The ruins of Machu Picchu are covered in jungle growth in this 1911 photograph taken when Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham first came to the site in 1911. National GeographicToday the buildings at Machu Picchu are free of the vines and jungle growth that covered them when Bingham first arrived in 1911. National GeographicBingham returned to Machu Picchu in 1912 with a team to begin excavation of the site, and then briefly visited again in 1915. National GeographicMachu Picchu’s ruins are seen neatly excavated in 1997. The unique beauty and historical importance of the site led UNESCO to declare it a World Heritage site in 1983. National GeographicA local man sits on stairs in the entrance to Machu Picchu in this undated photograph taken by Hiram Bingham. National GeographicThe same gateway stairs are cleared of jungle growth and debris in a 2007 photograph. National GeographicBasins were used to store water at Machu Picchu, as natural springs were some distance away. shootingfilmIntihuatana translates to hitching post of the sun in the language of the Inca, and is arranged to point directly at the sun during the winter solstice. shootingfilmIndigenous guides accompanied Hiram Bingham to Machu Picchu. peruforlessHiram Bingham, in front of the Sacred Mountain Rock. the boulevardiers
