In 19911,Hiram Bingham was exploring in the andes mountains in Peru. Bingham was an American professor form Yale University, who was looking for Inca ruins. One day, he asked a guide to take him to some ruins high in the mountains.
When they reached the ruins, the professor was amazed.''It seemed like an unbelievable dream'' he later wrote. ''What could this place be ? '' The place was the forgotten city of Machu Picchu.
For almost 100 years, Machu Picchu was a busy, peaceful place. But in 1532, the Inca people left. Machu Picchu, once a great city, was empty and forgotten for many centuries. Then, in 1911, Hiram Bingham introduced Machu Picchu to the world.
Bingham rediscovered a great treasure, but not everyone was happy about it. Some people complained that Bingham took important items form Machu Picchu to Yale University.