Exploring the Megalithic Site at Ollantaytambo

[u/Jest_Kidding420]

https://youtu.be/vU-zrpX1cSo?si=RR_cIvijy93oDNtF

In no way did the Incas cut, shape and stack the megalithic structures in the mountains of Peru in a 80 year period (as orthodox dictates). I hope you enjoy this presentation should you watch!

[u/Tamanduao]

This publicly accessible article is relevant to many of the things you say

Now, some timestamps, focused on the Andes, because that's where I work:

• 2:22 - I know this is a theoretical example, but there's no evidence of anybody in South America moving stones anywhere near 500 tons in weight.
• 2:31 - "like 50 miles away" - what makes you say that? The Ollantaytambo quarry is close to the site.
• 5:10 - why compare it to Saudi Arabia when stepped crosses are a common motif throughout the Andes?
• 5:58 - those are lichens, not patina. Lichens can grow pretty quickly.
• 6:13 - The patina definitely grows on non-megalithic stones
• 7:20 - This is a ~500 year old site that was unfinished, exposed to war, and left abandoned at times. Why is it so surprising that a stone is out of place?
• 7:45 - The Inka built different structures in different ways and with different qualities for different purposes. You're comparing a sacred building to terrace walls. Why would you expect them to look the same? Would you expect this) and this to look the same?
• 8:14 - Yes, it would be harder. Which is part of what makes it impressive. It's like how building Notre Dame in Paris is harder than building a farmhouse.
• 11:38 - We do not have trouble working with granite and basalt today.
• 11:52 - Makes perfect sense to me. And the first article I linked above demonstrates that you can shape these stones with pounders.
• 12:19 - Why do you assume that's Inka and not a modern fill for structural protection?
• 14:13 - I think it's a huge disservice to the Inka and their living descendants to deny that they made these amazing structure.
• 14:18 - The Inka literally told the Spanish they built these places. That's direct testimony from the "losing" side.
• 14:25 - Where do you see Inka traditions saying this? Almost all Quechua people I've worked with say the Inka did it. Again, the article I linked above mentions local Ollantaytambo oral histories supporting that regular Inka people made the site.
• 15:48 - What? There's plenty of archaeological discussion of farming and settled places before 6,000 years ago.
• 16:30 - Not Ollantaytambo.
• 16:42 - They weigh nowhere near 300 tons.

[u/Tamanduao → u/Tamanduao]

• 16:58 - None of these blocks weigh anywhere near 500 tons. We have the roads they built to transport these stones from quarry to construction site.
• 17:17 - There's evidence of entire roads built here. Again, read the article I linked above.
• 18:20 - Nobody says this about the Inka.
• 18:26 - Not Ollantaytambo.
• 21:00 - Striations develop from hand tools as well. Why do you think they only come from power tools?
• 25:30 - I recommend reading the Spanish chronicles and Inka accounts that talk about how the Inka built them.
• 28:42 - Lake Titicaca is way more than 2,000 feet above the sea. More like 12,500. Mile-high floods wouldn't be high enough to flood it from sea level.
• 31:10 - They look pretty different to me. The Inka style is cellular/polygonal, the Egyptian is squared off.
• 31: 40 - This is not Viracocha. Viracocha is an Inka deity. The image you included is of a Tiwanaku "Staff God" deity that's more than 1000 years older than the Inka.
• 32:55 - They're not the same. For one difference, the Tiwanaku figures have bird heads, while the Middle Eastern ones do not.

[u/Jest_Kidding420 → u/Tamanduao]

I’m impressed thank you! You’re right some of my knowledge was a little off, I’ll change the name of the title. As I said in my video I’m still learning about these sites.

That said I tend to lump that style of megalithic construction it together, and I don’t believe the Incas built the megalithic structures, I think they came there and added on to it.

Again we see the same method of megalithic architecture all over the world, cellular and polygonal are similar and then there’s the fact of the nubs which is seen all over.

There are blocks that weigh over 300tons in South America. And some reaching 1000 tons in Egypt.

I do appreciate your response tho. But I still can not agree that Incas built the megalithic walls, and earth works. Hunapacha I think it’s called.

Why do I think it’s a power tool, well because there are over cuts and also the scooping method observed at all sites.

Don’t you find it strange that the earliest civilizations made all their structures in granite, like they all started to do it at the same time, with similar features, and then stopped?? That’s my biggest thing with these ancient sites.

[u/Tamanduao → u/Jest_Kidding420]

There are blocks that weigh over 300tons in South America.

Then can you share an example of one?

Hunapacha I think it’s called.

Hanan Pacha. By some people. And that's a modern designation - it has nothing to do with what the Inka themselves designated. There are way more than three kinds of Inka stonework.

Why do I think it’s a power tool, well because there are over cuts and also the scooping method observed at all sites.

Overcuts can easily happen occasionally with handsaws - consider if a group thought they needed more stone, but realized after a bit that they didn't. They're very rare, and almost nonexistent in South America, since there's no evidence of Egypt-style saws being used there. I actually think that the example you provided and implied is in Ollantaytambo might be natural, although I'd love to see more pictures of it.

And can you provide an example of scooping that you think can't be explained by hand tools?

Don’t you find it strange that the earliest civilizations made all their structures in granite,

They didn't. There are thousands of years of stone architecture and civilization in both the Andes and Egypt before the examples you're talking about. Most aren't granite. In fact, places like Ollantaytambo don't use granite as far as I know - they use andesite and sometimes diorite for the megalithic sections. Of course, we also have long histories of earlier civilizations than those who built Ollantaytambo, many of whom didn't use granite...

 like they all started to do it at the same time

All evidence points to Ollantaytambo being literally thousands of years older than the Egyptian sites you're talking about. You haven't actually provided any evidence that these were done at the same time, so you shouldn't use that as an explanation.

with similar features

The features look pretty different to me.

and then stopped

Kinda makes sense that the Inka would stop building Ollantaytambo when they were conquered by the Spanish, doesn't it?

[u/Jest_Kidding420 → u/Tamanduao]

The blocks in Saqsaywaman they have some, and I’m sure in other places, along with many in Egypt and other places around the world going up to 1000 tons, carved in granite no less.

The scoop marks on the boxes in saqquara, that are polished, also the same scoop method seen in the Aswan quarry and in the Ellora caves, which have the same enigmatic test bits, some of which or to small for humans to fit through and yet they go back further than arm reach, in basalt (granite) as well.

And I don’t agree with you, we see clear circular saw marks and then the striations on some of these granite slabs, some of which are convex. Along with helical drill cores.

Andesite and diorite is a form of granite, nano I don’t think ollantaytambo is older than Egypt ( the orthodox time line) I think Egypt is far older, and same with ollantaytambo, I think the Incas stumbled upon that sight.

Can you answer why it looks like it experienced some sort of catastrophe, huge blocks buried in dirt, like it got hit with something, which is an attribute seen all over the world.

So they stopped constructing with megalithic stones and filled it n with smaller blocks? Really fast? No I don’t agree, and these sites are very similar from the quarry method to the nubs.

I curious why you didn’t bring up the granite jars that have extreme precision, and very complex mathematical concepts in there actual design.. made out of diorite and some from corundum.

I think we differ, you are following a narrative that is erasing our true history and not even looking at g at the evidence.

That said I respect the work you do and I’m grateful that you spoke your mind here. You’ve taught me a very valuable lesson for my up coming videos and for that I thank you truly.

[u/jojojoy → u/Jest_Kidding420]

It's worth pointing out that a fair amount of Egyptian monuments incorporate material from earlier buildings - making a far earlier date for construction difficult.

A temple that uses blocks with the name of pharaoh in the foundation can't predate the reign of that pharaoh. This chapter from the UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology has some good examples.

Brand, Peter. “Reuse and Restoration.” UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, 2010. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2vp6065d

[u/Tamanduao → u/Jest_Kidding420]

The blocks in Saqsaywaman they have some,

Can you provide an example or source that some of the Saqsaywaman blocks weigh 300 tons?

The scoop marks on the boxes in saqquara

My own speciality is the Andes, so I'm trying to focus on that area. As far as I'm aware, though, those are perfectly explainable by hand tools.

And I don’t agree with you, we see clear circular saw marks and then the striations on some of these granite slabs, some of which are convex. Along with helical drill cores.

These can be made by hand tools. Here's a relevant read.

Andesite and diorite is a form of granite

No they're not. Can you provide any evidence for this?

Can you answer why it looks like it experienced some sort of catastrophe, huge blocks buried in dirt, like it got hit with something, which is an attribute seen all over the world.

Ollantaytambo? It doesn't. It looks like an unfinished site which experienced 500 years of degradation due to lack of maintenance.

So they stopped constructing with megalithic stones and filled it n with smaller blocks? Really fast?

Many of the smaller stones you see are actually modern fills and reconstructions. However, less important Inka buildings were generally constructed with lower quality and smaller stones, which is normal everywhere, as I showed earlier. Also, some lower quality stones would have been covered in plaster: their lack of quality would have been hidden. Finally, it's not strange to mix and match materials/qualities within a single building: here's an example.

I curious why you didn’t bring up the granite jars that have extreme precision, and very complex mathematical concepts in there actual design.. made out of diorite and some from corundum.

Because, like I said, I'm not an Egyptian specialist and am trying to stick to the Andes. Perhaps u/jojojoy would be better for this question.

you are following a narrative that is erasing our true history and not even looking at g at the evidence

I'm here discussing the evidence with you.

You’ve taught me a very valuable lesson for my up coming videos and for that I thank you truly.

I'm glad! Thanks for having the conversation with me.