A new paper by Ministry of Culture of Peru historian Donato Amado Gonzales and University of Illinois Chicago archaeologist Brian Bauer suggests that the Inca city was originally called Picchu, or more likely Huayna Picchu, and that the name Machu Picchu became associated with the ruins starting in 1911.
- However, despite the discovery of its original name, the name is likely to remain Machu Picchu.
About Machu Picchu
- Peru’s Machu Picchu is one of the most recognized archaeological sites in the world. It is located high (2,430 m above sea level) above the Urubamba River on a narrow saddle between two mountain peaks.
- The larger peak, called Machu Picchu (3,082 m), stands to the south, while the smaller peak, Huayna Picchu (2,720 m), is located to the north.
- US explorer Hiram Bingham is credited for the rediscovery of the citadel in 1911
