Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 7, 2011 Area Machu Picchu (continued from page 4) tier of Inca terraces rose like a giant flight of stairs.” Bingham may not have been the first modern explorer to locate Machu Picchu. A rock with the name of Augustone Lizarraga dated 1902 was found in the ruins, as Bingham acknowledged. However, Bingham’s scientific exploration made Machu Picchu a celebrated venue. Grube’s photographic journey starts at Cuzco, the old Inca capital from the days of the Inca Empire which the Spaniards destroyed in the 1540s. The Glen Rock architect looks at the Andean architecture through the Sacred Valley, including the Cyclopean walls of Sacsayhuaman, the terraces and temples of Pisac, the circular agricultural center of Moray, and the unique temple ruins at Ollantaytambo. The goal of the journey, Machu Picchu, has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has been dubbed one of the Seven Wonders of the World in the second round. The first round was limited to Egypt, Greece, and Asia Minor, but the high level of culture of the Andean peoples, culminating in the Inca civilization, led Oswald Spengler to classify Andean and Mexican cultures as two of the world’s great civilizations. The Andean peoples gave the world the potato, the lima bean, and had a complicated mathematical system. Their architecture, in particular, featured superb drainage systems and construction techniques not entirely understood even today. Arnold Toynbee and, most recently, Jared Diamond were also impressed with the culture of the Andes. Machu Picchu is said to be the most popular cultural attraction in South America. Good intentions Morgan Sissler recently signed a letter of intent to play lacrosse at the University of California, Davis. Top row: School personnel Ramapo High School Athletic Director Ron Anello, Dr. Moore, Ms. Jarzabek, and Coach Sue Montegari. Bottom row: Sissler flanked by her parents, Maura and Mike. Glenn A. Grube at Machu Picchu.