In Ruins

FRIDAY:

Tipon Terraces From Below (Friday June 26, 2015)

We (minus Michael, who decided to come down with an illness instead) took a one-hour taxi ride to the Wari ruins of Pikillacta. Our driver, who I'm convinced is more of a tour guide than a run-of-the-mill taxi driver, also stopped at Tipon so we could explore the ancient Incan agricultural site (it's on our Boleto Turistico, so why not!)


Like all of the other sites we've visited, we didn't hire a guide. As Dr. Brown didn't know much about these particular ruins, we strolled and examined the architecture and waterworks with no particular structures to keep in mind. As it turns out, there's not a whole lot of information to keep in mind, other than the aesthetics. As Hiram Bingham noted about the site: "Tipon is pleasant and well-constructed... Few better terrace walls are to be seen anywhere". Impressively, these terraces are still growing green and the beautifully engineered water canals are still fully intact.

Tipon Terraces From Above (Friday June 26, 2015)

Tipon's Water Engineering System (Friday June 26, 2015)

Twenty or so minutes later, we arrived at the Pikillacta ruins. If we hadn't been assigned to read about the cultural significance of this site before visiting, I wouldn't have been any more impressed than if I were to go outside at this very moment and stare at a pile of rocks.

Pikillacta Ruins (Friday June 26, 2015)

The Wari culture outdated the Incas by a few hundred years. A great deal of the architectural styles the Incas are acclaimed for were first tested out by the Wari, particularly the site of Pikillacta. The high walls made of quarry rocks and mortar, the seemingly symmetrical yet personal organization of structure, and the adaptation to harsh terrain are some of the many features found at Pikillacta (if you're interesting in learning more about how awesome this site is, watch this video from 8:20-13:35).

Pikillacta Ruins, Corridor (Friday June 26, 2015)