Qala Yampu: The Lake Titicaca Reed Boat Project

The stones in the ruins of Tiwanaku are basically of two types, sandstone and andesite. The largest of the sandstones in the ruins are and estimated 130 tons. The andesite stones approach somewhere around 30 tons. The closest sandstone quarries are about 10 kilometers away while the closest andesite stone quarries are on distant shores of Lake Titicaca.

Most of the monoliths in Tiwanaku are carved out of the harder, denser, igneous andesite stone, weighing about 173 ponds per cubic foot. The famous Ponce Monolith, roughly 8 tons, that stands guard in the center of the Acapana pyramid is one such example. Our goal was to find a block of andesite stone large enough to create a monolith equal in size to the Ponce Monolith.

There are varying opinions as to where the andesite stones came from, with some experts believing the Yunguyo shores in Peru, and others believing the shores of Copacabana. My team did investigate Yunguyo as well as other locations. We found “piedras cansadas”, tired stones, in many locations. These were stones believed to be on their way to Tiwanaku but for some reason never made it.

To me Copacabana was a more natural selection. On either side of the beach their were small mountains or large hills, depending on how you want to look at it, completely covered with andecite outcrops and loose stones of all sizes and shapes. Equally important was the fact that the water was deep all the way to the rocky shores, meaning that we could pull our large totora boat directly next to the bank to load the stone. Also of extreme importance was the fact that the community was very friendly and eager to help us in our experiment.

Copacabana was our place. We found a stone roughly 9 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet, weighing more than 9 tons, planted about 60 feet from the water, high upon the hill with a slope about 45 degrees. The water was deep, right up to the rocky shore.

				*Click the thumbnail below to see the larger photo!*
	The stones in the ruins of Tiwanaku are basically of two types, sandstone and andesite. The largest of the sandstones in the ruins are and estimated 130 tons. The andesite stones approach somewhere around 30 tons. The closest sandstone quarries are about 10 kilometers away while the closest andesite stone quarries are on distant shores of Lake Titicaca. Most of the monoliths in Tiwanaku are carved out of the harder, denser, igneous andesite stone, weighing about 173 ponds per cubic foot. The famous Ponce Monolith, roughly 8 tons, that stands guard in the center of the Acapana pyramid is one such example. Our goal was to find a block of andesite stone large enough to create a monolith equal in size to the Ponce Monolith. There are varying opinions as to where the andesite stones came from, with some experts believing the Yunguyo shores in Peru, and others believing the shores of Copacabana. My team did investigate Yunguyo as well as other locations. We found “piedras cansadas”, tired stones, in many locations. These were stones believed to be on their way to Tiwanaku but for some reason never made it. To me Copacabana was a more natural selection. On either side of the beach their were small mountains or large hills, depending on how you want to look at it, completely covered with andecite outcrops and loose stones of all sizes and shapes. Equally important was the fact that the water was deep all the way to the rocky shores, meaning that we could pull our large totora boat directly next to the bank to load the stone. Also of extreme importance was the fact that the community was very friendly and eager to help us in our experiment. Copacabana was our place. We found a stone roughly 9 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet, weighing more than 9 tons, planted about 60 feet from the water, high upon the hill with a slope about 45 degrees. The water was deep, right up to the rocky shore.			*Copacabana* Paul Harmon atop an andesite stone near where our stone was located. ________ "The" Stone Rebekka and Caesar trying to figure how to get the stone to the boat. ________ Turaco "Tired" Stone Mariette atop a piedra cansada, tired stone, in Taraco. ________ Yunguyo "Tired" Stone Niels & Chris measuring a tired stone in Yunguyo. ________