A new study seeks to trace the origins of many of the attendants who lived at the famous archaeological site Machu Picchu during its heyday. Using DNA, the results open a window into the remarkable construction, which was built without mortar or even wheels during the 15th century.
Hundreds of workers built Machu Picchu by pushing heavy stones uphill or carving them directly out of the mountainside’s bedrock. For walls, they used a method called “idquo ashlar” in which stones were fitted together precisely.
