Chiripa Excavations Overview Surface Survey Santiago/Choquehuanca Quispe Alejo Monticulo Llusco Computer Reconstuctions

Computer Reconstructions of the Mound Structures
by William T. Whitehead

The mound as it is now, a surface map created from data collected in 1992 and 1996. This surface was created with Bryce, and is a way to visualize the mound without the modern intrusions and allows the viewer to ignore the "real" condition of the mound.

Using the diagrams and plan maps from Kidder 1936 this three dimensional rendition was created with Raydream Tracer to visualize the "raw" structure a Chiripa upper mound house as it may been when first constructed.

This is another view of the raw structure with a floor and a different light source.

This view is from within the structure with the beginnings of a roof. No known roof structures have been found and this idea is completely hypothetical, based on an "A" framed roof.

This view is from near the floor in the corner of the structure with roofing material added to the wooden frame. The atmosphere is smokey to give the sense of what may happen if an active fire was used to light the interior. The light source is from the outside and is from the direction of the early morning sun.

This view is from the opposite side from the last view to give the feel of the structure from another perspective. The bins and the niches in the structure are clearly visible and although they are not windows do break up the walls and may have been covered in prehistory with skins, mats, or fabrics.

This image is the beginning of what the upper mound may have looked like with a full ring of houses around a sunken court. We now know that the ring was not closed but the north and south central houses were open space.

A view from the south looking north into the sunken court.

In the court looking to the south threw the gap.

An oblique birds eye view of the house ring.

The work on doing virtual reconstructions is on-going and will help with future work in restoration and visualizing the spaces of the site. Check back to see more reconstructions!

Revised February 26, 2003 11:39 - For broken links or comments and suggestions email whitehea@sscl.berkeley.edu.