By Tim Binnall
An intriguing new examination of how the famed Inca citadel Machu Picchu came to be known to the world has found that the wondrous archaeological site in Peru was likely given the wrong name over a century ago. The thought-provoking study was reportedly the work of Peruvian historian Donato Amado Gonzales and American archaeologist Brian Bauer, who revisited the notes of Hiram Bingham, an explorer credited by the Western world with discovering the ancient ruins in 1911. They also looked at an array of other centuries-old documents pre-dating his visit to the location and, in the process, came to a surprising realization: the name Machu Picchu was nowhere to be found and, in fact, the location appears to have had a different name altogether.
According to the researchers, "there is significant data which suggests that the Inca city actually was called Picchu or more likely, Huayna Picchu." To that end, they were able to show that an atlas created seven years before Bingham arrived at the site had the location labeled with the newly-discovered name. Additionally, they uncovered accounts wherein the explorer was specifically told about some fantastic ruins, called Huayna Picchu, which led him to go in search of the spot. However, when he arrived in the area, Bingham suspected that he had found a different ancient site and dubbed it Machu Picchu, which wound up sticking following widespread media coverage of his discovery.
As for the name Huayna Picchu, Gonzales and Bauer believe that the name is derived from "the rocky summit that lies nearest to the site, and not Machu Picchu, which is the name of the highest mountain near the ancient city." While the discovery of the misnomer is rather enlightening, experts say that the incorrect label is likely here to stay. "All names are invented and changeable and it doesn't make much difference,” mused Latin American historian Natalia Sobrevilla, who observed that "Machu Picchu is an established brand very linked to Peruvian identity, so what would be the point of changing it."