Survey of Intiwatana, Machu Picchu using the Optech ILRIS-3D

The Intiwatana (the hitching post of the sun) is a large carved stone located in the Sacred District of Machu Picchu, in Peru. The stone is thought to have served as a calendar. Its four corners are oriented to the four cardinal directions, and its shadows can be used to measure both equinoxes and solstices. The Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST), University of Arkansas conducted high density surveys of the Intiwatana as part of a UCLA field school in 2009. During the field school, students acquired the 3D survey data while learning about different mapping and documentation standards. CAST researchers completed the additional data processing. Visit YouTube to view a fly-through of the 3D scan of the Intiwatana: http://youtu.be/B-J16QrLJLE