The world is full of wonders and one such wonder has resurfaced after a study by archaeologists from Machu Picchu.
One of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu is not called by this name. in fact it was never named.
For the last 111 years, since its discovery by US explorer Hiram Bingham, it has been called Machu Picchu, but the latest discovery called out the mistake.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peru was called Huayna Picchu or simple Picchu by the Inca. Nawpa Pacha: Journal of Andean Archaeology the name has been accounted for lost in translation.
“We began with the uncertainty of the name of the ruins when Bingham first visited them and then reviewed several maps and atlases printed before Bingham’s visit to the ruins. There is significant data which suggest that the Inca city actually was called Picchu or more likely, Huayna Picchu.” said Donato Amado Gonzales of Peru’s ministry of culture and Brian S Bauer from the University of Illinois Chicago.
This discovery was made after an in-depth analysis of the archaeological site. In addition to this, a map created in 1904 backed the result. In the map the location was named Huayna Picchu, which was made 7 years before the site was visited by the modern generation.
The name Huayna Picchu was named after the closest rocky summit. The name has come up many times in ruins and excavation but the reason for misnaming remains a mystery.
