Machu Picchu Maps show references to Machu Picchu as early as 1874. In 1911 American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham travelled the region looking for the old Inca capital and was led to Machu Picchu by a villager, Melchor Arteaga. Bingham found the name Agustín Lizárraga and the date 1902 written in charcoal on one of the walls. Though Bingham was not the first to visit the ruins, he was considered the scientific discoverer who brought Machu Picchu to international attention. Bingham organized another expedition in 1912 to undertake major clearing and excavation. In 1981, Peru declared an area of surrounding Machu
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