They seem an unholy intrusion in the sacred wilds. There, I sit and watch. Stars fade as the eastern horizon brightens. Finally, the solar disc clears the mountain ridges and the first direct rays strike the peaks. The ruins sit cradled in a saddle between sombre, conical mounts.
Agricultural terraces descend like carpeted steps down the upper slopes.
Interlaced along the lower terraces, tiers of roofless rooms resemble rows of office cubicles. Located high on a mountain ridge, Machu Picchu must have been built for a lofty purpose. Early investigators thought they found a preponderance of female bones, suggesting this might have been a sanctuary for the Virgins of the Sun. There are those who believe that Machu Picchu was a theological centre where members of the Inca priesthood were trained. No matter what its role was, the crop-growing terraces could not have produced enough to feed the population.