The Rodadero at Sacsayhuamán is an 80-million-year-old diorite dome — the largest of its kind in the Andes. Natural springs emerge where diorite meets limestone. Cuzco authorities quarried the site into the 1930s; Peru declared it a national zone in 1934 when Luis Valcárcel led first official excavations.
Rodadero diorite dome and natural springs drove Inca site selection
PeruArchitecture
Site mentioned
Key facts
- The Rodadero is an intrusive diorite dome formed approximately 80 million years ago when magma filled cracks in sedimentary rock and cooled underground before being exposed by erosion.
- It is the largest stone structure of its kind in the entire Andes.
- Natural springs emerge at the contact zone between the diorite and surrounding limestone, making it an ideal water source.
- The site was deliberately quarried and damaged by Cuzco authorities into the 1930s; the Peruvian government declared Sacsayhuamán a national archaeological zone in 1934 ahead of Cuzco's 400th anniversary.
- Luis Valcárcel led the first official large-scale excavations in 1934.
Sources
repositorio.cultura.gob.pe
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