The Fountains, The Tomb, The Squares

The Fountains

To the South of the complex, between the Temple of the Sun and the Royal Palace, the area houses a series of water fountains, the only sources of the vital element for the residents of Machu Picchu. The first three water fountains or "Paqcha" in Quechua, have been extremely well sculpted. The architectural structures in this area are basically sculpted rock to which are added other decorations such as the spillway and the side walls. This beautiful finish is due to the harmony existing between the Temple of the Sun and the Royal Palace. These fountains were fed by underground water and carried via a canal to be used for irrigation of crops.



The Tomb

The enormous leaning block of stone that holds up the Temple of the Sun has a large crack in its bottom part, which has been exceptionally skillfully decorated and furnished to be later used as a tomb. It was also a site of worship and offerings to the mummified bodies of the main authorities. In the doorway it shows a carving portraying the symbol of the goddess Mother Earth. In its interior there are niches, monolithic pillars and other accessories used for religious means and to attend the mummies.




The Squares

There are four main squares at different levels, but share the characteristic of being rectangular in the classic Inca style, interconnected by sunken stairways in the parameters of the terraces. The main square is the largest, which just like the main squares in all Inca cities, had religious and social functions. The fourth open area is a square flanked by terraces with their respective access ways, similar to the 1,000 B.C. Chavin culture.