About 45 minutes east of Urubamba,
marking one border of the Sacred Valley, lies Pisaq, which is both
an ancient Inca site and a village known for its artisan market.
The Inca site, dating from the 1400s (and possibly earlier) rests
high amid the red rocks of the mountain; the village, established
in the late 1500s, is at the base of the valley. We usually plan
this excursion on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday which are “market
days” in the village.
We start early, around 8 am. Following a road that snakes through
small towns, past green fields of maize and calabash, we arrive
at the village of Pisaq and then proceed towards the Inca town.
As we ascend, the views of the valley are stunning: a patchwork
of different shades of green, the glinting line of the Rio Urubamba
and the famous Inca terraces cut into the side of the mountain.
Like most Inca towns, Pisaq was not a place of residence. People
lived further up in the mountains and came into Pisaq to work as
their labor was a way of paying taxes. Pisaq’s primary function
was as an administrative, political, agricultural and religious
center. We see evidence of this all over the site: a rectangular
structure with walls of coarse stones and mortar, which was probably
a dormitory for workers; the amazing terraces descending in parallel
arcs along the mountain slope where the Incas grew, among other
things, at least 18 varieties of corn; remnants of granaries where
they stored their harvests and by most accounts, accumulated a surplus
that would feed the population for years. We also see their cemeteries
– caves on a rocky mountainside across from the granaries,
where more than 3000 people were laid to rest above ground. And
finally, descending down a rocky stairway, we see the religious
center of Pisaq – a cluster of buildings that sits on a spur
that juts out into the valley. It is this spur that, many say, gives
Pisaq its name, because it resembles a partridge, in Spanish “p’isaq.”
We see the Intiwatana, a massive, black rock sundial with
a small nub, where a tall vertical column once stood . The Incas
were great astronomers, and many of their sites feature some kind
of mechanism to observe the heavens which they used to calculate
seasons, positions of the sun and the moon and so determine best
times to cultivate and plant crops.
As we enter the Temple of the Sun, we notice that the walls, like
the walls of all the buildings in this religious section, are made
of large polished slabs of stone. How these walls were constructed
so perfectly and what keeps the stones together is still a mystery.
We stand in this Temple for a few minutes and feel this mystery:
we hear the wind rushing above us, the muted roar of the Rio Urubamba
below us and nearby, the soft trickling of water running through
a series of stone fountains.
We leave the site and descend a steep path down towards the valley.
It is about an hour-long walk with amazing views of the terraces
and the valley along the way. (If you don’t wish to walk,
there is a shorter path to the parking lot where you can descend
via car.) When we arrive at the village of Pisaq, we see a market
is in progress. In the main plaza, under an enormous Pisonay tree,
are lines and lines of booths and vendors. The first few rows of
booths constitute the local “Indian market”, selling
foods, fruits and vegetables. Here you see villagers and campesinos,
Quechua-speaking people who live high in the mountains. They wear
vibrant pink or red or burgundy striped ponchos, and the women and
children often have flowers in their hair. In one row of booths,
short sturdy women with hats and long black braids ladle food out
of steaming dishes to waiting customers. Local specialties include:
Rocoto relleno (stuffed peppers), Seco de cordero
(lamb), Frijoles (beans).
If we are here on a Sunday at around 11 am on the steps of the old
Catholic church, we see Quechua families gathering for Mass in Quechua.
Inside, the church is a mixture of Quechua and Christian influences:
the walls are covered in pink and purple murals depicting scenes
from the life of Christ, while words in Quechua invoke ancient Inca
energies like Hana Pacha (the Heavens)
We then wander through the masses of artisan booths that make up
the large tourist section of the market. Here
you can choose from a dizzying variety of souvenirs: shawls, ponchos,
tapestries, wool sweaters, rings, handicrafts, jewelry, handbags,
stone and ceramic figures, candles and more.
Choices for lunch are: return for Sol & Luna’s famous
Buffet or take a boxed
lunch and linger in the market place, or celebrate with special
Luxury Lunch in a Colonial house in
Pisaq.
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