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lcurran | all galleries >> Peru 2010 >> The Andes >> The Sacred Valley of the Incas >> Ollantaytambo > Storehouses
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17-AUG-2010

Storehouses

The Incas built several storehouses (Quechua: qollqa) out of fieldstones on the hills surrounding Ollantaytambo. Their location at high altitudes, where there is more wind and lower temperatures, defended their contents against decay. To enhance this effect, the Ollantaytambo qollqas feature ventilation systems. It is believed that they were used to store the production of the agricultural terraces built around the site. Grain would be poured in the windows on the uphill side of each building, then emptied out through the downhill side window.
Note the 'face' in the middle of the picture.

Canon EOS 5D ,Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
1/500s f/11.0 at 88.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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