Fort of the Black Eagle

The Fort of the Black Eagle - Sacsahuamán?
The Fort of the Black Eagle - Ollantaytambo



Episode 12, 14-15 - One possible location of the real Fort of the Black Eagle are these ruins. (Thanks to Anwar for the new pics!) Ollantaytambo is 75 kilometers from Cusco and a major train stop along the railway to Machu Picchu. Ollantaytambo is named after "Ollantay", hero of Inca folklore. The Chieftain Ollantay's passionate love for a princess lead to his disgrace by the ruling Inca. Outside of town lies the ruins of a fortress used by the last Inca, Manco Inca, in the last of great battles against the Spanish Conquistadors. The original inhabitants of this area, the "Tampas", built the fortress as a bulwark against the invading "Antis", a savage jungle tribe who were never subdued by the Incas. http://www.inkanatura.com/travel/popup5/ollan.htm

Episode 12, 14-15 - This is the other proposed site on which the FoBE might be based. Sacsahuamán (säksäwämän´), stronghold of the Incas outside Cuzco, Peru. Built in the 15th cent., Sacsahuamán is an imposing terraced fortress more than one third of a mile long; it is a masterpiece of stone construction. Cyclopean blocks (one is 38 ft/11.6 m long; 18 ft/5.5 m high; and 6 ft/1.8 m thick) were brought from some distance over rugged terrain without wheeled vehicles and then were fitted precisely. It was captured by the Spanish garrison besieged (1536-37) in Cuzco by Manco Capac. The loss hastened the defeat of the Native Americans. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2001 Columbia University Press. The fortress of Sacsahuaman on a hill above Cuzco, Peru. The stonemasonry is typical of much Inca work, with massive stones precisely fitted together without mortar. The three walls are 16 m/52.5 ft high, and were originally taller. It also contained a temple to the sun.
Execution Wall - Olmec Head

Episode 14 - Mendoza, Pedro, and Sancho are about to be executed by Yupanqui when Esteban arrives and begs that they be spared. The head at the top of the execution wall is actually Olmec in origin but was transplanted by the MCoG animators to Peru. For more on the Olmecs, see the Burning Shield page.
Llamas

Episode 15, 20 - Briefly seen in the series, these animals important sources of food and beasts of burden in South America. Llama, common name for a long-eared South American ruminant that is domesticated from the guanaco. The llama stands 0.9 to 1.3 m (3 to 4.3 ft) high at the shoulder and is usually white, blotched with black and brown; sometimes it is pure white or pure black. The female llama gives birth to one or rarely two offspring once every two years. Male llamas have been used as beasts of burden in the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes Mountains for more than 4000 years. The surefooted animals can carry as much as 91 kg (200 lb) for 12 hours a day, but they are not ridden. When weary or overloaded, llamas lie down and refuse to move, often spitting at their driver. The females are raised for their flesh, which tastes somewhat like mutton, and for their milk, which is used extensively in western South America. The meat of the males is tough and rarely eaten. The long, coarse wool of both sexes is used in the weaving of textiles, and the skins are tanned for leather. Llama tallow is used for making candles. The long hair is braided and used for rope, and the dried excrement is used as fuel. For related animals in the same genus, see Alpaca; Vicuña. Scientific classification: The llama belongs to the family Camelidae. It is classified as Lama glama. The guanaco is classified as Lama guanicoe. Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 98 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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