Naupa Huaca: The Enigmatic Stone Temple In A Cave In Peru

Brien Foerster - AncientPages.com - Not far from some of the most famous ancient sites visited by tourists in the Sacred Valley of Peru, among the most mysterious is that which I call Naupa Huaca (Naupa means ancient and Huaca means sacred in the Inca language.)

To find it you must first enter a side valley where most taxis won't go, and then climb hundreds of stairs built by the Inca... through the ruins of agricultural terraces.

You then enter a natural cave that appears to have been created by an earthquake or other catastrophic event which shattered the bedrock.

At the cave entrance there are Inca period constructions of rough stone and adobe mortar, but what lies inside is a great mystery.

This large and very hard andesite boulder has been sculpted with 3 niches, large enough for a person to fit in.

It is not known if the Inca made it because the design does not match that which is typical of that culture.

And deeper inside is what one could best call a "false door" carved out of the andesite bed rock.

Again, it is large enough for a person to sit in comfortably.

All images by Brien Foerster - Hidden Inca Tours - Exploring Ancient Peru and Beyond 

Written by Brien Foerster - AncientPages.com Contributor

About the author: Brien Foerster - is the author of several books. He resides in Peru with his wife. Visit his blog - Hidden Inca Tours - Exploring Ancient Peru and Beyond where you can follow his fascinating research projects and take part in the most wonderful tours of the ancient world.