complex was a large religious centre used for ceremonies and astronomical
observations.
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- The new area istwo miles from Machu Picchu itself. The
expedition has identified, as well as the buildings, eight plazas, seven
10ft-highplatforms and a series of walled walkways connecting structures.
The buildings include a massive storehouse, a probable sun temple (resembling
in several ways the great sun temple in the Inca capital, Cuzco, 45 miles
away), and a two-storey observatory, for watching solar equinoxes and solstices.
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- The archaeologists believe that the complex was probably
built by the Inca emperor Pachacuti in the mid-15th century. The complex,
known as Llactapata, appears to have been constructed along with Machu
Picchu as part of one overall plan. Buildings in both Machu Picchu and
Llactapata are aligned with each other and with Mount Machu Picchu, which
dominates the site.
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- The ruined fortress city of Machu Picchu ("manly
peak")consists of about 200 buildings at an altitude of 8,000ft. It
was probably used to provide seasonal high-status accommodation and some
ceremonial facilities for the ruler and his entourage, with room for 1,200
people, possibly during the winter when Cuzco became very cold. Llactapata,
on the other hand, appears to have been more ceremonial in nature. The
sites therefore complemented each other and formed a greater whole facing
each other across the Aobamba River.
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- Mr Ziegler said: "This is an important discovery
which may completely alter our view of Machu Picchu, as the Llactapata
site is closely related to it."
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- Mr Thomson, who has just returned to the UK after four
months in Peru, said: "This must be one of the last places left on
the planet where major above-ground archaeological monuments are still
being located. We are extremely excited by this find."
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- Archaeologists say the discovery reinforces the need
to expand the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary's borders to include and
protect a wider area. At present the ruins at Llactapata lie outside the
protection of the Peruvian National Park Service and so are vulnerable
to looters.
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- The expedition discovered evidence suggesting that looters
had been active at the site, despite the fact that archaeologists were
unaware of the site's existence.
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- The Inca ruins are visited by 500,000 tourists every
year.
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- The exploration was carried out with the support of the
Royal Geographical Society.
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- © 2003 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
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- http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=461223
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