Intihuatana Archaeological Complex

The Intihuatana Archaeological Complex, also known as Pumacocha (Quechua for "lake of the pumas"), is an Inca site in Ayacucho, Peru, at 3,300 m elevation. The complex occupies 3,000 m2 and was built for Inca nobility, featuring precisely assembled stone structures including a palace, a tower, Inca baths, and a carved stone with 13 angles. The site reportedly housed young women prepared for ritual purposes and contains a stone associated with sacrificial ceremonies. A small waterfall fed by mineral-rich springs was considered "the water of eternal youth". The name Pumacocha derives from the complex's aerial resemblance to an Andean puma.