A bridge made of grass

[Judi Lynn]

2 hours ago



JORDI BUSQUE

Every year the last remaining Inca rope bridge still in use is cast down and a new one erected across the Apurimac river in the Cusco region of Peru.

The Q'eswachaka bridge is woven by hand and has been in place for at least 600 years. Once part of the network that linked the most important cities and towns of the Inca empire, it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2013.



JORDI BUSQUE

The tradition has been passed on from generation to generation with every adult in the communities on either side gathering to bring new life to the crossing.



JORDI BUSQUE

Tradition dictates that only men are allowed to work on the making of the bridge itself. Women remain in the upper part of the gorge, weaving the smaller ropes.



JORDI BUSQUE

During the first day of the reconstruction, men gather around the old bridge and weave the smaller ropes into bigger ones. The main support of the bridge comes from six large three-ply ropes about one foot thick, each containing about 120 of the original thinner ropes.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-48628325

[csziggy]

1. In 2016 I saw the exhibit on this bridge and other Inca material

At The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. They had a video on the reconstruction of the bridge and a recreation of a short segment but life sized. It was amazing to see even as a replica - especially since I will never be able to see one in situ!


ETA - that exhibit is still there! The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire: https://americanindian.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/item?id=945

ETA - it will be there for another year. Well worth seeing, if you can make it to DC.

[Judi Lynn]

3. That would be a wonderful experience. Thanks. n/t

[pansypoo53219]

2. was in a doc on something i watched on PBS last year.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Will keep an eye out for it on rerun. It's amazing.

Can't imagine human beings being able to use simple grasses to create something like this. Mind boggling.

(Bet the llamas are glad when they are finished gathering the grasses!)