Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca city, had been hidden for centuries under the lush nature of the Urubamba canyon. This architectural treasure was unknown to the Western world until its rediscovery in the early 20th century. But who was the person behind this significant discovery, and when did it happen? Let’s delve into the fascinating story of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu.
The Rediscovery
The credit for the rediscovery of Machu Picchu goes to Hiram Bingham III, an American academic, explorer, and politician. Bingham stumbled upon the ruins of Machu Picchu on July 24, 1911. He was led to the site by Melchor Arteaga, a local Quechua-speaking resident.
The Journey
Bingham, a history lecturer at Yale University, was in Peru trying to find the last capitals of the Incas, Vitcos and Vilcabamba. His journey took him from Cuzco into the Urubamba Valley. A local farmer told him about some ruins located at the top of a nearby mountain, which the farmer referred to as Machu Picchu, meaning “old peak” in the native Quechua language.
After a tough climb to the mountain’s ridge in cold and drizzly weather, Bingham met a small group of peasants who showed him the rest of the way. Led by an 11-year-old boy, Bingham got his first glimpse of the intricate network of stone terraces marking the entrance to Machu Picchu.
The Controversy
While Bingham is widely recognized as the rediscoverer of Machu Picchu, his status as the “discoverer” of the ruins is in dispute. Some archaeologists in Peru contend that he was not the first outsider to come upon the 15th-century Incan city’s ruins. There were mentions of several German, British, and American explorers who had drawn up maps before Bingham. However, none of them recognized the site’s importance or publicized it as Bingham did.
Despite the controversy, there’s no denying that Bingham played a crucial role in bringing Machu Picchu to the world’s attention. His chronicle brought him acclaim and sent hordes of eager tourists flocking to Peru to follow in his footsteps up the Inca trail. Today, Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s top tourist destinations, all thanks to the rediscovery by Hiram Bingham III in 1911.