THE WALLS OF SACSAYHUAMAN - MORE MIND BOGGLING TO SOME THAN MACHU PICCHU We've expanded our specially created SENSATIONAL SOUTH AMERICA itinerary to include the ancient wonders of Peru. Among them are these "most unusual" walls that defy common understanding. Although not among the newly-named Wonders of the World, you will also see and experience these famous temple walls, which to many are more impressive than Machu Picchu, when you "go away" with Please Go Away™ Vacations.
There are no other walls like these. They are different from Stonehenge, different from the Pyramids of the Egyptians and the Maya, different from any of the other ancient monolithic stone-works. The stones fit so perfectly that no blade of grass or steel can slide between them. There is no mortar. They often join in complex and irregular surfaces that would appear to be a nightmare for the stonemason.
Scientists speculate that the masonry process might have worked like this: after carving the desired shape out of the first boulder and fitting it in place, the masons would somehow suspend the second boulder on scaffolding next to the first one. They would then have to trace out a pattern on the second boulder in order to plan the appropriate jigsaw shape that would fit the two together. In order to make a precise copy of the first boulder's edges, the masons might have used a straight stick with a hanging plum- bob to trace its edges and mark off exact points for carving on the second boulder. After tracing out the pattern, they would sculpt the stone into shape, pounding it with hand-sized stones to get the general shape before using finger-size stones for precision sanding. Admittedly, this entire technique is merely scientific speculation. The method might have worked in practice but that doesn't mean this is how the ancient Quechua stonemasons did it. Maybe you will have an idea as to how it was done.
Join team member Paula Axman and together attempt to insert a knife blade between these mortarless joints - it's impossible. | 
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