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Today P'isaq constitutes one of the most important
Archaeological Parks in the region. It is located about 30 Kms. (18.6
miles) toward the northwest of Qosqo City. Possibly its name comes from
a type of partridge very common in the area known as "p'isaqa". Some
scholars suggest that the pre-Hispanic City had the shape of a "p'isaqa"
(-ornate tinamou- Nothoprocta ornata); a tinamidae that represented the
local fauna. Today, there is also a colonial town named P'isaq in the
lower part of the valley, established as consequence of the famous "Indians
Reductions" by which the Quechuas were joined in small towns. The Inkan
City is on the upper side of the mountain, over the well preserved
terracing. It was classical among the Inkas that the most fertile zones
must have been reserved for agriculture without being wasted for
building towns or cities. Therefore, the city was built taking advantage
of the dry and rocky mountain; even more, its location enabled its
protection because this was a fortified city on the way to the Antisuyo
(Amazonian Jungle). Historians suggest that it was established over
there in order to protect the great capital from possible attacks of the
Antis nations (the name of the "Andes" Mountains derives from "Anti")
that were their worst and never "submitted to" enemy. Today it is still
possible to observe the surrounding wall that protected the most
important zone of the city. More over, inside the protected area are the
vast farming terraces that supplied enough food for its inhabitants in
case of sieges or prolonged wars; and there are also aqueducts that
supplied water for agricultural development. It seems that water for
consumption of the inhabitants was harnessed on the mountain's upper
side and transported through underground channels.
There are two possibilities in order to get to the archaeological site
from the colonial town: Hike, taking the street on the western side of
the present-day church and go up through the terracing and the mountain,
it is a hard hike because of the mountain's altitude and inclination
that requires one to be in good physical condition. Otherwise, take a
car that must follow the 8 Km. (5 mile) road toward the northeast of the
town as far as the parking lot from which it will be necessary to follow
the 1.5 Km. (1 mile) path in order to get the "Intiwatana" sector.
Nowadays, the second possibility is the easiest and most popular; the
most interesting variant is to get by car to the "Qanchisraqay" sector
in order to start the hike, for which it is commendable not to suffer
from vertigo as the mountain is somewhat steep.
Almost all the original names of the different sectors in P'isaq are
lost; the names that are known today were established by tradition,
historians and archaeologists. Therefore, in many cases the names do not
represent their real nature or duty; the reason for this is that there
is no precise information, or old documents serving as authentic
testimony for interpretation. But, the "P'isaq" name is genuine because
it is consigned in some chronicles. Today, archaeology and history are
trying to decode the site's mysteries through archaeological diggings,
logical deductions and comparative studies stating analogies with some
other known elements. As there is an Inkan architectonic type
classification, today, it is possible to establish the roles of almost
all the buildings, but, there are many other aspects that will remain as
an eternal enigma.
"Qanchisraqay" (qanchis = seven, raqay = inclosure) is one of the
districts in P'isaq remaining outside the fortified city, about ½ Km.
(0.3 mile) away from the surrounding wall. That sector is also known as
"Kanturaqay", the name being related to our national flower "kantu". It
is constituted by many buildings with "pirka" type walls, that is, made
with non-carved mud bonded stones that originally had a clay stucco.
Over here there are some "kanchas" (apartments) for non-noble people
that must have cultivated the lower terracing; around here there are
also some remains of aqueducts and fountains supplying water for people
dwelling in the area. From this spot there is a panoramic view of the
terracing that seen from the valley's bottom look narrow but staying up
here one discovers that they are broad. Its location on the edge of a
precipice is also exceptional for watching over and controlling the
movement of people or travelers who used the road toward the Paucartambo
region and the Antisuyo.
Following the trail toward the west of Qanchisraqay one reaches the
crossroads known as " Antachaka" (anta = cooper, chaka = bridge), where
there are some water fountains and a surface aqueduct for the terracing.
Towards the west, on the irregular almost vertical surface of the
mountain there is a large amount of something like hollows: they are
looted tombs of the biggest pre-Hispanic cemetery in the region. Today.
the cemetery is known as " Tankanamarka" (tankay = to push, marka =
spot; it may be translated as "hurling spot"), and according to some
estimates it must have contained about 10,000 tombs that were mostly
looted. In the Inkan belief it was stated that once persons died they
began a newer life; therefore, their mummies were kept along with all
their goods and necessary food. When the conquerors arrived they soon
knew that inside the Inkan tombs they could also find jewels of precious
stones and metals, thus they began with their diabolical profanation and
pillaging of ancient Peruvians' tombs. That is why that cemetery in
P'isaq contains mostly looted tombs, some mummies are still inside the
graves but not their jewels and daily life elements.
Continuing the hike, one crosses the partially destroyed surrounding
wall, in which the trapezoidal doorway named as Amarupunku (amaru =
snake, punku = doorway) still keeps its lintel. Around there, is the
district known as K'alla Q'asa (k'alla = cut, q'asa = pass) also named
as Hanan P'isaq (Upper P'isaq); it contains many "pirka" type buildings
among apartments, storehouses, towers and so many stairways on the edge
of the precipices.
Following the trail after the "Amarupunku" there is a small tunnel
drilled taking advantage of a natural fault; it is 16 mt. (52.5 ft.)
long and its height is irregular and low, so people must bent down to
cross it. This was not a principal path but a secondary one in the city,
which can not be compared with the Inka Trail toward Machupicchu that
was a real "Inka Ñan" or "Royal Road" where there are much more
comfortable tunnels. Going on, by the uneven trail with many stairways
is the religious sector in P'isaq. Today this sector is named as
Intiwatana (inti = sun, watana = fastener).
Intiwatana is the most important district in P'isaq, it corresponds to
the ceremonial core or religious complex of the city that has the best
quality constructions with "sedimentary" type walls; that is, with
polished-joint carved stones that have a rectangular outer surface. Its
location on the mountain's upper section is superb and dominates
visually a great territory of the valley. This sector must have been
constituted by diverse temples such as Qosqo's Qorikancha with shrines
for different deities. The lack of precise information today makes it
difficult to know which were the gods worshipped in every temple. In the
complex's central part is a semicircular building with one lateral
straight wall which main gate is toward the south, by deduction and
analogy with other similar buildings it is established that this was the
Sun Temple in P'isaq. On both side walls of its ascending entrance there
are small hand-boxes carved in the rock that were surely used as
holders, like a handrail. By the middle of this building is the altar
carved in the in-situ rock, with a central interrupted conical
protuberance that is known as "Intiwatana" ("Sun Fastener"; but its
original name must have been "Saywa" or "Sukhanka") and must have been
used for allowing observation of the solar movements with the help of
some other elements or carved angles that served as "pegs" for
calculating the shadow projections. Today that Intiwatana has many signs
of having been hardly hit; though, it is still possible to notice its
original shape: an interrupted cone. The altar served to carry out
different ceremonies worshipping the Sun God, as well as for sacrificing
animals for divination purposes.
Descending the Sun Temple stairway, farther to the southwest side is
another interrupted conical carving that was surely used in a close
relationship with the "Intiwatana". Even farther down to the west is a
carved stone altar and a "stepping symbol" sculpted in the natural rock
representing the three stages of the Andean Religious World: the heaven,
the earthly world and the subsoil. That sculpture was possibly used as a
help element for solar observations too.
In this complex there are some other rectangular temples with very good
quality walls. Their specific duties are unknown; but, today tradition
is trying to impose names for them, of course, without any documented
support. A small room placed by the middle of this sector breaks the
architectonic balance of the spot; it was made with "pirka" type walls
that served perhaps as an inclosure for the "tarpuntay" or priest in
charge of service in these temples. Besides, in this area there are some
very well carved channels and remains of fountains that because of their
quality and location must have had strictly religious duties as water
was a special deity among Andean people who always had channels,
fountains and reservoirs for its cult. About 20 mts. (65 ft.) in front
of the complex's main gate is a very special fountain of which the
bottom is below the floor level and served as a water receptacle. On
both sides of its spillway there are two carvings that look like
handles; because of its layout it perhaps served as a bathtub to take
"ceremonial baths" as a way of purifying the body. From this zone there
is a partial view of the original channeling of the Urubamba River that
flows in a straight line about 3.3 Kms. (2 miles). It is known that in
Inkan times this river was completely channeled from P'isaq and as far
as Ollantaytambo. The aim of the channel was to gain farmlands and
protect them, covering a length of about 90 Kms. (56 miles) in the
valley; today, in many sectors it is still possible to observe remains
of the channel's lateral walls.
Going down by the stairway towards the southeast of the "Intiwatana"
sector is the P'isaqa district that has a somewhat semicircular shape
following the mountain's silhouette. It has a few walls with carved
stones, some of the "pirka" type, and some others simply made with sun
dried mud bricks. Over here there are some very well distributed
"kanchas" (apartments). From the southern end of this sector, it is
possible to see on the mountain abrupt surface some circular "pukaras"
(defensive towers) and the adobe "qolqas" (storehouses) of sustenance
goods. All over the complex there are farming terraces built even as far
as the edge of precipices that still keep their straight sometimes
vertical aqueducts (water does not flow any more) and their projecting
ladders made with stones that are fit into the retaining walls allowing
one to pass from one terrace to the other. From this sector, there is a
trail toward the South in order to go down as far as the P'isaq colonial
town; it offers a very interesting panorama. Otherwise, it will be
necessary to take the northern trail to get the parking lot.
THE P'ISAQ MARKET
As it was indicated before, the present-day town of P'isaq was formed
after 1572 when the "Indians Reductions" were established, by which the
Quechua people were forced to live in villages. The small town was made
in the Andean way, with narrow and cobbled streets; but a "Plaza de
Armas" and a Catholic Church were established in the classical Spanish
way. Today, in the plaza there are two old aged "Pisonay" trees (Coral
Trees -Erythrina falcata-) that have reddish edible flowers; their
fruits and flowers contain nourishing substances and their seeds
medicinal alkaloids. According to tradition, when Francisco Pizarro (the
conqueror of the Inkas) visited this area, he had hitched his horse to
one of those trees; therefore, they must be about 5 centuries old. Also
in the Plaza there is a monument sculpted in stone honoring the Quechua
Chief Bernardo Tambohuacso Pumayalli, who in 1780 along with some other
chiefs and "mestizo" people headed a pro-independence movement against
the Spanish crown. That movement failed and subsequently all the leaders
were executed in Qosqo's Main Plaza. The church that is found today is
relatively modern; it was made with adobes the same way as the colonial
one that was demolished almost completely.
It is in the town's Main Plaza where every Sunday is the famous "Indian
Market" that attracts hundreds of peasants from the surrounding
communities who descend from the mountains in order to perform their
commercial transactions. Normally, those peasants bring to the market
what they grow, goods that are sold or simply bartered for some other
manufactures or goods extraneous to their mountains, such as candles,
matches, clothing, salt, coca leaves, tropical fruits, etc. The colorful
typical clothing of peasants visiting the market is very showy; those
are the clothes of their normal use and not an occasional costume. The
native hats are also easy to distinguish; they are almost always black
and flat and indicate that their wearers have almost no influence of
western culture and speak just Quechua. Besides, there are many women
who wear the "European like" high hats of different colors; they are
westernized and possibly went to school, so they are bilingual or have
some knowledge of the Spanish language.
However, this market was also adapted to the tourists' needs, and a vast
sector of it displays handicrafts or "souvenirs" for tourists; in that
sector are all the tourist goods existing in any handicraft market in
Qosqo. Therefore, nowadays it is possible to find two markets in the
same spot: the "Indian" one and that for tourists. Today, a bit scarcer
market is also performed on Thursdays. In general, this is a good place
to shop for pottery that is made locally and somewhat old weavings (15
or 20 years). On the other hand, on Sunday mornings, by 11:00 am. there
is a Catholic Mass in the church for the local populace as well as for
the "Varayoq" (whom has a "vara", that is, a staff of office) or mayors
of peasant communities of the region. Their staffs of office are made in
"chonta" (very hard black palm-tree wood) with beaten silver adornments.
The mayors' arrivals to the town are announced by their assistants who
blow their "pututos" (trumpets made of big conch shells -Strombus
galeatus-); those trumpets were inherited from the Inkan Society. What
is peculiar in the mass is that as attendants do not know or have a poor
command of the Spanish language, so the sermon will be said in the
Quechua language.
In Qosqo City and most Andean towns like P'isaq, there are frequently in
some doorways sticks placed with mainly red plastic bags or multicolored
flowers on their tips; they indicate that in those spots "aqha" or
"chicha" is for sale, that is, the mild maize beer which has a low
alcoholic content but is somewhat heavy for western stomachs. That
beverage constitutes part of the daily diet of Andean people since
immemorial times; it is popular among women who have babies because when
drinking it they will get a lot of milk, and also among men because it
is believed that drinking it prevents prostatitis. In many places there
are some other similar sticks holding small baskets on their ends; they
indicate that those are bakeries or bread is for sale within. If some
other time you find sticks with some banana leaves on the tip, then that
means that inside that house coca leaves are for sale. That is an old
signal system; some decades ago it was much more popular because most of
our population were illiterate but today it is being extinguished slowly
as a consequence of education that people are getting and the influence
of radio and television. This same influence is leading to abandon
certain "archaic and repressive" habits and traditions deep-rooted
during many centuries, such as prearranged weddings and practice of "
Sirvinakuy", the trial-marriage inherited from our ancestral culture.
According to Alfonsina Barrionuevo in Inkan times that trial marriage
must have been called "Warmichakuy" or perhaps "Tinkunakuspa". It
consisted in an endogamic temporary joining of a man and a woman; major
youngsters of the same social status in order to know each other even in
the most intimate and minimum aspects for a lapse of about one year.
After the "sirvinakuy" if the couple did not get separated was
considered firmly united, with undeniable responsibilities and rights.
If the relationship failed during the trial time and there was a child,
the woman was sent along with the child to her parents' house. As
Barrionuevo states, "... It is not a question of a simple concubine
system but an institution that guaranteed children and understanding
among the couple, in a frame of respect and equality, that are
extraneous to half-breed and white men".
There is some controversy concerning the sexual behavior of Andean young
people in Inkan times and subsequent epochs: the most realistic scholars
assert that in Inkan times the Quechua youngsters had very puritanical
values, thence a conservative moral, exactly as today's peasants in the
Andes; some authors suggest that there was squalor and licentiousness.
For understanding the first current it would be enough to read what
Andean Chief Guaman Poma de Ayala wrote by the second half of XVI
century about Inkan laws and statutes: " Women who are immoral, those
who allow themselves to be seduced and those who become whores shall
suffer a living death by being suspended from a rock by their hair and
hands and left there to perish.
A man who deflowers a virgin shall be given 500 strokes of the lash and
shall also undergo a torture that consists in dropping a weight from a
height of nearly three feet on to the back of the culprit. It is usual
for death to ensue, but there are some known cases of survival.
A man who rapes a woman shall suffer the death penalty. If the woman
consents to an illicit relationship, both partners shall be suspended by
their hair until they die.". Later in the same book he asserts that
under Spanish colonial rule that left Quechuas in the worst poverty and
misery, economic conditions had pushed people to change their
puritanical way of life. On the other hand; by the first half of XVII
century, Catholic priest Bernabe Cobo wrote: " Because they never knew
the splendor and beauty of chastity, they never appreciated it; indeed,
the virginity of their women was very offensive to them. They said that
those who were virgins had never been loved by anyone. As a matter of
fact, very few remained virgins until the day of their marriage.".
Father Cobo also wrote about the trial marriage, and in his holy
inquisitorial way said: "... when an Indian chooses a woman to be his
wife, he does not try to find out whether she had a virtuous or a
licentious life because, among them, this is not a matter which adds to
or to detract from her worth. The foremost consideration is how much
wealth she possesses. Second to this he considers whether she is a
hardworking woman who will delight him and serve him well. But since
this second question is difficult to determine unless it is done through
direct experience, to gain it, he usually takes her as a concubine
first, keeping her on a trial basis for a few months and at times, for
years. If she pleases him, he marries her; if she does not, he gets rid
of her and selects another one.". Father Cobo has many followers because
his arguments are more "exotic" or proper of "barbarous societies"; thus
for example, in 1967, B.C. Brundage, using a lot of his good imagination
but in a somewhat morbid way wrote: " Chastity among the Incas was a
state entered into by the girl only after her marriage. Before marriage,
amorous adventures appear to have been easy and numerous for the
daughters of the Incas, and it was not uncommon for the most highborn
ñustas from early girlhood to accompany the Inca armies in which their
fathers were officers. On those extended campaigns the moonlit nights
outside the circle of fires witnessed interminable singing, dancing, and
copulation."
It is undeniable that the trial marriage, institution of natural right
based in a profound respect to its rules and endorsed by the elders
control was modified and degenerated in colonial times. A direct
consequence of the "Sirvinakuy" abandon is the increase in divorce
rates, a phenomenon so rare and criticized before.
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