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August 11, 2013

WAS MORAY AN EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURAL CENTER FOR THE INCA OF PERU?



WELCOME TO THIS POST!

A LOVELY FLOWER, THE AMARANTH!

 

This plant grows near Cuzco, Peru

Click to enlarge

Source: Ghislain118, CC BY 3.0. Wikimedia Commons



WHAT IS MOREY?


Moray is a huge complex of terraces built by the Inca near the village of Maras, which is quite close to Cuzco and also close to the Urumbamba River.

The fact that the Inca civilization did not have a writing system has caused this site to be rather enigmatic. There is no definite evidence as to the reason for its construction.

The complex was carefully positioned in the site of a natural hollow among the mountains; the Inca always tried to build in harmony with natural features.

The original hollow was enlarged to include several rows of circular andenes or terraces, all of which seem to have involved large movements of earth and stone. 

Each level is provided with irrigation through perfectly engineered canals that still work, and the drainage is superb, as usual: no water collects at the bottom of this circular amphitheater.

The Inca certainly knew their business when it came to constructing enormous complexes that were practically earthquake proof and flood proof.

AN OVERVIEW OF PART OF THE MORAY COMPLEX



Click to enlarge

  
 Source: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0. Wikimedia Commons


A PARTIAL VIEW OF THE ANDENES OF THE COMPLEX



Click to enlarge


 Source: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0. Wikimedia Commons


LOCATION OF MORAY IN THE URUBAMBA VALLEY



 Click to enlarge


Source: pandrcutts, CC BY 2.0. Flickr



WHAT WAS THE FUNCTION OF THIS COMPLEX?


Experts have not been able to agree on this one at all. Some think it was mainly a place of worship, while others argue that it was an experimental greenhouse for developing and optimizing various agricultural species.

In my opinion, it could well have been used both for experimentation and for worship. The religious beliefs of the Andean people have always been strongly centered on the forces of nature and on maintaining harmony within natural processes.

Besides, the acoustics in that place are superb! Even today, ceremonies are celebrated today in honor of the Pachamama, the Earth Godess.

However, it definitely was planned for more than worship, considering the fact that the temperature and wind conditions vary throughout the various levels, so that the bottom ones are warmer than the top ones. 

Present day records show that the temperature difference is as much as 60ºF or approximately 33ºC.

Experts say that the different zones of the complex reproduce the various climatic conditions of costal, Andean and semi-tropical climate; analysis of the pollen discovered there show that there were also multiple species planted on the various levels and zones.

In addition, vertical stones were placed in positions that would help record various agriculturally important dates such as the equinoxes and the solstices.

At the height of the Inca Empire, the Andean people had developed over 3,000 varieties of edible potatoes and at least 150 types of corn.

Nobody knows how this was done, but I’m betting it was done at Moray!


AN INTERESTING VIEW OF THE MORAY COMPLEX.

 The flying steps can be clearly seen




 Click to enlarge


Source: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0. Wikimedia Commons 


DETAILS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TERRACES AND FLYING STEPS



Click to enlarge


Source: Manco Capac, CC BY SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons 


CELEBRATING PACHAMAMA AT MORAY




An incredible video. Listen to the accoustics!
 

I hope you enjoyed this post! See you on the next one!



SPANISH VERSIONS


(This Blog is Bilingual)


LAS MISTERIOSAS CONSTRUCCIONES DE MORAY EN PERU.


Este enorme complejo está ubicado cerca del pueblo de Maras y del Rio Urubamba, según se aprecia en el mapa presentado más arriba.

Se encuentra también bastante cerca de Cuzco, el centro del poder en el Imperio Inca.

Debido a que esta civilización carecía de escriture, las instalaciones en Moray han resultado un tanto enigmáticas.

Los andenes están construidos con toda la tecnología de los Inca: son asísmicos, tienen canales de regadío y los sistemas de drenaje son extraordinarios.

Se cree que este fue un centro de experimentación agrícola, debido principalmente a que los distintos sectores configuran diversos microclimas que en general reproducen las distintas zonas agrícolas del Perú: costa, altiplano y selva.

Se ha comprobado que hay variaciones importantes en las temperaturas entre un nivel y otro, lo que es coherente con la presencia de los microclimas.

Pero además, al parecer ahí también se realizaban ceremonias con ofrendas para la Pachamama. Estas ceremonias todavía se realizan con gran colorido, en determinadas fechas del año.

La acústica en el “anfiteatro” es increíble, por tanto también parece que esto entraba en los planes de construcción.

Ambas funciones no son contradictorias, por cuanto las creencias religiosas de los pueblos Andinos están estrechamente vinculadas a los fenómenos naturales y al paso de las estaciones y sus relaciones con la producción agrícola.

Es sabido que los Inca desarrollaron sobre 3.000 variedades de papa y más de 150 variedades de maíz. Estas especies fueron creadas a partir de plantas silvestres que eran mucho más pequeñas.

Nadie sabe exactamente como lo lograron, pero apuesto a que lo hicieron en el centro experimental de Moray!

Espero les haya gustado este post!


More about similar topics in a future post.      Más sobre temas similares en un próximo post.


LANGUAGE TIPS FOR ENGLISH


Words that go together!  * Late 20th century   - * Go to war  - * Keep an appointment 


LANGUAGE TIPS FOR SPANISH.


Expresiones de uso frecuente: * Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr - 
* Irse con la música a otra parte  


How is your level of comprehension?      ¿Cómo está su nivel de comprensión?



© 2013  joanveronica  (Joan Robertson)


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