This is a picture of a complex built by a civilization in the 15th century. Do you know which people built this?

The Machu Picchu citadel is in the picture. It was built by Inca civilization and became the main icon of the Incan culture. The construction is widely considered the main known example of the classical Incan architecture. It was constructed as an estate for the emperor Pachacuti. Finished in 1450, the estate was left by Inca people a century later. The object remained unknown even after the time of the Spanish Conquest, as well as for the rest of the world. Only in 1911 Hiram Bingham became the first explorer to bring the citadel to international attention. That made him a prominent and well-known historian and became his main achievement.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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33 Comments

Ray Metoyer

This is another example of history being written from one point of view.. "The object remained unknown even after the time of the Spanish Conquest, as well as for the rest of the world." Just because it was unknown to Europeans, doesn't mean it was "unknown" to others; especially in South America.

Jas Newman

I once summited the tall peak in the background— Huayna Picchu.

Jas Newman

Ray Metoyer, Its existence was not documented prior to the time when Prof. Bingham put the site on the map. If you can tell us the identity of anyone who knew of the site's existence prior to 1911 or wrote its history from another point of view before Prof. Bingham, please share that info with us. If not, please let Prof. Bingham have the credit he earned by studying the site and documenting his findings for the world. BTW, the professor was not European; he was from Yale.