The Fortress of Puka Pukara

“Yea, he [Moroni] had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort…and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land…and in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites” (Alma 48:8-9)

Another ancient fortress found in the Peruvian area is that of Puka Pukara, a fortress built in the central Andean region in the northern Titicaca basin. Pukara was the first regional population center in the northern Lake Titicaca Basin during the 500 B.C. to 200 A.D., period providing valuable insights into the origins of Andean civilization in the highlands. During its peak it covered just under a square mile and housed thousands of bureaucrats, priests, artisans, farmers, herders, and warriors. Its largest extent was from about 200 B.C. to about 200 A.D., though the area has a long occupation history, complex architecture and site organization. Work on the complex is under the direction of the Pukara Archaeological Project, which anticipates many years field work necessary to uncover the many secrets of the complex.

The Pukara style is identified by impressive monolithic sculptures with a variety of geometric, zoomorphic, and anthropomorphic images plus intricate, multi-colored pottery in a variety of ritual and domestic forms. As one can imagine, the size and complexity of Pukara plus its rich material culture have drawn attention by archaeologists for almost a century. Major excavations projects were conducted in 1939, by Alfred Kidder II of Harvard University, and in the 1970s under Plan Copesco, and have continued over the last decade.

The fortress is believed to have been built by one of the branches of the Chavin culture, sometimes referred to as the Pucara culture. It seems to have been a foundation of the later Wari Empire and Tiwanaku culture.

A view of the hilltop fortress known as Puka Pukara from across the valley. It sits on the hill overlooking the entrance to Cuzco and was a formidable citadel guarding the valley below

The fortress of Puka Pukara in its day is believed to have been an impressive red color since the limestone contained iron. In fact, the name Puka Pukara comes from two Quecha words meaning “red fortress,” partly, perhaps, because its limestones acquire a reddish color, especially when reflecting the twilight. The location of the fort is strategic, and overlooks the Cusco valley and down at Tambo Machay (Tanpumach’ay, meaning resting place or lodge), which consists of a series of aqueducts, canals, and waterfalls that run through the terraced rocks. The function of the site is uncertain, though it appears to have been a military outpost guarding the approaches to Cusco, as well as Tambomachay below, which was probably some type of resting place, or lodge, for travelers. On the other side, in front of the fountains there is another building also made with carved stones. Because of its location it must have been a point of protection and vigilance; that is, it was a small "pukara" from which upper side there is visual communication with Puka-Pukara.

Puka Pukara, meaning “red fort,” overlooks the valley leading into Cuzco four miles away

Puka Pukara itself contained fountains, canals, baths, various rooms, and towers, and put in Book of Mormon terms, the fortress was built with an outpost “resort,” meant to provide a place of security along the valley approaches. The fortress complex had several rooms, inner plazas, aqueducts, vantage points, and pathways, obviously built to protect the Cuzco valley four miles away, and had tunnels that once led down to the canals and fountains below.

One of the walls surrounding the Puka Pukara complex. Note the curved stone where the two walls meet—the same stonework style as that of Sacsayhuaman

The stonework at Puka Pukara is similar to that of Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo and Tiwanaku, and show a skill far beyond anything the Inca ever achieved, though modern historians like to call everything in the Peruvian Andes by the name of “Inca.” However, the history of the Cuzco Valley dates back to 1000 B.C., about 2400 years before the Inca, when the Marcavalle Culture was the dominant power; indeed organized life in the City began practically with them. In the second phase of its history, around 800 B.C., Cuzco was home to the Chanapata culture and later developed several regional states. The Inca themselves were very late entrants into the power base of the area, some date as early as 1200 A.D., but most consider their beginning later than 1400 A.D.

Many of the walls of Puka Pukara are small and medium polygonal or irregular stones, many fitted without mortar much like those of other Andean sites

It is interesting that rumors abound regarding tunnels in the Peruvian Andean area, between cities, beneath complexes, etc. There are tunnels beneath the hilltop fortress of Sacsayhuaman, overlooking Cuzco. It is claimed that when the Spanish arrived, those tunnels were a labyrinth in which some had become lost and never heard from again. Whether or not that is true, tunnels do exist which officials have placed off limits beneath the huge complex. But in Puka Pukara, there are tunnels that lead beneath the complex, one such tunnel entrance is shown in the image below.

Left: The upper complex; Right: Tunnel entrance beneath the complex