Fascinating theory from researcher Trevor Hawke on academia.edu! He argues Cusco's massive walls — like those at Sacsayhuaman and Qoricancha — show hallmarks of geopolymer casting rather than hand-carving. The uniform color/texture across thousands of blocks, plus marshmallow-like scoop marks from wet gel slumping, point toward chemical curing at room temperature. Worth exploring!
Geopolymer properties and Cusco masonry evidence for cast construction
PeruTheory
Key facts
- Geopolymers are ceramic materials cured chemically at room temperature through a staged reaction including a gel phase called polycondensation
- Cusco masonry is divided into two styles: ashlar (e.g., Qoricancha) and polygonal (e.g., Sacsayhuamán)
- Homogeneous color and texture across hundreds or thousands of blocks is inconsistent with hand-carved stone
- Marshmallow-like scoop marks and pillow-shaped morphology are interpreted as gravitational slumping during the wet gel phase before curing
- Research presented by independent scientist Trevor Hawke in a publication on academia.edu
Site mentioned
Sources
Trevor Hawke - Research Profileindependent.academia.edu
Uploaded in 2026: "Evidence of geopolymer concrete in megalithic architecture of Cusco, Perú" by Trevor Hawke.
Episode 4: Trevor Hawke (Part 1) – Ancient Geopolymer ...podimo.com
... Trevor connects his artifact research to the mysterious architecture of megalithic structures in Cusco, Peru, and Giza, Egypt. He explores how ancient ...
(PDF) Peruvian polygonal masonry: how, who, when and ...researchgate.net
This masonry type consists of large stone blocks weighing from several hundred kilograms to several tons fitted almost without a gap between ...
Sacsayhuamánen.wikipedia.org
Dry stone walls constructed of huge stones were built on the site, with the workers carefully cutting the boulders to fit them together tightly without mortar.
Fabrication Methods of the Polygonal Masonry of Large ...preprints.org
This masonry type consists of large stone blocks weighing from several hundred kilograms to several tons fitted. Sacsayhuaman Fortress in some way for creating ...
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