7. Urubamba Ramble: Hiram Bingham (1875–1956) and His Artful Encounter with Machu Picchu

An aesthetically harmonious human construction in a spectacular natural setting above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu is the primary tourist destination in Peru. The claim of the American Hiram Bingham presents its classic narrative of discovery. In 1911 he assembled a well-organized expedition that reached the site by a combination of fortuitous circumstances: the rail line from the coast to Cusco had just been opened; a fairly new mule trail became available through the Torontoy Canyon, and he found out where to go and with whom to speak. An American living in Cusco, Albert A. Giesecke, was the conduit that enabled Bingham to conceive his “discovery.” By keeping other expedition members at bay, he arranged to be at center stage and attained the fame and status that he desired, a desire shared by many explorers. In countering Bingham’s account, this chapter also contests his assertion that Machu Picchu had been unknown before his visit. Bingham’s biography and the letters he exchanged provide insights into the centrality of his ego and his unwillingness to both acknowledge the crucial help he received and to correct erroneous conclusions he made about this Inca site.