Patallacta (possibly fromQuechuapata elevated place / above, at the top / edge, bank (of a river), shore,llaqta place (village, town, city, country, nation),[1] "settlement on a platform"[2] pronounced "pahta-yakta"),Llactapata[3] orQ'ente Marka (possibly from Quechuaq'inti hummingbird,marka village, "hummingbird village") is an archaeological site inPeru located in theCusco Region,Urubamba Province,Machupicchu District. It is situated southeast of the siteMachu Picchu, at the confluence of the riversCusichaca andVilcanota on a mountain named Patallacta.[4]
On his way toMachu Picchu (at:13°13′57″S72°25′30″W / 13.2325095°S 72.424922°W /-13.2325095; -72.424922)Hiram Bingham, discoverer of many Incan sites, passed Patallacta,[5] sometimes given the name of Llaqtapata as evidenced by the photograph of a sign from a check-point along the Inca trail.[6] His associate Mr. Herman Tucker reported that the name of the town wasPatallacta containing about one hundred houses. Above it were several important sites includingHuayllabamba.[7] This site is located 1.5 km (1 mi) away from the start of the "Classic Inca Trail".[8]
This site housed many occupants, including travellers and soldiers who manned the nearby "hill fort" ofWillkaraqay, and a shrine with rounded walls known as Pulpituyuq that had religious and ceremonial functions.[9]
Patallacta was burned byManco Inca Yupanqui, who destroyed a number of settlements along theInca road system during his retreat fromCusco in 1536 to discourage Spanish pursuit. In part due to these efforts, the Spanish never discovered theInca Trail to Machu Picchu or any of its settlements.[10]
^Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary)
^Diccionario Quechua - Español - Quechua, Academía Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, Gobierno Regional Cusco, Cusco 2005 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary): seePatallaqta
