Never discovered by the Spanish or mentioned in their chronicles, Machu Picchu is the most popular, yet least well-known of the Inca monuments - the pre-colonial cultures of Peru left no written records. Yale professor Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu in the southern Andes under thick forest in 1911.

Machu Picchu was probably the sanctuary of Inca Emperor Pachacutec and lay at the heart of the Inca Empire, which dominated South America from Colombia to Chile until being toppled by Spanish conquerors in the 1530s.

The first sight of Machu Picchu is almost magical. The temples, fields,terraces, and baths appear to be part of the hillside itself ... an imposing, elegant green paradise carved into its natural surroundings. Separated into three areas - agricultural, urban, and religious - the structures are arranged so that the function of the buildings matches the form of their surroundings.

Underneath the circular Temple of the Sun is located the Royal Tomb. This cave-like area contains ceremonial niches and an Inca cross carved from one wall. The cross resembles a series of steps, and represents the three levels of existence in the world of the Inca. The first step, symbolized by the snake, represents the underworld or death. The second step represents the present, human life, and is symbolized by the jaguar. The highest step represents the celestial / spiritual plane of the gods, and is symbolized by the condor. The Royal Tomb has been the site of numerous mummy excavations. Of more than 100 skeletal remains discovered at Machu Picchu, 80% were women. This fact, among others, leads many historians to surmise that Machu Picchu was inhabited primarily by high priests and chosen women. The true purpose of Machu Picchu has never been conclusively determined.

印加文明是没有留下任何文字记载的秘鲁前殖民文化。在印加文明的历史遗迹中,最受欢迎的, 然而也是最不为人知的当属马丘比丘。它没有被西班牙人发现,在西班牙的编年史里也不曾被提及。1911年，耶鲁大学教授海勒姆.宾厄姆发现了位于南安第斯山茂密森林里的马丘比丘。

马丘比丘地处印加帝国的中心地带，很有可能是印加统治者帕查库蒂克的一个避难之地。帕查库蒂克曾统治着从哥伦比亚到智利的南美洲的广阔疆土，直到16世纪30年代被西班牙入侵者入侵者推翻。

看到马丘比丘的第一眼，就会让人觉得这里不可思议。庙宇、牧场、梯田以及公共浴场似乎都是山坡的一部分，就像一个被镶嵌在自然环境里的壮丽优雅的绿色天堂。这里的建筑被分为乡村、城市和宗教寺庙三个区域，各个区域内的结构安排是如此的精细，从而使得建筑物的功能与周围的环境特征相得益彰。

圆形的太阳神庙的底下就是皇家墓地。这个看起来像山洞一样的墓地里有宗教礼仪所需要的壁龛和一个刻在墙上的印加十字架。十字架像一级级的台阶，代表着在印加世界中三种不同级别的存在。第一层台阶的象征物是蛇，代表地域或死亡。第二层台阶代表着现世和人的生命，其象征物是美洲虎。最高一层台阶代表着诸神的精神境界，秃鹰是其象征物。皇家墓地曾有大量的木乃伊出土。在马丘比丘发现的100多具骨架中，80%的骨架是妇女的。包括这个在内的许多类似的事实引起了历史学家们的猜测，他们认为马丘比丘主要居住地是大祭司和被精心挑选出来的妇女。但马丘比丘的真正用途仍不能确定。

chronicle n. 编年体

empire n. 帝国

arrange vt. 安排

excavation n. 挖掘

sanctuary n. 避难所

conqueror n. 征服者

ceremonial adj. 礼仪的

conclusively adv. 最后的

May 打算参加学校“地球之谜”知识竞赛，但她对印加帝国的马丘比丘不太了解，于是就向同学Clive请教了一番。

C = Clive 克 = 克莱夫 M = May 美 = 阿美

C: Are you ready for the contest?

M: Not yet. I have to find out so much information. What's more, you know, I have to do some part-time job after school.

C: Well, take it easy. I may help you.

M: You're always so helpful. I need to search for something about Machu Picchu. Have you ever heard of it?

C: The sanctuary of the Inca Emperor in Peru? Of course, I have known a lot about it.

M: That's marvelous. So, is there anything unique of it?

C: Yes. The sanctuary of Machu Picchu is unique for its construction. That is, it has been divided into two large sectors - the agricultural sector and the urban or the citadel. The first surrounds the second. The first is constructed for lookouts, guards, granaries and abundant agricultural terraces. The second is constituted by the buildings as well as the plazas and the platforms. They are connected among themselves by a system of narrow lanes or paths. The urban sector is surrounded by impediments to gaining access to the sanctuary. The defense wall and the deep and wide ditch surround the whole complex, not as part of a military fortification rather as a form of restricted ceremonial isolation.

M: What an amazing city!

克：准备好参加竞赛了吗？

美：还没有呢。我要查找很多的资料啊。并且，你知道的，课后我得去做兼职。

克：嗯，别担心。我会帮你的。

美：你总是热心助人。我需要找一些马丘比丘的资料。你听说过这个地方吗？

克：是秘鲁印加皇帝的避难地吗？我知道很多呢。

美：太好了。它有什么特别的吗？

克：是的。它的建筑格局很特别。它分为两个部分：种植区和城区，即大本营。第一部分包围着第二部分。第一部分有瞭望台、护卫区、粮仓和大片的梯田。第二部分由建筑物、广场和石台构成。一个狭窄道路网将其环环相连。城区层层设卡，控制进入避难所的人员。防护墙和既深又宽的水渠环绕着整个建筑群，它们并不是军事防护工事的一部分，而只是一种仪式上的限制隔离。

美：真是个神奇的城市！

sector n. 区域

terrace n. 梯田

impediment n. 障碍物

granary n. 粮仓

platform n. 平台

假设你刚参加完在秘鲁举行的以马丘比丘为主题的摄影展回来，有外国朋友和你聊天，需要你介绍一下马丘比丘。试着完成下面的对话。

1. 外国朋友：Who found Machu Picchu?

你：____________________________________________

2. 外国朋友：When did he find it?

你：____________________________________________

3. 外国朋友：What is Machu Picchu unique for?

你：____________________________________________

1. Yale professor Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu.

2. In the year of 1911.

3. It is unique for its construction.

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