prayed at local shrines. They sailed for the islands in reed boats, continuing via
paved roads to the sanctuaries.
The chronicler Ramos Gavilán, writing in around 1618, said that pilgrims
approaching the sacred rock had to pass through three gateways, each
increasingly sacred. The final gateway marked the boundary of the precinct,
which was surrounded by a low wall. Pilgrims removed their shoes to enter the
plaza, but not everyone could approach the sacred rock; lower-status pilgrims
probably only went as far as the first entry gate. From the plaza, pilgrims
observed solstice sunrises and sunsets. Those not allowed into the plaza could
observe the sun setting over the rock and plaza from an observation platform
outside the sacred precinct.
Given the importance of the islands, it is surprising that the Incas did not use
their famous dressed and fitted stone masonry for the main buildings on the
Titicaca islands. Rather, the buildings are constructed of fieldstone joined with
mud mortar, covered with a thick layer of earthen stucco.
Further Reading
Bauer, Brian B., and Charles Stanish. Ritual and Pilgrimage in the Ancient Andes: The Islands of the Sun
and the Moon. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2001.
■ADRIANA VON HAGEN