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Lost City of the Incas
First published in the 1950s, this is a classic account of the discovery in 1911 of the lost city of Machu Picchu.In 1911 Hiram Bingham, a pre-historian with a love of exotic destinations, set out to Peru in search of the legendary city of Vilcabamba, capital city of the last Inca ruler, Manco Inca. With a combination of doggedness and good fortune he stumbled on the perfectly preserved ruins of Machu Picchu perched on a cloud-capped ledge 2000 feet above the torrent of the Urubamba River. The buildings were of white granite, exquisitely carved blocks each higher than a man. Bingham had not, as it turned out, found Vilcabamba, but he had nevertheless made an astonishing and memorable discovery, which he describes in his bestselling book LOST CITY OF THE INCAS.
383 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1948
345 people are currently reading
2080 people want to read
About the author
Hiram Bingham
113 books13 followersHiram Bingham III was an academic, explorer, treasure hunter and politician from the United States. He made public the existence of the Quechua citadel of Machu Picchu in 1911 with the guidance of local indigenous farmers. Later, Bingham served as a member of the United States Senate.
Bingham was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Hiram Bingham II (1831–1908), an early Protestant missionary to the Kingdom of Hawai'i, the grandson of Hiram Bingham I (1789–1869), another missionary.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Bingham was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Hiram Bingham II (1831–1908), an early Protestant missionary to the Kingdom of Hawai'i, the grandson of Hiram Bingham I (1789–1869), another missionary.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
April 9, 2021
FLASH! “Columbus’ Discovery Rocks the Continent!!”
Ankhbayar, an intrepid Mongolian explorer, recently discovered an old fort on a rather neglected, rocky New England peninsula. Digging all around it, he turned up a few centuries-old coins which he brought back with his photographs to Ulaan Baatar. They now repose in the main museum there. Mongolian newspapers hailed him as the discoverer of the “Lost Fort of Marblehead” and it looks like he’s going to be elected to Parliament too on the basis of his fabulous exploits in the wilds of Massachusetts. But, hey, we all knew where it was all along. In fact I go there every year to watch Fourth of July fireworks explode over the harbor.
Well, folks, the above may be a bit too much, so just forgive me for belaboring a point, OK? It seems that in the wonderful world of exploration, both Columbus and Bingham got credit for discovering what was already known to many. If people in Europe and the US didn’t know where the “discoveries” were, that doesn’t mean that nobody else did. I think in both cases, we can give credit to the “discoverers” for publicizing the information widely. That would be it. Several European travelers in Peru had visited Machu Picchu before 1911. In fact, one fellow left his name on a wall with the date “1902” by it, and Bingham saw it, but didn’t mention it in the book.
That said, LCOTI is an interesting piece of writing by a Yale professor who liked roaming around South America more than teaching classes in New Haven. It tells in detail what Bingham & Co. saw on his travels through the extremely rugged Peruvian Andes on a search for the so-called "Lost City”. It’s true that HE didn’t know where it was, nor did he get a lot of help from locals, who, it seems, did not distinguish one set of ruins from another in their search for good land to grow crops. The magnificent scenery, the difficulties of travel at the time, and the characters he met along the way provide ample interest for any reader of adventure stories, for that’s what this is, an adventure story. Some say that Hiram Bingham was a model for Indiana Jones. Indiana didn’t wind up in the U.S. Senate, but Bingham did. The latter part of the book is a detailed description of the architectural details of Machu Picchu—of course the first ever—as well as the result of the expedition’s digging around the site and exploration of Inca roads leading to it. Though well-written, I think these are more of interest to archaeologists than the average reader. And then, there’s an “explanation” of the city’s origins all of which has been totally debunked by now. It seems that the idea of “ancient capital of the Incas who had fled the Spanish invasion” is not even true. To know more about that, you’ll have to read some modern texts.
P.S. In the recent Town Meeting, Marblehead citizens unanimously voted to sue Mongolia for the return of our archeological heritage! Yale has already returned thousands of items to Peru, so there's a solid precedent.
Ankhbayar, an intrepid Mongolian explorer, recently discovered an old fort on a rather neglected, rocky New England peninsula. Digging all around it, he turned up a few centuries-old coins which he brought back with his photographs to Ulaan Baatar. They now repose in the main museum there. Mongolian newspapers hailed him as the discoverer of the “Lost Fort of Marblehead” and it looks like he’s going to be elected to Parliament too on the basis of his fabulous exploits in the wilds of Massachusetts. But, hey, we all knew where it was all along. In fact I go there every year to watch Fourth of July fireworks explode over the harbor.
Well, folks, the above may be a bit too much, so just forgive me for belaboring a point, OK? It seems that in the wonderful world of exploration, both Columbus and Bingham got credit for discovering what was already known to many. If people in Europe and the US didn’t know where the “discoveries” were, that doesn’t mean that nobody else did. I think in both cases, we can give credit to the “discoverers” for publicizing the information widely. That would be it. Several European travelers in Peru had visited Machu Picchu before 1911. In fact, one fellow left his name on a wall with the date “1902” by it, and Bingham saw it, but didn’t mention it in the book.
That said, LCOTI is an interesting piece of writing by a Yale professor who liked roaming around South America more than teaching classes in New Haven. It tells in detail what Bingham & Co. saw on his travels through the extremely rugged Peruvian Andes on a search for the so-called "Lost City”. It’s true that HE didn’t know where it was, nor did he get a lot of help from locals, who, it seems, did not distinguish one set of ruins from another in their search for good land to grow crops. The magnificent scenery, the difficulties of travel at the time, and the characters he met along the way provide ample interest for any reader of adventure stories, for that’s what this is, an adventure story. Some say that Hiram Bingham was a model for Indiana Jones. Indiana didn’t wind up in the U.S. Senate, but Bingham did. The latter part of the book is a detailed description of the architectural details of Machu Picchu—of course the first ever—as well as the result of the expedition’s digging around the site and exploration of Inca roads leading to it. Though well-written, I think these are more of interest to archaeologists than the average reader. And then, there’s an “explanation” of the city’s origins all of which has been totally debunked by now. It seems that the idea of “ancient capital of the Incas who had fled the Spanish invasion” is not even true. To know more about that, you’ll have to read some modern texts.
P.S. In the recent Town Meeting, Marblehead citizens unanimously voted to sue Mongolia for the return of our archeological heritage! Yale has already returned thousands of items to Peru, so there's a solid precedent.
May 24, 2014
If there ever was a real Indiana Jones, it was Hiram Bingham -- more specifically Hiram Bingham III. His grandfather was Hiram Bingham I, who was the Protestant missionary Abner Hale in James Michener's Hawaii. Hiram I's son, Hiram II, followed in his footsteps in Hawaii. But the third generation Hiram was characterized by wanderlust. He became an explorer in Peru, then an aviator, ending up as a U.S. Senator representing his home state of Connecticut.
Lost City of the Incas, although copyrighted in 1948, covers several expeditions Hiram III undertook between 1911 and 1915, during which he claims to have discovered the ruins of Machu Picchu. He may not have been the first explorer there (the ruins do appear on an 1874 map), but he most certainly was the first person to publicize the ruins. Using The National Geographic and the prestige of his sponsors at Yale University, Bingham made the ruins well known.
Curiously, he thought he had discovered Old Vilcabamba, where the Incas who fled Spanish control ruled from, but that site was actually in the jungle at Espiritu Pampa. Bingham had visited it in 1911, but the overgrown structures did not fit in with his preconceptions of what Vilcabamba must have been like. (This is a frequent problem with Bingham, who did his damnedest to carry his point by whatever means possible.)
No matter. Bingham is an excellent writer, if not the world's most accurate archaeologist.
Lost City of the Incas, although copyrighted in 1948, covers several expeditions Hiram III undertook between 1911 and 1915, during which he claims to have discovered the ruins of Machu Picchu. He may not have been the first explorer there (the ruins do appear on an 1874 map), but he most certainly was the first person to publicize the ruins. Using The National Geographic and the prestige of his sponsors at Yale University, Bingham made the ruins well known.
Curiously, he thought he had discovered Old Vilcabamba, where the Incas who fled Spanish control ruled from, but that site was actually in the jungle at Espiritu Pampa. Bingham had visited it in 1911, but the overgrown structures did not fit in with his preconceptions of what Vilcabamba must have been like. (This is a frequent problem with Bingham, who did his damnedest to carry his point by whatever means possible.)
No matter. Bingham is an excellent writer, if not the world's most accurate archaeologist.
September 20, 2015
This autobiographical book was written in 1948, and was a best-seller at the time. Interesting to read a first hand account by a legendary figure of archaeology. Bingham's writing style is easy to read and surprisingly literary. He paints a colourful picture of the rugged mountain countryside in which he travelled, with its tangled vegetation and sparse population making the visibility of ruins almost impossible.
I believe his reputation had been damaged a bit by the time of this book - firstly for his claim that he 'discovered' Machu Picchu, when, in reality, he was the first person to bring the lost city to the attention of the West. (There had been earlier visitors, though perhaps not with the same authority as the Yale University expedition.) Secondly, although he had become a prominent politician by 1948, Bingham's personal behaviour left a lot to be desired. His first wife, with seven children, divorced him because of constant infidelity. It would be interesting to read a biography of his life. Later authors have critiqued his findings and disputed his claims, most importantly his assertion that Machu Picchu was the capital of the last Inca ruler. That place actually lies elsewhere in the remote Urubamba river region, but Bingham never yielded in his belief. More recent archaeology proved him wrong.
I believe his reputation had been damaged a bit by the time of this book - firstly for his claim that he 'discovered' Machu Picchu, when, in reality, he was the first person to bring the lost city to the attention of the West. (There had been earlier visitors, though perhaps not with the same authority as the Yale University expedition.) Secondly, although he had become a prominent politician by 1948, Bingham's personal behaviour left a lot to be desired. His first wife, with seven children, divorced him because of constant infidelity. It would be interesting to read a biography of his life. Later authors have critiqued his findings and disputed his claims, most importantly his assertion that Machu Picchu was the capital of the last Inca ruler. That place actually lies elsewhere in the remote Urubamba river region, but Bingham never yielded in his belief. More recent archaeology proved him wrong.
December 7, 2011
wow. this book is completely insane. such an interesting window into the attitudes of educated white people towards other civilizations and indigenous people. bingham writes well and is a great storyteller. and he makes me incredibly embarrassed. highly recommended reading for anyone interested in archaeology, race studies, indigenous studies, class studies...
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December 30, 2015This is white male privilege at its best/worst. He comes from an influential family of missionaries, with a sense of destiny/greatness. He marries rich. He "decides" to pursue graduate studies and gets a job at Yale. He uses his connections at Yale and elsewhere to fund expeditions. The introduction helps situate him in this realm, but it comes through pretty clearly in his own writing as well.
You don't read this book because it's good writing. You read it for the travelogue, the discovery of Machu Picchu. Having said that, he does well with the sources available. He tries really hard to make Machu Picchu into something not only wonderful in its own right, but also in historical terms--it's the lost/last city of the Incas, to which they fled when the Spanish arrived. It's also the origin city of the Incas, their birthplace. So he wants to have it both ways, based on specious reasoning and evidence. But he wants to be important, dammit!
The material is interesting; his writing is dry. The best is when his privilege slips through and you get a sense of how difficult the journeys were, but how some people had it worse than he did. "We came to an impasse, so we tied an Indian to a rope and sent him over. Then we followed." Or forcing gangs of laborers to serve to group--you just can't find good help these days, unless you pay them and offer incentives (they didn't "discover" graves and ruin until Bingham offered bonuses for anyone discovering one).
This account was written decades after the initial discovery, and Bingham situates it in the narrative to maximum effect: building to it, skipping over the discovery, and then coming back to it with additional information and later trips. You get the sense that he had to tell the story this way if he wants to seem all-powerful (which he totally does), because the initial discovery visit only lasted a few hours and there were already people living there anyway. He didn't really know what he had until later, so he does his best to ret-con the event to appear all-knowing even at the beginning.
You don't read this book because it's good writing. You read it for the travelogue, the discovery of Machu Picchu. Having said that, he does well with the sources available. He tries really hard to make Machu Picchu into something not only wonderful in its own right, but also in historical terms--it's the lost/last city of the Incas, to which they fled when the Spanish arrived. It's also the origin city of the Incas, their birthplace. So he wants to have it both ways, based on specious reasoning and evidence. But he wants to be important, dammit!
The material is interesting; his writing is dry. The best is when his privilege slips through and you get a sense of how difficult the journeys were, but how some people had it worse than he did. "We came to an impasse, so we tied an Indian to a rope and sent him over. Then we followed." Or forcing gangs of laborers to serve to group--you just can't find good help these days, unless you pay them and offer incentives (they didn't "discover" graves and ruin until Bingham offered bonuses for anyone discovering one).
This account was written decades after the initial discovery, and Bingham situates it in the narrative to maximum effect: building to it, skipping over the discovery, and then coming back to it with additional information and later trips. You get the sense that he had to tell the story this way if he wants to seem all-powerful (which he totally does), because the initial discovery visit only lasted a few hours and there were already people living there anyway. He didn't really know what he had until later, so he does his best to ret-con the event to appear all-knowing even at the beginning.
February 16, 2011
Great introduction to Machu Picchu. However, Bingham was a bit wrong on some things. The city was never for women only. Although he found 3/4 of the graves were female, that was corrected later. He called it Vilcabamba, which was the last place of Manco Inca after he fled Cuzco. That was incorrect; the real old retreat is miles further into the jungle.
But it is still an excellent way to understand the importance of Machu Picchu. Bingham originally from Hawaii, gives an idealistic and vivid picture of his find. Of course, he was not the first to 'find' the city. The locals knew about it but they were just farmers and did not attach any importance to the ruins.
But it is still an excellent way to understand the importance of Machu Picchu. Bingham originally from Hawaii, gives an idealistic and vivid picture of his find. Of course, he was not the first to 'find' the city. The locals knew about it but they were just farmers and did not attach any importance to the ruins.
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May 26, 2014An interesting read to know more about Machu Picchu. I bought the book in Peru just a few days before visiting the site. It starts with a nice introduction about the Incas and then does a nice job in describing the moments of the discovery.
As of today it's known that many facts are wrong, the book is a great read and it's worth it.
As of today it's known that many facts are wrong, the book is a great read and it's worth it.
September 25, 2019
First 1/3 of the book was fascinating learning about the Incas but his journey couldn't keep my attention.
December 12, 2022
Bingham’s dated hyperbole must be forgiven as this IS exciting stuff!
January 21, 2022
Reads like the journal of a turn-of-the-twentieth-century member of the British Explorers' Club giving a report to the membership especially as the ruins are cleared from the extensive jungle. A couple pictures comparing the same location before and after initial clearing. In turn, his travels are rather confusing since the only maps included are of the region - with a detailed one of Incan roads discovered as they surrounding the Machu Picchu mountain - but the travails as well as the building/ruin descriptions aren't adequate enough to give mental pictures of what Bingham is describing. Or maybe it's just me.
The history of the Incas given is certainly limited by what is known in the decade before the first World War although this is an 'updated' and revised edition of the expedition and does include various other discoveries other explorers have made. But Bingham does provide some interesting facts/suppositions that make the empire far more interesting than just the Andean civilization that Spain decimated for gold and silver.
By the way, the city was never really lost - the Indian locals knew it was there and in many cases with other ruins, had utilized the extensive terracing for their own farming and shelter.
2022-020
The history of the Incas given is certainly limited by what is known in the decade before the first World War although this is an 'updated' and revised edition of the expedition and does include various other discoveries other explorers have made. But Bingham does provide some interesting facts/suppositions that make the empire far more interesting than just the Andean civilization that Spain decimated for gold and silver.
By the way, the city was never really lost - the Indian locals knew it was there and in many cases with other ruins, had utilized the extensive terracing for their own farming and shelter.
2022-020
Read
April 24, 2025Since this book was written by a college professor in the about his trip to South American in 1910, I thought it was going to be a dry read. I was pleasantly surprised that it was very engaging and readable. While some of his comments about the people in South America were dated, I feel that this book is still a worthy read about his work to find the location of Machu Picchu again. I can hardly wait to visit this amazing site in about 8 weeks!
January 12, 2024
Recommend.
October 1, 2025
Dated and much turned out to be incorrect, but still a 100 year old classic. I finished it in the shadow of Machu Picchu.
October 29, 2016
This is an amazingly gripping account of the discovery of Machu Picchu by Bingham in 1911 as well as the discovery of a few other Incan locations that lead him to it. Despite being written in the late 1940s, this is a really readable account and brings the expedition to life with vivid descriptions of all aspects of life, from the day to day challenges of getting supplies deep in the jungle and to the top of mountains to the sense of awe as the scale of their discoveries hit home. The book starts with an summary of Incan history, particularly its last days and the arrival of the Spanish, which was immensely interesting and very useful as I'm not that familiar with the Incans. Even this part of the book was easy to read and follow and brought the final days of these people to life, which is a skill in itself and often something lacking many historical accounts. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
July 5, 2011
Great book. It was actually written back in the 50's, so not only is it a fascinating look at the discovery of Macchu Picchu, but it's also a look back at the way the discoverer (Bingham) thought and worked during the early 1900's. There's a modern introduction in this edition that lets you know Bingham didn't quite get all his facts straight, but that doesn't detract from the rest of the book in any way. It made me want to go and explore the wild of the Andes.
unfinished
May 5, 2015The first part of this book, where Bingham describes the culture and customs of the Incas is really interesting. The second part, where he details his explorations is a bit dry. I didn't feel the need to finish this book.
October 23, 2022
Excellent writing and careful explanations of all things Incan gave my mind’s eye a clear and expansive view of Machu Picchu, and makes me want to see it with my physical eyes one day.
August 4, 2014
Este libro llego a mis manos cuando estaba de viaje por Peru. Luego de realizar una visita a las fantasticas ruinas de Machu Picchu, estaba deambulando por los mercados de la zona conocida como "Aguas Calientes" y me encontre con un libro escrito por el propio Hiram Bingham, el explorador que habia redescubierto la "ciudad perdida" de los Incas. Me parecio que seria una buena idea adquirir este material como recuerdo del viaje y para concer tambien algo mas acerca de esta antigua civilizacion, en las palabras de quien dirigiera las expediciones de principios del siglo XX. No compre el libro en esta zona, sino que lo hice cuando volvi a Cusco, porque que me di cuenta de que el libro que me estaban tratando de vender era una version fotocopiada y de pesima calidad de encuadernacion.
Siempre me resulta dificil otorgarle una puntuacion a este tipo de obras ya que no se trata de seguir el hilo de una trama o de analizar las caracteristicas de los personajes. Generalmente lo que hago en estos casos es puntuar de acuerdo al valor que tiene la informacion que aporta el libro, de acuerdo a lo atrapante que resulte la lectura del mismo y por supuesto, si colmo o no mis expectativas.
Primero que nada, me gustaria aclarar que Hiram Bingham encontro la ciudad luego de varias expediciones que tenian multiples objetivos y una vez que dio con la ciudad, la hizo conocida para el mundo entero. A partir de ahi, comenzo el estudio de esta misteriosa ciudad y de sus alrededores. Pero por supuesto, Machu Picchu ya era conocida por otras personas de la zona, las cuales no tenian idea sobre lo que la ciudad habia significado en otra epoca de la historia y no le daban la importancia que merecia.
Lo primero que hace Bingham en este libro, es hablar un poco sobre las caracteristicas que tenia la civilizacion Incaica en terminos generales, cuenta de que forma vivian, como eran fisicamente, cuales eran sus costumbres, como evolucionaron a lo largo de ltiempo, como era su arquitectura o que dieta llevaban, entre otros muchos aspectos. Para redactar esta primera parte del libro, Bingham se basa en todos los conocimientos que se tenian sobre los Incas, mas que nada provenientes de los relatos antiguos asi como tambien por el estudio detallado de los articulos encontrados en las ciudades en ruinas. Personalmente considero que esta parte del libro resulta de lo mas interesante. Luego hace un minucioso analisis sobre lo que fueron los origenes de los Incas y tambien sobre la historia de los ultimos cuatro Incas. En estos puntos, ademas de basarse en todos los estudios realizados sobre los artefactos y ciudades en ruinas conocidas, tambien toma en cuenta los manuscritos mas importantes que dejaron los conquistadores españoles y sus primeros descendientes. En este punto, Bingham tiene particular cuidado con las afirmaciones que hace, ya que estos manuscritos muchas veces se basaban en rumores no confirmados de epocas anteriores. Muchas veces, estos manuscritos tambien tenian una fuerte influencia y vision europea acerca de casi todos los aspectos que trataban. Teniendo todo esto en consideracion, Bingham solo acepta la informacion que no se contradice entre las diferentes versiones existentes y que ademas se complementa a la perfeccion con las investigaciones cientificas realizadas hasta el momento. Muchas veces en los casos en que hay varias versiones para una misma cuestion, se enumeran las opciones mas interesantes y se deja al lector que decida cual le parece mas ajustada a la realidad. Esta parte del libro, para mi, fue quiza la mas atrapante de todas, sobre todo la historia de los ultimos cuatro Incas.
A partir de este punto, el libro se mete de lleno en las expediciones que llevaron a Bingham a encontrar ruinas que se habian perdido con el paso del tiempo y a identificar zonas que permanecian inexploradas dentro del Peru. Se explica cuales fueron los acontecimientos que motivaron la realizacion de las expediciones y como se fueron dando los hechos. De aqui en mas se hace referencia permanentemente tanto a la historia del origen de los Incas, como a lo que paso con los ultimos cuatro Incas. Estos acontecimientos son lo que guiaron la busqueda de Bingham a lo largo de sus expediciones.
El ultimo tramo del libro, describe las ruinas de Machu Picchu con gran detalle, todas las excavaciones que se realizaron y los artefactos que se fueron encontrando. En este punto resulta muy interesante prestarle atencion a las dificultades que conllevo la restauracion de la ciudad, empezando por quitarle de encima la selva que habia estado creciendo durante siglos de manera descontrolada, dañando inevitablemente muchas de las maravillas que esta contenia. La seleccion de fotos que el propio Bingham tomo de la ciudad, en los primeros tiempos de la restauracion e inclusive en los momentos en que la encontro, no tienen desperdicio.
La descripcion en detalle de todo lo encontrado en las excavaciones, quiza pueda resultar un poco pesada, pero considero que se trata de un material que le da mucho valor al libro. Luego, en los dos ultimos capitulos que son: "Los caminos que llevaban a Machu Picchu" y "El origen de la ciudad que ahora llamamos Machu Picchu", el libro retoma su buen ritmo.
Investigaciones posteriores a la muerte de Bingham, utilizando tecnicas mas modernas y tomando en consideracion otros descubrimientos acerca de los Incas que se fueron llevando a cabo, determinaron que la ciudad de Machu Picchu no era la ciudad perdida que Bingham buscaba desde un principio. Bingham murio creyendo que en verdad la habia encontrado y tambien estaba convencido de algunos otros hechos que no eran del todo correctos. Por ejemplo, Bingham creia que la ciudad de Machu Picchu fue la ciudad principal que ultilizaron los ultimos cuatro Incas, pero esa ciudad era "Espiritu Pampa", no Machu Picchu. Esto se demostro aproximadamente en el año 1960. Resulta interesante seguir el razonamiento de Bingham en su libro. Basandose en los elementos que tenia a mano, no es de extrañar que llegara a las conclusiones erroneas a las que llego, de las cuales estaba absolutamente convencido. Yo considero que el razonamiento que hizo el, no estaba mal y seguramente yo hubiera cometido los mismos errores, si me basaba en las hipotesis incorrectas en las que se baso. De todas maneras, el analisis acerca del origen de Machu Picchu que realiza en el ultimo capitulo, me parece muy valido y lejos de estar incorrecto, complementa lo que la mayoria de los arqueologos piensan hoy en dia acerca de este tema. El sostiene que Machu Picchu se origino en la epoca pre-Inca de los Amautas, y que de alli surgio el primero de los Incas, que se llamo Manco Capac, quien posteriormente se volvio a establecer en el Cusco abandonando la ciudad, puesto que ya no era necesaria para el imperio. Bingham luego cae en el error de pensar que Machu Picchu fue vuelta a habitar por los ultimos cuatro Incas. De aqui en mas Bingham saca una serie de conclusiones erroneas, porque estaban basadas en hipotesis equivocadas como se comprobo posteriormente. Lo que se acepta como valido por la mayoria de los arqueologos de hoy en dia, es que la ciudad se comenzo a construir durante el mandato del gran emperador Pachacutec, epoca durante la cual los Incas conquistaron muchas otras tribus, realizaron un sin fin de construcciones importantes, extendieron enormemente sus dominios y abarcaron el valle del Urubamba, que es en donde se encuentra la montaña de Machu Picchu. Esta teoria es mencionada por Bingham a lo largo del capitulo, pero la descarta posteriormente. Yo creo que Machu Picchu podria haber sido originalmente la morada de los Amautas civilizados, que escaparon de las anarquia reinante en la region, tal y como dice Bingham, y que posteriormente volvio a acoger a los Incas, quienes continuaron con su construccion, bajo el mandato del Inca Pachacutec.
Leer este libro enriquecio mi conocimiento, esclareciendo muchas dudas que tenia y abriendome un poco mas la cabeza. Me provoco muchas ganas de volver a visitar estas ruinas en el futuro, junto con otras maravillas del imperio Inca que me quedaron pendientes por conocer. Me parece una lectura de lo mas entretenida y enriquecedora, solo hay que tener la precausion de informarse bien acerca de los errores cometidos por Bingham en sus conclusiones tempranas y tratar de meterse en la cabeza de este, para darse cuenta cuales fueron los elementos que lo llevaron a pensar de forma equivocada. Lo recomiendo fuertemente a todos aquellos que esten interesados en el tema.
Siempre me resulta dificil otorgarle una puntuacion a este tipo de obras ya que no se trata de seguir el hilo de una trama o de analizar las caracteristicas de los personajes. Generalmente lo que hago en estos casos es puntuar de acuerdo al valor que tiene la informacion que aporta el libro, de acuerdo a lo atrapante que resulte la lectura del mismo y por supuesto, si colmo o no mis expectativas.
Primero que nada, me gustaria aclarar que Hiram Bingham encontro la ciudad luego de varias expediciones que tenian multiples objetivos y una vez que dio con la ciudad, la hizo conocida para el mundo entero. A partir de ahi, comenzo el estudio de esta misteriosa ciudad y de sus alrededores. Pero por supuesto, Machu Picchu ya era conocida por otras personas de la zona, las cuales no tenian idea sobre lo que la ciudad habia significado en otra epoca de la historia y no le daban la importancia que merecia.
Lo primero que hace Bingham en este libro, es hablar un poco sobre las caracteristicas que tenia la civilizacion Incaica en terminos generales, cuenta de que forma vivian, como eran fisicamente, cuales eran sus costumbres, como evolucionaron a lo largo de ltiempo, como era su arquitectura o que dieta llevaban, entre otros muchos aspectos. Para redactar esta primera parte del libro, Bingham se basa en todos los conocimientos que se tenian sobre los Incas, mas que nada provenientes de los relatos antiguos asi como tambien por el estudio detallado de los articulos encontrados en las ciudades en ruinas. Personalmente considero que esta parte del libro resulta de lo mas interesante. Luego hace un minucioso analisis sobre lo que fueron los origenes de los Incas y tambien sobre la historia de los ultimos cuatro Incas. En estos puntos, ademas de basarse en todos los estudios realizados sobre los artefactos y ciudades en ruinas conocidas, tambien toma en cuenta los manuscritos mas importantes que dejaron los conquistadores españoles y sus primeros descendientes. En este punto, Bingham tiene particular cuidado con las afirmaciones que hace, ya que estos manuscritos muchas veces se basaban en rumores no confirmados de epocas anteriores. Muchas veces, estos manuscritos tambien tenian una fuerte influencia y vision europea acerca de casi todos los aspectos que trataban. Teniendo todo esto en consideracion, Bingham solo acepta la informacion que no se contradice entre las diferentes versiones existentes y que ademas se complementa a la perfeccion con las investigaciones cientificas realizadas hasta el momento. Muchas veces en los casos en que hay varias versiones para una misma cuestion, se enumeran las opciones mas interesantes y se deja al lector que decida cual le parece mas ajustada a la realidad. Esta parte del libro, para mi, fue quiza la mas atrapante de todas, sobre todo la historia de los ultimos cuatro Incas.
A partir de este punto, el libro se mete de lleno en las expediciones que llevaron a Bingham a encontrar ruinas que se habian perdido con el paso del tiempo y a identificar zonas que permanecian inexploradas dentro del Peru. Se explica cuales fueron los acontecimientos que motivaron la realizacion de las expediciones y como se fueron dando los hechos. De aqui en mas se hace referencia permanentemente tanto a la historia del origen de los Incas, como a lo que paso con los ultimos cuatro Incas. Estos acontecimientos son lo que guiaron la busqueda de Bingham a lo largo de sus expediciones.
El ultimo tramo del libro, describe las ruinas de Machu Picchu con gran detalle, todas las excavaciones que se realizaron y los artefactos que se fueron encontrando. En este punto resulta muy interesante prestarle atencion a las dificultades que conllevo la restauracion de la ciudad, empezando por quitarle de encima la selva que habia estado creciendo durante siglos de manera descontrolada, dañando inevitablemente muchas de las maravillas que esta contenia. La seleccion de fotos que el propio Bingham tomo de la ciudad, en los primeros tiempos de la restauracion e inclusive en los momentos en que la encontro, no tienen desperdicio.
La descripcion en detalle de todo lo encontrado en las excavaciones, quiza pueda resultar un poco pesada, pero considero que se trata de un material que le da mucho valor al libro. Luego, en los dos ultimos capitulos que son: "Los caminos que llevaban a Machu Picchu" y "El origen de la ciudad que ahora llamamos Machu Picchu", el libro retoma su buen ritmo.
Investigaciones posteriores a la muerte de Bingham, utilizando tecnicas mas modernas y tomando en consideracion otros descubrimientos acerca de los Incas que se fueron llevando a cabo, determinaron que la ciudad de Machu Picchu no era la ciudad perdida que Bingham buscaba desde un principio. Bingham murio creyendo que en verdad la habia encontrado y tambien estaba convencido de algunos otros hechos que no eran del todo correctos. Por ejemplo, Bingham creia que la ciudad de Machu Picchu fue la ciudad principal que ultilizaron los ultimos cuatro Incas, pero esa ciudad era "Espiritu Pampa", no Machu Picchu. Esto se demostro aproximadamente en el año 1960. Resulta interesante seguir el razonamiento de Bingham en su libro. Basandose en los elementos que tenia a mano, no es de extrañar que llegara a las conclusiones erroneas a las que llego, de las cuales estaba absolutamente convencido. Yo considero que el razonamiento que hizo el, no estaba mal y seguramente yo hubiera cometido los mismos errores, si me basaba en las hipotesis incorrectas en las que se baso. De todas maneras, el analisis acerca del origen de Machu Picchu que realiza en el ultimo capitulo, me parece muy valido y lejos de estar incorrecto, complementa lo que la mayoria de los arqueologos piensan hoy en dia acerca de este tema. El sostiene que Machu Picchu se origino en la epoca pre-Inca de los Amautas, y que de alli surgio el primero de los Incas, que se llamo Manco Capac, quien posteriormente se volvio a establecer en el Cusco abandonando la ciudad, puesto que ya no era necesaria para el imperio. Bingham luego cae en el error de pensar que Machu Picchu fue vuelta a habitar por los ultimos cuatro Incas. De aqui en mas Bingham saca una serie de conclusiones erroneas, porque estaban basadas en hipotesis equivocadas como se comprobo posteriormente. Lo que se acepta como valido por la mayoria de los arqueologos de hoy en dia, es que la ciudad se comenzo a construir durante el mandato del gran emperador Pachacutec, epoca durante la cual los Incas conquistaron muchas otras tribus, realizaron un sin fin de construcciones importantes, extendieron enormemente sus dominios y abarcaron el valle del Urubamba, que es en donde se encuentra la montaña de Machu Picchu. Esta teoria es mencionada por Bingham a lo largo del capitulo, pero la descarta posteriormente. Yo creo que Machu Picchu podria haber sido originalmente la morada de los Amautas civilizados, que escaparon de las anarquia reinante en la region, tal y como dice Bingham, y que posteriormente volvio a acoger a los Incas, quienes continuaron con su construccion, bajo el mandato del Inca Pachacutec.
Leer este libro enriquecio mi conocimiento, esclareciendo muchas dudas que tenia y abriendome un poco mas la cabeza. Me provoco muchas ganas de volver a visitar estas ruinas en el futuro, junto con otras maravillas del imperio Inca que me quedaron pendientes por conocer. Me parece una lectura de lo mas entretenida y enriquecedora, solo hay que tener la precausion de informarse bien acerca de los errores cometidos por Bingham en sus conclusiones tempranas y tratar de meterse en la cabeza de este, para darse cuenta cuales fueron los elementos que lo llevaron a pensar de forma equivocada. Lo recomiendo fuertemente a todos aquellos que esten interesados en el tema.
October 17, 2023
La prima volta che lessi questo saggio era fresco di stampa o quasi; me ne sono ricordato quando, nelle ultime pagine, l'autore raccontava dell'episodio del mulo che quasi scaricava nel burrone un suo compagno di spedizione. Un mio amico era seduto in treno vicino a me e raccontava che a Rodi alla sua fidanzata era successa la stessa cosa l'estate precedente.
Devo dire che la prima parte, con il riassunto della civiltà incaica, si lascia leggere ancora bene anche se è quasi tutta roba superata. In una cosa però Bingham aveva visto lontano, ossia nel considerare la civiltà incaica il risultato di una lunga e variegata formazione culturale che per antichità e relazioni (ai tempi in cui scrisse il testo, 1948, mancavano prove archeologiche) nulla aveva da invidiare ad Egizi e ai popoli della Mesopotamia. Comunque cita anche Realm of the Incas elogiandolo.
La seconda parte, quando riassume la spedizione del 1911 che culminò col ritrovamento di Macchu Picchu, è decisamente interessante e prende molto di più. Le difficoltà, l'ambiente del Perù rurale delle Ande orientali, tutto sa di avventura. Bisogna ammettere che Bingham dà credito a tutti i suoi collaboratori. Aggiungerò anche che, essendosi convinto che Vilcabamba la Vieja, residenza degli ultimi Inca, fosse un luogo sontuoso, non credette che Espiritu Pampa fosse Vilcabamba. Questo nonostante rintracciasse tutte le evidenze della documentazione storica. Per questo proseguì la ricerca andando sul Macchu Picchu, dove un paio di famiglie di agricoltori si erano stabilite appena fuori dalle rovine della città.
La terza parte riassume praticamente la spedizione del 1912, con i lavori di sgombero e la descrizione della città. Mi ci sono ritrovato facilmente nonostante siano trascorsi 20 anni dalla mia visita al sito. Certo, diverse delle sue supposizioni sono state invalidate, altre invece sono state convalidate. Nel complesso il difetto peggiore per il lettore è la piantina a doppia pagina, con la parte centrale della città proprio nel mezzo e quindi col rischio di spaccare il volume in due per leggersela bene nelle aree più importanti.
La quarta parte narra dell'avventurosa ricerca delle vie degli Inca che portavano alla città. Molto interessante e anche divertente per certi versi, questo andare in giro cercando di raccapezzarsi con la documentazione storica vecchia di 3 secoli.
Il difetto maggiore di Bingham è forse non aver compreso che molte cose cambiarono in quegli anni, in particolare certi cambiamenti che lui non coglie erano legati al crollo demografico dei due o tre decenni successivi alla conquista, che già era stata possibile per un crollo demografico precedente che aveva scatenato la guerra civile da cui Atahualpa era uscito vincitore. Crolli provocati dalle malattie introdotte dagli europei.
Bella lettura, ma avrei preferito più foto del sito e del vasellame od altri oggetti incaici e meno foto delle altre culture del Perù. Per quanto molto interessanti non sono attinenti al testo e sono fuori tema.
4 stelle e mezza.
Devo dire che la prima parte, con il riassunto della civiltà incaica, si lascia leggere ancora bene anche se è quasi tutta roba superata. In una cosa però Bingham aveva visto lontano, ossia nel considerare la civiltà incaica il risultato di una lunga e variegata formazione culturale che per antichità e relazioni (ai tempi in cui scrisse il testo, 1948, mancavano prove archeologiche) nulla aveva da invidiare ad Egizi e ai popoli della Mesopotamia. Comunque cita anche Realm of the Incas elogiandolo.
La seconda parte, quando riassume la spedizione del 1911 che culminò col ritrovamento di Macchu Picchu, è decisamente interessante e prende molto di più. Le difficoltà, l'ambiente del Perù rurale delle Ande orientali, tutto sa di avventura. Bisogna ammettere che Bingham dà credito a tutti i suoi collaboratori. Aggiungerò anche che, essendosi convinto che Vilcabamba la Vieja, residenza degli ultimi Inca, fosse un luogo sontuoso, non credette che Espiritu Pampa fosse Vilcabamba. Questo nonostante rintracciasse tutte le evidenze della documentazione storica. Per questo proseguì la ricerca andando sul Macchu Picchu, dove un paio di famiglie di agricoltori si erano stabilite appena fuori dalle rovine della città.
La terza parte riassume praticamente la spedizione del 1912, con i lavori di sgombero e la descrizione della città. Mi ci sono ritrovato facilmente nonostante siano trascorsi 20 anni dalla mia visita al sito. Certo, diverse delle sue supposizioni sono state invalidate, altre invece sono state convalidate. Nel complesso il difetto peggiore per il lettore è la piantina a doppia pagina, con la parte centrale della città proprio nel mezzo e quindi col rischio di spaccare il volume in due per leggersela bene nelle aree più importanti.
La quarta parte narra dell'avventurosa ricerca delle vie degli Inca che portavano alla città. Molto interessante e anche divertente per certi versi, questo andare in giro cercando di raccapezzarsi con la documentazione storica vecchia di 3 secoli.
Il difetto maggiore di Bingham è forse non aver compreso che molte cose cambiarono in quegli anni, in particolare certi cambiamenti che lui non coglie erano legati al crollo demografico dei due o tre decenni successivi alla conquista, che già era stata possibile per un crollo demografico precedente che aveva scatenato la guerra civile da cui Atahualpa era uscito vincitore. Crolli provocati dalle malattie introdotte dagli europei.
Bella lettura, ma avrei preferito più foto del sito e del vasellame od altri oggetti incaici e meno foto delle altre culture del Perù. Per quanto molto interessanti non sono attinenti al testo e sono fuori tema.
4 stelle e mezza.
January 19, 2022
Read this to get more of a background on my trip to Peru and Machu Picchu and found it uneven, but overall worth the read for at least the first 3/4 of the book. Bingham's history of the Incas, their society, architecture, and interaction with the Spanish was interesting, though I'm still puzzled by his full on hatred of Phillip II. Was he any worse than Charles V, etc?
Bingham admires the Incan eye bonder innovation to allow for thatched roofs, their mastery of rope bridges, and incredibly advanced stonemasonry. These descriptions are interesting in the first quarter of the book, but in the last half, in which he gets lots wrong about the origin and raison d'etre of the city, they get pretty dull. I get that he was trying to describe the landscape, but words just don't capture descriptions of buildings, terraced steps, etc. like a picture can.
A few points - it was super shady how Bingham's group, in cooperation with Peruvian government officials, would basically conscript local farmers into working for them by giving a silver dollar handshake, which apparently meant the farmers had accepted payment and thus must work for the explorer and his team.
- Bingham didn't actually discover the ruins of course, but he deserves credit for getting the funding to uncover them and to turn the place into a destination for tourists by popularizing the city in a famous issue of National Geographic. What's the point of having the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Cologne Cathedral, the Pyramids, or the city of Machu Picchu if there's no one there to appreciate it?
- The impossibility of making accurate recordings of history. How did Manco die? Was it an accident? A fight? Or was it a setup, you know, like how Pizzaro and his men did with murdering Atahualpa? We'll never know.
If you've never been, please know the altitude in Cusco is no joke, and that the aggressive street vendors can try your patience. But, in addition to the amazing old Spanish architecture, the view of the city from a smaller version of Christ the Redeemer, and the availability of alpaca meat at most meals, you are just a van, bus, train, and one more bus, ride away from a truly unique setting, one that is blessedly nearly a mile lower in elevation. This book is a neat enough companion if you want a history of the discovery. Getting a Quechua-speaking tour guide to give you more info is a nice addition as well.
Bingham admires the Incan eye bonder innovation to allow for thatched roofs, their mastery of rope bridges, and incredibly advanced stonemasonry. These descriptions are interesting in the first quarter of the book, but in the last half, in which he gets lots wrong about the origin and raison d'etre of the city, they get pretty dull. I get that he was trying to describe the landscape, but words just don't capture descriptions of buildings, terraced steps, etc. like a picture can.
A few points - it was super shady how Bingham's group, in cooperation with Peruvian government officials, would basically conscript local farmers into working for them by giving a silver dollar handshake, which apparently meant the farmers had accepted payment and thus must work for the explorer and his team.
- Bingham didn't actually discover the ruins of course, but he deserves credit for getting the funding to uncover them and to turn the place into a destination for tourists by popularizing the city in a famous issue of National Geographic. What's the point of having the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Cologne Cathedral, the Pyramids, or the city of Machu Picchu if there's no one there to appreciate it?
- The impossibility of making accurate recordings of history. How did Manco die? Was it an accident? A fight? Or was it a setup, you know, like how Pizzaro and his men did with murdering Atahualpa? We'll never know.
If you've never been, please know the altitude in Cusco is no joke, and that the aggressive street vendors can try your patience. But, in addition to the amazing old Spanish architecture, the view of the city from a smaller version of Christ the Redeemer, and the availability of alpaca meat at most meals, you are just a van, bus, train, and one more bus, ride away from a truly unique setting, one that is blessedly nearly a mile lower in elevation. This book is a neat enough companion if you want a history of the discovery. Getting a Quechua-speaking tour guide to give you more info is a nice addition as well.
February 20, 2024
Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu (and several other Inca locations that were unknown to scholarship at the time) and this is his half history, half memoir of said discovery. The first section on the history of the last Inca's is mostly good. It describes their lives in and around the Spanish colonial conquests and how they attempted to survive and utilizes a ton of primary sources relative to what was available. Some is out of date to a degree just given the age of it but it's overall still a good overview in material even if I don't find the writing all that interesting.
The second half is a mix of the discovery, excavation, and Bingham's theories on his discoveries with a larger focus on Machu Picchu. The discovery is a neat look at early 20th century Peru but I don't think it's a particularly enthralling travelogue. The excavation is a bit more interesting if you don't know how archeology in this time period worked. I have read some middle eastern memoirs on it and it's strikingly similar in a lot of the foundations but I'm always interested in seeing how these early modern archeologists went about their business.
Lastly, the Machu Picchu findings and theories. And here is the biggest issue. While his more general Inca history still has enough merit where you can read it and have a solid foundation his actual site theories are very, very wrong compared to the accepted modern interpretation. I know it's not his fault as he pioneered it and didn't have nearly a centuries worth of development to get there but, as a modern reader, few of his conclusions to the sites purpose or significance are worth knowing so it makes it less valuable to the lay reader.
In the end it's a bit too dry and out of date for me to rate higher. That said, it's still a 2* because if you take special interest in the subject of the Inca or South American archeology/pre-Columbian matters you can probably get a lot out of this. My main interests not being there it falls a bit lower on my totem poll.
The second half is a mix of the discovery, excavation, and Bingham's theories on his discoveries with a larger focus on Machu Picchu. The discovery is a neat look at early 20th century Peru but I don't think it's a particularly enthralling travelogue. The excavation is a bit more interesting if you don't know how archeology in this time period worked. I have read some middle eastern memoirs on it and it's strikingly similar in a lot of the foundations but I'm always interested in seeing how these early modern archeologists went about their business.
Lastly, the Machu Picchu findings and theories. And here is the biggest issue. While his more general Inca history still has enough merit where you can read it and have a solid foundation his actual site theories are very, very wrong compared to the accepted modern interpretation. I know it's not his fault as he pioneered it and didn't have nearly a centuries worth of development to get there but, as a modern reader, few of his conclusions to the sites purpose or significance are worth knowing so it makes it less valuable to the lay reader.
In the end it's a bit too dry and out of date for me to rate higher. That said, it's still a 2* because if you take special interest in the subject of the Inca or South American archeology/pre-Columbian matters you can probably get a lot out of this. My main interests not being there it falls a bit lower on my totem poll.
December 7, 2023
I bought this book in Peru when I was living there, after having visited the Machu Picchu twice. This was 5 years ago. This month, I finally resolved to read it, and it did not disappoint. I liked the historical part at the beginning, allowing me to reminisce about all the things I learned about the Incas when I was there. And then, there's all this story about the discovery of these new portions of the country, hidden in the forest which covered everything. I was looking for memories of my own trip there, and it brought me many. If you've visited Peru, you know that you shouldn't stop only at Machu Picchu. Choquequirau is also breathtaking and many other places as well. The writing of Bingham is very lively and gives you the impression that you're there, behind him, while he describes what he sees. But of course, we also know that even though he reluctantly admits it, Machu Picchu wasn't absolutely unknown of the Peruvians at the time. Let's give him credit for having had the place cleaned and obtaining a full edition of the National Geographic to cover the "discovefy" of this incredible sanctuary. Also, as a historian, I like that he is not afraid to expose his theories about the citadel. Now we know that he was wrong, but in order to find the truth, we always need people who suggest theories, from which we can work to find the real answers.
I would recommend this book to people who have visited Machu Picchu and want memories about it or to people who plan to visit it. Also, if you like learning about ancient civilizations, this could do as well. Don't read it if you want the truth, and only the truth, because this ain't it. But promise, you won't be annoyed in any way.
I would recommend this book to people who have visited Machu Picchu and want memories about it or to people who plan to visit it. Also, if you like learning about ancient civilizations, this could do as well. Don't read it if you want the truth, and only the truth, because this ain't it. But promise, you won't be annoyed in any way.
August 26, 2018
A decent book, written by the American who put Machu Picchu - which I recommend reading AFTER a visit to the citadel (and to Cusco, Ollanta etc.) ... I can see why many readers might have difficulty following this read; there are many geographical references throughout its text, and many names (of places and people) that one might get better acquainted with - only by taking a trip to the Land of the Incas.
Having read this account immediately after visiting the Inca places was the best thing for me. After all, I had bought this book from a Peruvian store while there ... :)
I had not known that the famous site (one of the New 7 Wonders of the World) was in fact a late home for the Virgins of the Sun, the special class of young women, hand picked from among the nobility's daughters to serve the needs of the Inca (the Emperor), his family and other high positioned nobles and priests (the inner circle). Bingham believed that they were located here by the last Inca rulers during the late years of the Empire, after the Spanish contest, trying to protect them from harm.
The citadel though, and the city itself were built way before that time - as witnessed by the amazing architecture (feel free to see archive pics - most of the site has been actually renovated/rebuilt in modern times). It is believed that it was initially meant to be the private estate of The Inca Pachacuti (1438–1472) - the same emperor who decided to name Ollantaytambo after his general, after the general had a heart attack and died there (this last bit as per my Peruvian guide, and not from this book).
Having read this account immediately after visiting the Inca places was the best thing for me. After all, I had bought this book from a Peruvian store while there ... :)
I had not known that the famous site (one of the New 7 Wonders of the World) was in fact a late home for the Virgins of the Sun, the special class of young women, hand picked from among the nobility's daughters to serve the needs of the Inca (the Emperor), his family and other high positioned nobles and priests (the inner circle). Bingham believed that they were located here by the last Inca rulers during the late years of the Empire, after the Spanish contest, trying to protect them from harm.
The citadel though, and the city itself were built way before that time - as witnessed by the amazing architecture (feel free to see archive pics - most of the site has been actually renovated/rebuilt in modern times). It is believed that it was initially meant to be the private estate of The Inca Pachacuti (1438–1472) - the same emperor who decided to name Ollantaytambo after his general, after the general had a heart attack and died there (this last bit as per my Peruvian guide, and not from this book).
May 28, 2017
A classic, of course, though I only found out about it after visiting Machu Picchu, which is a pity since you can't appreciate the contrast between the city before your eyes and that described in painstaking detail and with lavish praise by Bingham a posteriori.
The pace of the book is not fast; only in the third and last part does the storyteller come to the central point, and then sometimes the detail is a bit excessive, unless you have a map by your side. The preliminaries are necessary, though, to understand Bingham's enthusiasm at what he had found, or thought he had found.
In the prologue to the centennial edition, Hugh Thomson points out that many of Bingham's ideas about Machu Picchu have been refuted, not least the one implied by the title. Machu Picchu was never "lost": it was simply forgotten by most people, and known only to some who didn't normally matter to European and American explorers. So everything Bingham deduces about Machu Picchu has to be taken with a pinch of salt and followed up with serious, modern research about it.
In any case you shouldn't wait to read this book, especially if you're planning to go to Machu Picchu—and bear in mind that if you aren't planning that right now, you probably will by the time you've finished reading.
The pace of the book is not fast; only in the third and last part does the storyteller come to the central point, and then sometimes the detail is a bit excessive, unless you have a map by your side. The preliminaries are necessary, though, to understand Bingham's enthusiasm at what he had found, or thought he had found.
In the prologue to the centennial edition, Hugh Thomson points out that many of Bingham's ideas about Machu Picchu have been refuted, not least the one implied by the title. Machu Picchu was never "lost": it was simply forgotten by most people, and known only to some who didn't normally matter to European and American explorers. So everything Bingham deduces about Machu Picchu has to be taken with a pinch of salt and followed up with serious, modern research about it.
In any case you shouldn't wait to read this book, especially if you're planning to go to Machu Picchu—and bear in mind that if you aren't planning that right now, you probably will by the time you've finished reading.
July 29, 2019
This book is the original study written by Hiram Bingham after his "discovery" of Machu Picchu in 1911. The relatively short (270 pages) book is divided into three sections: 1. A history of the Incas; 2. The background of his search in the Andes; 3. The story of the discovery on Machu Picchu. I was hoping to like this book more that I did, but I found it really dry and clinical. The first section was based primarily on the reporting of others, including the 16th century Spanish who were occupying that part of South America. The Inca themselves did not have a writing system, so there are no first hand accounts of their lives that have much in the way of specificity. The rest of the book contains many, many precise details of the Inca settlements that he discovered and then, of course, a very precise description of the lost city itself. But I found the descriptions very technical in nature. It reminded me of the Robert and Helen Lynd book "Middletown"; informative, but clinical and dry. One of the blurbs on the cover of Bingham's book calls it "a story as romantic as any in the annals of exploration." Finding this "lost city" was clearly a spectacular achievement, but I never got a feeling that Bingham was a "romantic."
June 12, 2023
Bingham's impeccable storytelling and meticulous research make this book an absolute gem, unravelling the secrets of Machu Picchu and revealing the awe-inspiring splendor of one of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries.
When I first picked up "Lost City of the Incas", little did I know that I was about to embark on an extraordinary expedition through the vibrant history and enchanting mysteries of the Incas. Thanks to my father who recommended me reading this book.
One of the best parts of the book is Bingham's account of his discovery of Machu Picchu. The suspense and anticipation leading up to the moment when he stumbles upon the hidden city are palpable. The vivid descriptions of the rugged terrain and the sheer excitement of uncovering this ancient wonder kept me on the edge of my seat. Bingham's vivid storytelling and his ability to convey the magnitude of the discovery make this a wonderful read.
An exhilarating journey to the heart of the Andes, where the enigmatic ruins of Machu Picchu lie in wait. You shouldn't miss reading this!
When I first picked up "Lost City of the Incas", little did I know that I was about to embark on an extraordinary expedition through the vibrant history and enchanting mysteries of the Incas. Thanks to my father who recommended me reading this book.
"No one can visit Machu Picchu without being impressed with the extraordinary skill of the Inca builders and the fertility of the region they chose for their home."
One of the best parts of the book is Bingham's account of his discovery of Machu Picchu. The suspense and anticipation leading up to the moment when he stumbles upon the hidden city are palpable. The vivid descriptions of the rugged terrain and the sheer excitement of uncovering this ancient wonder kept me on the edge of my seat. Bingham's vivid storytelling and his ability to convey the magnitude of the discovery make this a wonderful read.
An exhilarating journey to the heart of the Andes, where the enigmatic ruins of Machu Picchu lie in wait. You shouldn't miss reading this!
January 16, 2025
What a fantastic, engrossing chronicle of the discovery (lets be real here and not disregard that Indians in the area had already been chilling on the mountain and harvesting crops there) of Machu Picchu. Bingham had a hunch that Vitcos, which was mentioned in the histories as a sacred city that housed the Inca royalty, was somewhere in the vicinity of the Andes. He had a made a couple trips before and had found other sites that were very significant, but none that were quite as magnificent as Picchu. The re-telling just blew me away with its rich world-building weaving together the insane tapestry that was the Neo-Incan rule, and their flight from the Conquistadors into the mountain passes. It just seems like such a dreamland and really caters to the active side of me that wants to be running small alpine single track and rivers rushing beneath and valleys opening up below. The moment that Bingham uncovers the city wrapped in jungle must have been the most incredible thing. It's worth mentioning that Bingham, much like Robert Louis Stevenson, had a very respectful relationship towards the culture and people of the area. It makes for a better read.
July 1, 2020
A well written book about one of the major archeological discoveries of the 20th century. The book reads like a Victorian travelogue when an adventurer would dress like a native and get into the heart of it all. Hiram Bingham does not go to those lengths but he was not a man who frightened easily or was adverse following through on native tales. He wrote this book some 30 years after the events described but captures the beauty of the Andes and the trek through the forest with an energy and eye for detail that made it seem current. The descriptions of hacking through the forest and inching along dangerous precipices were all well written if a little overly dramatic. Where this book fails is in the second half were it becomes too scholarly and dry when describing the artifacts found at Machu Picchu. The detail is too heavy and the speculation surrounding both the site and treasures are too fantastic to be believed. Still, this is a remarkable book that is well written and engaging even if I did find my mind wondering during some of the chapters.
December 17, 2025
I’ve purchased this book for three reasons :
For one, I have General interest in ancient cultures and mystical discoveries.
The second reason was that the book cover (published by ABC) was beautiful, and I enjoyed looking at it even if I didn’t read.
The third must be because I wanted to add it to my collection of documentary books that include pictures.
I found the beginning of the book to be the best part in it.
It contains small chapters divided to even smaller sub - chapters regarding the ancient Inca empire such as what they ate, the metals they have used, animals they have tamed and so on…
I would say it was very dry after the first half, because it didn’t involve unique stories regarding the expedition, which the writer probably had because he spent months exploring an unmapped area and was exposed to unique wildlife, unfamiliar natives and a very different civilization in an unfamiliar setting.
For one, I have General interest in ancient cultures and mystical discoveries.
The second reason was that the book cover (published by ABC) was beautiful, and I enjoyed looking at it even if I didn’t read.
The third must be because I wanted to add it to my collection of documentary books that include pictures.
I found the beginning of the book to be the best part in it.
It contains small chapters divided to even smaller sub - chapters regarding the ancient Inca empire such as what they ate, the metals they have used, animals they have tamed and so on…
I would say it was very dry after the first half, because it didn’t involve unique stories regarding the expedition, which the writer probably had because he spent months exploring an unmapped area and was exposed to unique wildlife, unfamiliar natives and a very different civilization in an unfamiliar setting.
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