The Inca of Peru are well known for their mastery of stone-cutting. Without the use of iron or access to iron ore, the Inca were able to cut large blocks of local stone - granite and basalt to name two - and fashion architectural masterpieces that are unsurpassed.
Heavy stones were placed together so closely, and with such a tight fit, that mortar was not required, and a thin knife could not be passed between these immense blocks.
The trapezoid shape recurs constantly throughout Incan culture -- in particular in their architecture. Doors and windows in temples and fortresses were trapezoidal in shape, and anthropologists have questioned the symbolism of this shape.
The trapezoid is an extremely stable shape. Not only does it visually present as solid, stable and unmovable, but stones cut in this shape are structurally more stable than rectangles and some squares. Given that the Incan Empire ran through the Andes in a known seismic zone, it is highly likely that Incan architects learned over time that trapezoids provided extreme stability in times of earthquake. In fact, a trapezoidal door is much more seismicly sound that the traditional 8 foot rectangular door found in most homes in Southern California. Examples of trapezoidal doors and windows found in Peruvian architecture are shown below. Photos were taken by the author of this blog.
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| Fortress at Sacsayhuaman Note Trapezoidal Openings at top |
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| Trapezoidal Door Interior Machu Picchu |
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| Trapezoidal Windows in Upper Level Machu Picchu |
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| Small Fortress right outside Machu Picchu Trapezoidal Windows |
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight! Top result on Google for "inca trapezoid gate", too!
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