Inca granaries in Ollantaytambo, Peru

On arrival in Peru, we traveled to Ollantaytambo, some 60 km.s from Cusco to acclimatize to the altitude ( 2,792 m/9,160 ft. above sea level)   The next day we puffed our way up in the thin air on a narrow path to Pinkuylllana.  These are remnants of large storage buildings perched on the mountainside about 200m above the town.  It offered a great view of the rigid grid of narrow stone walled streets in the town below,l which are largely unchanged from the original Inca construction and the agricultural terraces on the mountainside on the other side of the narrow valley.

The superb stonework of the granary walls are still in good condition and include projecting corbels on the outside of the gables which were supports and up-lift tie downs for the rafters ("hurricane straps").  I never did find out why they chose such an inaccessible location to build these, but it certainly implies a very well organized society and surmise that the food kept here would be easily defended from theft.