Inca Trail Names
Place names on the Inca Trail
Summary
Most of the names of places on the Inca Trail were invented by Hiram Bingham, and are unlikely to correspond to the original names used by the Incas. They also reflect Bingham’s assumptions about the function or significance of the different locations, which may not always have been accurate. For instance, a recent paper by a Peruvian historian and an American archaeologist argues that the original name of Machu Picchu was Huayna Picchu, or simply Picchu. The name Machu Picchu was probably another of Bingham’s inventions.
For these translations, I am indebted to Martina Faller and Iñes Callalli Villafuerte, who were kind enough to provide me with a list of translations in both English and Spanish.
Names
- Cusichaka
- Spanish: Puente Alegre
- English: Bridge of Happiness
- cusi = happy; chaca = bridge
- Q'orihuayrachina
- Spanish: (lugar donde) Se Limpia el Oro con el Viento
- English: Gold-sifting Place
- q'ori = gold; huayra = wind; -chi = causative; -na = nominalizer
- Patallaqta
- Spanish: Pueblo de escalónes o pueblo alto
- English: Step(ped) town or High town
- pata = step or stair, or high; llacta = village or town
- Huayllabamba
- Spanish: Lugar de Pasto
- English: Place of Good Pasture
- huaylla = good pasture; bamba = place
- Llupachayoc
- Spanish: (lugar donde) Se Hace Ceremoniales
- English: Place of Offerings
- (etymology uncertain) [1]
- Huarmihuanusca
- Spanish: Mujer Muerta
- English: Dead Woman
- huarmi = woman; huanusca = dead
- Pacamayo
- Spanish: Rio Escondido
- English: Hidden River
- mayo = river; pacay = to hide
- Runkuracay
- Spanish: Ruinas Amontonadas
- English: Pile of Ruins
- runku = piled; racay = derelict house [2]
- Sayacmarca
- Spanish: Poblado Pendiente
- English: Village (in a) Steep Place
- sayac = steep, vertical; marca = village
- Phuyupatamarca
- Spanish: Pueblo Alto en las Nubes
- English: Town High in the Clouds
- phuyu = cloud; pata = high part; marca = village [3]
- Huinay Huayna
- Spanish: Joven Para Siempre
- English: Forever Young
- huinay = forever; huayna = young
- Intipunku
- Spanish: Puerta del Sol
- English: Gateway of the Sun
- inti = sun; punku = gate, door [4]
- Machu Picchu
- Spanish: Cima Vieja
- English: Old Peak
- machu = old; picchu = peak [5]
- Huayna Picchu
- Spanish: Cima Joven
- English: Young Peak
- huayna = young; picchu = peak