Machu Picchu's Abandonment: Why the Inca Left Their Citadel

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Machu Picchu's Abandonment: Why the Inca Left Their Citadel

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Why would the Inca abandon Machu Picchu, their most breathtaking mountain citadel? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the puzzle of Machu Picchu's abandonment, decades before the Spanish ever reached its gates. They examine evidence from the Spanish chronicler Juan de Betanzos, the quipu records, and modern archaeological surveys to understand the chain of events: the devastating smallpox epidemic that swept through Tawantinsuyu under Huayna Capac, the ensuing civil war between Huáscar and Atahualpa, and the collapse of the imperial system that had sustained the royal estate. They discuss how the aclla, the 'chosen women,' were evacuated, how the Qhapaq Ñan fell silent, and how the city's inhabitants simply melted away into the Vilcabamba region. Along the way, they reflect on what it means for a place to be 'lost' — not in the jungle, but in memory. Specifics include the role of the Chachapoya conscripts, the fate of the yanacona retainers, and the 1911 rediscovery by Hiram Bingham. The episode ends with a quiet question about what else might still be hidden in the Andes. #MachuPicchu #Inca #Tawantinsuyu #HuaynaCapac #Atahualpa #Huáscar #Smallpox #Abandonment #QhapaqÑan #Quipu #Vilcabamba #Andes #Archaeology #HiramBingham #Peru #History #FexingoHistory #LostCity Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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