Machu Picchu Book

National Geographic Magazine, Page 1, April - 1913,

I am lucky enough to have received a copy of the April, 1913 issue of National Geographic Magazine (pictured above) which is, in its entirety, devoted to the 1912 expedition to Machu Picchu that was funded by the National Geographic Society  and led by Hiram Bingham of Yale University. It was ninety-nine years ago today, on July 24, 1911, that Hiram Bingham walked along its terraces for the first time. As the Editor notes in the introductory paragraph,  Bingham’s report “…forms one of the most remarkable stories of exploration in South America in the past 50 years.” Nearly 100 years later, Machu Picchu continues to capture the imagination of those who have traveled to Peru to see it and those who have only learned about it though words and pictures.

Over the next 12 months, leading up to the centennial of Bingham’ discovery, I will share my impressions of Bingham’s report that includes 250 photographs from the expedition. As the photographer of Stone Offerings Machu Picchu’s Terraces of Enlightenment, I look forward to re-discovering the site through the pages of National Geographic Magazine’s April, 1913 issue.

Tags: Hiram Bingham, History, Machu Picchu