Adrienne took me on a tour of one of her Archeological sites today, the Q'usikancha. It's a large Inca/pre-Inca structure, that was taken over by the Incas and then by the Spanish, so there's a large mix of architectural influences all in one space. The current theory is that it was where the priests from the local religions were brought together and housed when the Incas conquered territories. It was also a ceremonial site, with many small kanchas or alcove-style rooms for private ceremonies to specific deities and a larger grassy plaza for Incan ceremonies (remember they worshiped the sun, gotta have that space out in the open!).
What she's doing there is helping to recognize the original pieces versus the alterations and recreations that have happened over the centuries. Apparently it's been sold MANY times, as well as passed through families, and is a giant cluster of re-imaginings. Today, there is mostly Inca architecture preserved in the grassy areas, with pre-Inca canals and water systems, and, for good measure, an alpaca and a few vicuna* roaming about.
*please note: Vicuna are wild creatures in Peru. They're one of the softest animals in the world, but they're also territorial and prone to aggressive behavior such as biting or spitting at tourists who think they're cute and try to pet them.
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