Yale hanger-on and self-promoter extraordinaire Hiram Bingham "discovered" Machu Picchu in 1911, and is still widely honored for his feat. Of course, he was led there by locals and employed the families
living there to help clear the land and chart the "lost city of the Incas." It is all bullshit, of course, although it is what American tourists want to hear. At President Obama's urging, Yale recently returned some of the artifacts looted by Bingham and his associates, and they are housed in the Casa Concha museum. Of course, Bingham is still glorified there, but, for a variety of reasons, the museum still is eminently worth visiting. It's complicated.
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| The introductory film...a very bitter-sweet memory for me... |
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| Mostly, it's about Bingham |
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| Great historical photos |
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| Thus |
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| Many colorized |
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| Today's quipu |
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| Seriously helpful model |
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| Maybe best ever |
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| Incan textile |
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Perhaps the best reason for visiting Casa Concha is this, the interactive tour of the
Machu Picchu site, done by Yale and Cal State/Hayward; it allows you to travel
the site, enlarge pix, hear from scholars, look at historical pix--an incredible virtual
tour that would enhance any tour |
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| Artifacts |
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| Pretty incredible dioramae |
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| Actual grave fnds |
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| Not to forget, the building was once someone's palace |
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| Incan stonework |
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