Ollantiatambo
Location
Peru. Altitude 10,000 ft.
(13° 15' South, 72° 16' West.)
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Ollantiatambo - (Mountain citadel)
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Description -
A Pre-Inca fortress, with rock walls of tightly fitted blocks weighing between 150 and 250 tons each. Most of the blocks consist of a (hard andesite)(9), (red porphyry)(1), the quarries for which are situated on a mountaintop seven miles distant. As well as the difficulties that must have been experienced in dressing the stones, they had to be lowered down one mountain, over a river canyon with 1000 ft sheer rock walls, then raised up the mountain the complex is situated on. (9).
Examples of the excellent masonry at Ollantiatambo.
The six Porphyry stones (above, left), are some of the largest at the site, they weigh approximately 50 tons each. One of the stones has the remains of a 'stepped -lozenge' motif on its face. When turned horizontally (Photo-Right), the motif is similar to the Egyptian hieroglyph for 'The Exalted one' or 'God'. The same (horizontal) motif is found in Tiahuanaco.
These 'Metal-Ties' were used to secure blocks together, They are a common construction feature throughout the ancient world, but the ones from Ollantaytambo (Left) are an almost exact match with similar ties found at
Tiahuanaco (Right)
References:
1).David. D. Zink. The Ancient Stones Speak. 1979. Musson Books.
9). Rene Noorbergen. Secrets of the Lost Races. New English Library. 1977.