Inka Uyu

Inka Uyu

Location	Chucuito District, Puno Province, Puno Region, Peru

Inka Uyu (Aymara, hispanicized spellings Inca Uyo, Inca Uyu), is a site of cut-stone structures found at the site of Chucuito in Peru.^[1][2] Inca Uyu is a part of one of the two plazas that make up the site of Chucuito. Inca Uyu is one of the most interesting structures in the Titicaca Basin as it is an arrangement of carved stones protruding from the earth within a walled rectangular ruin. The site is a walled enclosure next to a Santo Domingo church. The 86 carved stones are five-foot high mushroom-shaped stones. After archaeological study, it was determined that the stones were ancient and from local quarries. There is some disputation that the stones have been moved, as the original excavation did not describe them being arranged upright into rows, as they are found today. The structures was first excavated by Harry and Marion Tschopik, archaeologists who specialized in Peru, in 1950, who said the structures were built in an "Inca style". It was then further excavated by Orompelio Vidal in the 1960s. He worked on clearing the plaza surrounding structures. He found and replaced the upper row of stones at the site.

The purpose of the site is still unknown, although some say it was an ancient fertility temple where fertility rites took place. This is due to the mushroom shape that people attribute to penises and that they are pointing towards the sky, towards Inti (the Inca sun god) and Pachamama (the Inca mother earth goddess). This is also said because in Aymara, Inca Uyo means "virile member of the Inca". It was said to cure many women of their infertility.

Inka Uyu was declared a 'National Heritage of the Nation' (Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación ) by the National Institute of Culture. Inka Uyu is located in the Puno Region, Puno Province, Chucuito District.

References

1. mincetur.gob.pe "Sitio Arqueológico Inca Uyo"
2. turismoi.pe/arqueologia

Coordinates: 15°53′32″S 69°53′20″W / 15.8922°S 69.8888°W