What if Hiram Bingham wasn first?
Some disagree with Hiram Bingham’s priority claim. Simone Waisbard claims Enrique Palma, Gabino Snchez and Agustn Lizrraga were those who have discovered the ancient city, leaving their names on one of the rocks there on July 14, 1901. The words “Machu Picchu” actually refer to the peak, not the city, who knows what its real name was? “Machu Picchu” appears in documents several centuries before, but it rather refers to the mountain not what we call today (the city). It’s also important to remember that Machu Picchu wasn’t as remote as we think. It was the locals who were living there and lead Hiram Bingham to the site. It is likely that there were other visitors in the past, but either did not recognize/give importance to the site or have looted it and got away with precious objects. Hiram Bingham certainly wasn’t the first, but he was the uncovered and the only specialists who has recognized the value and importance of Machu Picchu and let the World know about it.
