Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Moray (Inca Ruins)

Posted by Alex Turnbull, Thursday, 16th November 2006

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Nearby to the previously posted Machu Picchu, Peru, is a very unusual archaeological site – the strangely beautiful Inca ruins of Moray.

moray1.jpg

The concentric rings clearly visible were farming terraces with a sophisticated irrigation system, constructed inside enormous natural depressions in the landscape. Supposedly the Incas built them here to experiment with the different farming conditions the landscape accommodates, as the annual temperature difference between the top and bottom can be up to 15°C (27°F).

Which is fairly impressive given that even this largest depression is only 30 metres (100 feet) deep.

moray2.jpg

Here’s the very brief Wikipedia page.

Thanks to Josh E.

6 Responses to 'Moray (Inca Ruins)'

  1. milan says:

    uf, it looks like E.T.

  2. KarlC says:

    uh, yes, 15ºC = 59ºF but a 15ºC delta = 27ºF delta

    Still, very cool.

  3. Alex says:

    KarlC, thanks for the correction (not that I really understand it…!), however, surely “cool” would depend on where you were standing, right? :D

  4. Russ says:

    Alex, KarlC’s got a good point: the difference between 0C and 15C is 15 degrees C.

    0C = 32F, 15C = 59F. So the difference (or delta) in Fahrenheit is 27F (59-32)…

  5. Alex says:

    Russ, I now feel very stupid :) Thanks for explaining that, post updated!

  6. koen says:

    I see the hand of some evil genius here: building giant circles for his doomsday device, blaming it on the Inca´s and then stealing 32 degrees Fahrenheit…

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