Viracocha face Ollantaytambo Peru
by James Brunker
Title
Viracocha face Ollantaytambo Peru
Artist
James Brunker
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
This large face is found on the side of the rocky Cerro Pinkuylluna mountain that overlooks Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley near Cusco, Peru. It is made of natural formations that have been altered by the Incas; the facial features are much more obvious in the afternoon. The face is said to be of the great Andean creator god Viracocha who figures prominently in ancient creation legends across the region.
Ollantaytambo was an important Inca town and ceremonial centre that was the royal estate of the Inca Pachacuti / Pachacutec who conquered the region. The large archaeological site there is one of the most impressive Inca sites with extensive high quality stonework, terracing and many astronomical alignments and ceremonial features. The Incas remodelled and terraced much of the valley in the area; Cerro Pinkuylluna itself has various ruins on its sides including storehouses and small temples. The small building on top of Viracocha's head very closely resembles the special woven hats with four points (called a ch'uku or bonete) that were used by ancient priests and astronomers, most notably of the powerful pre-Inca empire of Tiwanaku / Tiahuanaco. Period examples can be seem in the museum at Tiwanaku (which is in Bolivia) and elsewhere.
Photograph © James Brunker. Reproduction, transmission or use in any form (print, website, etc) without prior written permission strictly prohibited.
Uploaded
September 1st, 2021
Embed
Share
Comments (1)
There are no comments for Viracocha face Ollantaytambo Peru. Click here to post the first comment.