Abstract
The landslide hazards analysis was the principal motivation to start geomorphological investigations in the area of Machu Picchu Sanctuary. But very soon, the need of a broader research was revealed, because the landscape evolution of the Urubamba River meander, where the archaeological site is located, is rather complex. Besides slope movements, also deepwards erosion, and selective mass wasting by weathering, suffusion etc. has been active there. Majority of them have been following predisposition by tectonical structure. Large-scale slope deformations have seriously affected mountain morphology in the area. The actual activity of those deformations is not well known yet, inspite that systematic monitoring has provided information as about irreversible movements on open cracks of rock outcrops within the archaeological site up to 1 mmyr-1 (lengths of time series is mostly 3 years), as about movement across the Main Plaza up to 6 mmyr-1. There still are other possibilities to explain those movements by ground deformation due to underground erosion along tectonically shattered zones, or by settlements of heavy stone buildings on water more saturated grounds.
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