Machu Picchu National Geographic again and with the full support of Peruvian President Leguia. The expedition undertook a four-month clearing of the site with local labour, which was expedited with the support of the Prefect of Cuzco. Excavation started in 1912 with further excavation undertaken in 1914 and 1915. Bingham focused on Machu Picchu because of its fine Inca stonework and well-preserved nature, which had lain undisturbed since the site was abandoned. None of Bingham's several hypotheses explaining the site held up. During his studies, he carried various artifacts back to Yale. One prominent artifact was a set of 15th-century, ceremonial Incan
Intihuatana, Urubamba century, the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo and the clergy destroyed those "Intihuatana" which they could find. They did so as they believed that the Incas' religion was a blasphemy and the religious significance of the "Intihuatana" could be a political liability. The "Intihuatana" of Machu Picchu was found intact by Bingham in 1911, indicating that the Spanish conquerors had not found it. The "Intihuatana" of Machu Picchu was carved directly into the bedrock of the mountain's summit area. It is characterized by complex surfaces, planes and angles whose purpose at this time is unknown. Incomplete descriptions of its purpose by