Ancient Ingapirca: Largest And Best Preserved Inca Ruins In Ecuador
A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The largest and best preserved ancient Inca ruins in Ecuador are located near Cuenca, in the province of Cañar, Ecuador. They are known as Ingapirca (in the native Quechua, "Inca wall").
The entire complex was a fortification mixture of the Inca and Cañari civilizations.
The most important construction in this complex was the elliptically-shaped Temple of the Sun, built around a large rock, without mortar; the stones were carefully chiseled and shaped to fit together perfectly.
The chamber at the top of the Temple of the Sun was designed so that during the solstice, at a certain time of day, the sun would fall through narrow windows and illuminate sacred elements. Researchers investigated the ruins of Ingapirca and concluded that the altars within the Temple of the Sun receive direct illumination only at certain times of the year, specifically New Year or Inti Raymi.
The Inti Raymi (in Quechua: "sun festival"), a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire
in honor of the god Inti (Quechua for "sun"), one of the most venerated deities in Inca religion.
Although the real purpose of the site is not fully understood, the city must have played a military role as a fortress to dominate the Andes of what is now northern Ecuador and southern Colombia. Ingapirca had long been settled by the Cañari indigenous people, who called it Hatun Cañar.
As the Inca worshipped the Sun and the Canari (Cañari) civilization were worshiper of the Moon, the city's puma design and the crescent shape of the site reflect the Canari civilization, while the temple of the sun and its Inca walls reflect the Inca culture.
During the Inca expansion into southern Ecuador, the high Inca Tupac Yupanqui come across the Canari "Hatun Canar" tribe.
Having difficulties in conquering the tribe, Tupac Yupanqui decided to approach the problem more strategically. He married the Cañari princess and improving the Cañari city of Guapondelig, calling it Pumapungo (nowadays Cuenca), which remains a symbol of merging of the Canari and Inca civilizations.
Despite the Incas dominance, the civilizations lived peacefully, with their own customs and traditions.
At Ingapirca, there was also constructed a sophisticated underground aqueduct system to distribute water throughout the complex and the astronomical observatory was built under the rule of Inca Huayna Capac.
Written by – A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without thexpress written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesMore From Ancient Pages
-
Evolution Of Paleodiet At Neolithic Qujialing Site Unveiled By Scientists
Archaeology | Nov 30, 2022
-
Has World’s Oldest Image Of Virgin Mary Been Discovered In Dura-Europos Church?
Archaeology | Mar 17, 2017
-
Reconstructed Face Of A Young Man Who Lived Some 1,300 Years Ago
Archaeology | Jun 11, 2019
-
Natural Wonders: ‘Fingal’s Cave’ – An Enigmatic Place Shrouded In Mystery And Legend
Featured Stories | Mar 18, 2023
-
10 Ancient Shipwrecks And Several Underwater Artifacts Found Around The Island Of Kasos
Archaeology | Mar 14, 2024
-
Why Didn’t The Spartans Build City Walls?
Civilizations | May 30, 2022
-
Forbidden Antediluvian Egyptian Secrets Revealed By Initiated Masters Show Most We Know About Egypt Is Wrong
Featured Stories | Aug 6, 2020
-
Legendary Sea Monster Exists: Icelandic Government Commission Says
Featured Stories | Sep 27, 2014
-
Early, Complex Brain Surgery Performed In Ancient Greece
Archaeology | Apr 8, 2020
-
Cosmic Message Of The Zapotec Glyphs In The Valley Of Oaxaca – Deciphered!
Archaeology | Mar 10, 2022
-
‘Completely Unique’ Seal Matrix Found Near Norwich, UK
Archaeology | Dec 1, 2023
-
Ensisheim Meteorite Is The Oldest Meteorite With A Precise Date Of Impact
Ancient History Facts | Jun 29, 2018
-
Mysterious Ancient Jade Artifact May Offer Evidence Of Trans-Pacific Contact – Did Ancient Sailors From California Visit New Guinea?
Artifacts | Jan 14, 2018
-
Medieval Ship Discovered Off The West Coast Of Sweden May Have Been Attacked By Pirates
Archaeology | Feb 4, 2022
-
Discovered Roman Malting Oven Could Be Evidence Of 2,000-Year-Old Beer Production In The UK
Archaeology | Apr 4, 2022
-
Mysterious Figurine Of Mythical Individual Dates Back To Egypt’s Naqada Culture 4400–3000 BC
Featured Stories | Sep 25, 2016
-
Scientists Explore How Neanderthals Caught Birds In Caves For Food
Archaeology | Sep 16, 2021
-
Prehistoric Sime Skeleton And Now 15,000-Year-Old Bone Pendant Depicting ‘Venus’ Found In Vlakno Cave, Croatia
Archaeology | Dec 4, 2017
-
Biblical City Of Tarsus: Excavations Reveal Its Secrets From Paul the Apostle’s Times
Archaeology | Jan 4, 2016
-
Sir Christopher Wren – Genius Mind Of Most Influential British Architect Of All Time
Featured Stories | Feb 22, 2016