Hiram Bingham Reaches Machu Picchu Ruins
Yale University lecturer Hiram Bingham III organized the 1911 Yale Peruvian Expedition to locate the last Inca capital of Vilcabamba. Guided by local farmers including Melchor Arteaga, Bingham climbed a steep ridge above the Urubamba River valley on July 24. There he encountered extensive stone terraces, temples, and residential structures largely overgrown by vegetation but remarkably intact after centuries. Local Quechua residents had long known of the site, yet Bingham's photographs and subsequent publications introduced Machu Picchu to the wider world. He initially believed it might be Vilcabamba or a refuge for Inca royalty, though later research clarified its likely role as a royal estate. The discovery spurred further expeditions, excavations, and global fascination with Inca civilization.
Why it matters: Bingham's visit brought international attention and resources to Peruvian archaeology, leading to major Yale expeditions that cleared and documented the site. Machu Picchu became a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's most visited archaeological landmarks, reshaping tourism and historical understanding of the Inca Empire.