Sayhuite
Encyclopedia
Sayhuite is an archaeological site
47km east of the city Abancay
in the province Abancay
in the region Apurímac
in Peru
. The site is regarded as a center of religious worship focusing on water. An important feature on the site is the Sayhuite monolith
, a rock with more than 200 geometric
and zoomorphic
figures. In the Monuments of the Inca by John Hemming, Hemming points to a colonial narrative that describes the interior of the Sayhuite temple. The temple featured larger columns draped in fabrics with gold bands the "thickness of one's hand." The temple was also under the care of the priestess Asarpay who jumped to her death in the nearby 400 meter gorge to avoid capture by Spanish forces.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
47km east of the city Abancay
Abancay
Abancay is a city in southern-central Peru. It is the most important city in the Apurímac Region, and is the capital of the Abancay Province.-Location:...
in the province Abancay
Abancay Province
The Abancay Province is one of seven provinces of the Apurímac Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Abancay.-Boundaries:*North: Cusco Region*East: Cotabambas Province, Grau Province...
in the region Apurímac
Apurímac Region
Apurímac is a region in southern-central Peru. It is bordered on the east by the Cusco Region, on the west by the Ayacucho Region, and on the south by the Arequipa and Ayacucho regions...
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. The site is regarded as a center of religious worship focusing on water. An important feature on the site is the Sayhuite monolith
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
, a rock with more than 200 geometric
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
and zoomorphic
Zoomorphism
Zoomorphism is the shaping of something in animal form or terms. Examples include:*Art that imagines humans as animals*Art that portrays one species of animal like another species of animal*Art that creates patterns using animal imagery, or animal style...
figures. In the Monuments of the Inca by John Hemming, Hemming points to a colonial narrative that describes the interior of the Sayhuite temple. The temple featured larger columns draped in fabrics with gold bands the "thickness of one's hand." The temple was also under the care of the priestess Asarpay who jumped to her death in the nearby 400 meter gorge to avoid capture by Spanish forces.