Naupa Huaca: The Enigmatic Stone Temple In A Cave In Peru
Brien Foerster - AncientPages.com - Not far from some of the most famous ancient sites visited by tourists in the Sacred Valley of Peru, among the most mysterious is that which I call Naupa Huaca (Naupa means ancient and Huaca means sacred in the Inca language.)
To find it you must first enter a side valley where most taxis won't go, and then climb hundreds of stairs built by the Inca... through the ruins of agricultural terraces.
You then enter a natural cave that appears to have been created by an earthquake or other catastrophic event which shattered the bedrock.
At the cave entrance there are Inca period constructions of rough stone and adobe mortar, but what lies inside is a great mystery.
This large and very hard andesite boulder has been sculpted with 3 niches, large enough for a person to fit in.
It is not known if the Inca made it because the design does not match that which is typical of that culture.
And deeper inside is what one could best call a "false door" carved out of the andesite bed rock.
Again, it is large enough for a person to sit in comfortably.
All images by Brien Foerster - Hidden Inca Tours - Exploring Ancient Peru and Beyond
Written by Brien Foerster - AncientPages.com Contributor
About the author: Brien Foerster - is the author of several books. He resides in Peru with his wife. Visit his blog - Hidden Inca Tours - Exploring Ancient Peru and Beyond where you can follow his fascinating research projects and take part in the most wonderful tours of the ancient world.
More From Ancient Pages
-
Was Princess Tadukhipa Of The Mitanni Kingdom Queen Nefertiti?
Ancient Places | Mar 15, 2016 -
The City Of David – Why Is It So Controversial?
Ancient Places | Jan 9, 2019 -
Archaeologists Use Laser Technology To Create Digital Models Of Ancient Artifacts
Archaeology | Jan 28, 2016 -
Sweden’s Tanum And Skredsvik Petroglyphs: Thousands Of Spectacular And Intriguing Rock Art
Featured Stories | Aug 28, 2018 -
Jamestown: Unearthed graves with four bodies and a small sealed silver box
News | Aug 28, 2015 -
Feud Between The Medici And The Borgia Families – What Caused The Renaissance Clash?
Featured Stories | Mar 5, 2019 -
Treasure Trove Of Assyrian Kings Found In Tunnels Excavated And Plundered By Terrorists
Archaeology | Apr 20, 2020 -
Popular Tyrant Peisistratos Tricked The Athenians To Seize Power And People Loved Him
Featured Stories | Jan 12, 2021 -
A Scientist’s Powerful Dream Revealed An Extraordinary Archaeological Discovery
Featured Stories | Jan 25, 2019 -
Kingdom Of The Hittites Kültepe Reveals Remarkable Clay Tablets, Ruins And Artifacts
Ancient Places | Oct 16, 2015 -
Bazira – Lost City Of Alexander The Great Discovered In Pakistan
Archaeology | May 7, 2019 -
Andvaranaut: Magical Ring That Made Gold And Was Stolen By Norse God Loki
Featured Stories | Apr 12, 2017 -
Skilled Neanderthal Hand Engraved Ancient Stone And Hashtag Symbol
Archaeology | May 7, 2018 -
Mag Mell: Irish Tradition Of Otherworldly Paradise That Could Be Reached Through Death And Glory
Celtic Mythology | Feb 26, 2019 -
Precious Ancient Chinese Immortality Suits Made Of Jade
Artifacts | Aug 22, 2015 -
Antediluvian Discoveries In Britain, Germany And France That Could Re-Write History
Ancient Places | Jan 4, 2019 -
Forgotten And Overgrown Step Pyramid Of Koh Ker – Ancient Memory Of The Khmer Empire
Ancient Places | Apr 19, 2017 -
On This Day In History: ‘The Wars Of The Roses’ – Fighting For The Throne Of England At Tewkesbury – On May 4, 1471
News | May 4, 2016 -
On This Day In History: Cyrus The Great And His Army Took Babylon – On Oct 12, 539 BC
News | Oct 12, 2016 -
Aoife: Beautiful Female Warrior, Lover Of Cuchulainn And Mother Of His Only Son In Irish Beliefs
Celtic Mythology | Mar 18, 2019