| Machu Picchu is generally warm and humid during the day. At night, however, it gets a little cool. Temperatures usually range anywhere from 52 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The rainy season is typically November through March. The heaviest rain is in February. Machu Picchu is also known for their orchids, and since orchids love the rain, the blooming season for Machu Picchu's orchids begins in October or November and lasts through March. Overall, many people believe the best time to visit Machu Picchu is anywhere from April to October. | All of the structures were built with the "ashlar" technique. In this technique, the stones are cut to fit together perfectly. Using this style of building, no mortar is required. The Incans were so remarkable at this technique that not even a needle could be fit in between two stones. Many of the stones weighed more than 50 tons. This fact leaves many experts baffled, considering no wheels were used to transport the rocks. Instead, some rocks were chiseled from the granite bedrock of the mountain ridge. The other stones were pushed by hundreds of men up the steep mountain side. |
| One major mystery of Machu Picchu is who actually lived there. Scholars cannot find any reference of Inca culture or folklore there. Archeologists calculated that Machu Picchu could have supported a population of about 750 people. However, only about 200 skeletons have been found at the site. Also, around 100 of the skeletons that were unearthed were discovered to have elongated skulls. The most feasible explanation of this odd occurence is that the elongated skulls were formed from a binding technique. It is also believed that only Inca royalty made their heads artificially elongated. It was a way to prove their dominance. |