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.
More From Ancient Pages
-
Strange Tale Of Mysterious Thousand-Year-Old Underground Network Of Caves And Encounters With Subterranean Dwellers
Featured Stories | Jul 13, 2022 -
6,000-Year-Old Discovery Of Artifacts Associated With Ancient Lengyel Culture
Archaeology | Mar 27, 2020 -
Mystery Of Egyptian Queen Hetepheres I’s Bracelets Solved!
Archaeology | Jun 2, 2023 -
Why Did King Solomon Hide Advanced Technology In A Secret Place? – The Great Deception – Part 2
Featured Stories | Apr 3, 2021 -
Tummal Inscription’ – Thirty-Two Lines Of Sumerian Document Popular In Babylonian Schools
Featured Stories | Apr 7, 2016 -
Mythical Shield-Maidens Did Exist – Evidence Of Female Viking Warriors Discovered
Archaeology | Sep 9, 2017 -
Human Footprints Of People Who Used Caves Of Ojo Guareña, Burgos 4600 Years Ago
Archaeology | Mar 11, 2021 -
Rare Bronze Oil Lamp With A Face Cut In Half Unearthed In Israel
Archaeology | May 7, 2021 -
Three Grave Steles Unearthed At Istanbul’s 1,500-Year-Old St. Polyeuktos Church
Archaeology | Aug 24, 2023 -
Major Discovery Of A Complete Ancient Roman City In Luxor, Egypt
Archaeology | Jan 24, 2023 -
Rare Ancient Roman Cauldron Discovered In Central Norway
Archaeology | Sep 16, 2019 -
Early Christian Crypt Unearthed In Zaldapa Fortress, Bulgaria
News | Sep 7, 2015 -
Ancient Mayan City Filled With Palaces, Pyramids And Plazas Discovered On Construction Site In Mexico
Archaeology | May 27, 2022 -
Kingdom Of Mitanni: Forgotten For Millennia But Once Great Power Of Ancient West Asia In 2000 BC
Featured Stories | Jun 20, 2023 -
5 Traces Of Ancient Ancestors That Still Exist In All Human Bodies Today
Featured Stories | Jan 23, 2023 -
Mysterious Rock Art By Unknown Ancient Culture Found In Venezuela
Archaeology | Jul 5, 2024 -
Ancient Irish Practiced Special Burial Rituals Such As Dismemberment Of Bodies
Archaeology | Sep 18, 2017 -
Controversial Unexplained Ancient Mystery In Mongolia – Discovery Of Remarkable Secrets Hidden In Artificial Cave – Part 1
Featured Stories | May 1, 2018 -
The Romans Spread Parasites – Their Hygienic Innovations Gave No Health Benefit
Archaeology | Jan 9, 2016 -
Preserve Elfdalian: Sweden’s Secret Forest Language From The Viking Era
Civilizations | May 21, 2015