Lost City of the Incas by Hiram Bingham

Name Class Date Pacific South America Primary Source Lost City of the Incas by Hiram Bingham

ABOUT THE READING In July of 1911, VOCABULARY American archaeologist Hiram Bingham inaccessible not able to be traveled to Peru to explore the Inca ruins. reached or entered easily He never expected to stumble upon one of the greatest archaeological wonders of all succession one after time—the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu. another He recounts this famous discovery in his prevailing common best-selling book, Lost City of the Incas, first published in 1948.

As you read the passage below, think about how it would feel to make a tremendous historical discovery like Hiram Bingham.

It fairly took my breath away. What could this place be? Why had no one given us any idea of it? Even Melchor Arteaga, Richarte, and Melchor Arteaga was only moderately interested Alvarez were Indian farmers and had no appreciation of the importance of the who Bingham met in his travels. Arteaga had directed Bingham ruins which Richarte and Alvarez had adopted for to some ruins on a ridge called their little farm. Perhaps after all this was an isolated Machu Picchu. small place which had escaped notice because it was inaccessible. Then the little boy urged us to climb up a steep hill over what seemed to be a flight of stone steps. Surprise followed surprise in bewildering succession. We came to a great stairway of large granite blocks. Then we walked along a path to a clearing where the Indians had planted a small vegetable garden. Suddenly we found ourselves standing in front of the ruins of two of the finest and most interesting structures in ancient America.

From “The Discovery” from Lost City of the Incas—The Story of Machu Picchu and Its Builders by Hiram Bingham. Copyright 1948 by Hiram Bingham. Reproduced by permission of the Estate of Hiram Bingham, c/o Tyler, Cooper & Alcorn.

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Made of beautiful white granite, the walls contained The word Cyclopean refers to a blocks of Cyclopean size, higher than a man. The giant, one-eyed creature in Greek sight held me spellbound . . . mythology called a cyclops. . . . I could scarcely believe my senses as I examined the larger blocks in the lower course and estimated that they must weigh from ten to fifteen tons each. Would anyone believe what I had found? Fortunately, in this land where accuracy

in reporting what one has seen is not a prevailing How did Bingham plan to prove to characteristic of travelers, I had a good camera and people what he had found? the sun was shining. The principal temple faces the south where there is a small plaza or courtyard. On the east side of the plaza was another amazing structure, the ruins of a temple containing three great windows looking out over the canyon to the rising sun. Like its neighbor, it is unique among Inca ruins. Nothing just like them in design and execution has ever been found.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN? 1. From what materials were the hidden temples built? What was remarkable about these materials?

2. What was Bingham’s reaction to what he was seeing? Cite specific words and phrases from the passage to support your answer.

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