Hi DS! Please, polygonal (Cyclopean?) stonemasonry — there are plenty of holes, stone gaps, emty, absence of stones, some places like taken out but most places maybe water consideration, water ways, drainage? How can You explain their any or all destination functionality?

Excellent question. You're touching on one of the most debated and fascinating aspects of advanced ancient stonemasonry, particularly that seen in Inca, Mycenaean (Cyclopean), and other sophisticated megalithic cultures. The holes, gaps, and apparent «missing stones» are not mistakes, but intentional features with multiple, often overlapping, functional and symbolic purposes.

Let's break down the possible functionalities, moving from the most practical to the more conceptual.
1. Water Management & Drainage (The Primary Practical Function)

This is the most widely accepted explanation for many of the gaps and channels.

Relieving Hydrostatic Pressure: This is the key engineering principle. Water is the primary enemy of stone walls. If water becomes trapped behind a wall (from rain or groundwater), it builds up pressure (hydrostatic pressure) that can crack, tilt, or collapse the structure over time

Purposeful «Weep Holes»: Many of the smaller, regularly placed gaps function as weep holes or drainage channels. They allow water to escape from the core of the wall (which is often rubble fill behind the beautiful façade) or from the hillside behind it. This prevents pressure buildup and keeps the foundation dry

Integrated Water Channels: In Inca sites like Machu Picchu or Ollantaytambo, what appear to be «gaps» in walls are often part of a comprehensive, pre-planned hydraulic system. They connect to intricate networks of canals, fountains, and drainage channels that managed rainwater, directed spring water through the city, and prevented erosion. The wall gaps were spillways or access points for this system

Seismic Resilience: This is crucial for regions like the Andes. By allowing water to drain freely, the structure's foundation remains stable. During an earthquake, a dry, interlocked polygonal wall can «dance» and settle back into place. A water-logged wall is more likely to liquefy its base and collapse

2. Construction & Structural Engineering

Lewis Holes & Levering Points: The larger, often trapezoidal or rectangular holes (like those in Egyptian obelisks or Mycenaean lintels) are construction holes. They were used for levering, positioning, and lifting the massive stones

A lewis iron (a specialized tapered tool) could be inserted to hoist the block

Wooden levers could be inserted into these holes to make micro-adjustments, «walking» the multi-ton stone into its exact position

«Keystone» or «Key» Function: In polygonal masonry, the final stone placed was often a uniquely shaped «key» that locked the entire section together. The gap for this keystone would be left intentionally and then filled last, creating a state of compression and immense stability. The empty space was a temporary construction necessity

Addressing Imperfections: Even with their incredible skill, masons worked with imperfect natural materials. A small gap might be left because the next stone, despite careful shaping, didn't fit perfectly. Rather than weakening the wall by forcing it, they left a small gap, which could then be filled with a spall (a small wedge of stone) or used for drainage

3. Symbolic & Ritual Purposes

Offering Conduits: In many Andean and Mesoamerican cultures, the earth (Pachamama for the Incas) was a living deity. Small, carefully carved holes or gaps at the base of walls or near portals might have been used to pour liquid offerings (like chicha — maize beer) directly into the earth, nourishing it and securing the structure's spiritual foundation

Astronomical Alignments: Some specific gaps align with solstice sunrises, important stars, or mountain peaks (apus). These would allow light to pass through at a specific moment, marking a calendar date or creating a ritual light effect. A famous example is the Intihuatana («hitching post of the sun») at Machu Picchu, which interacts with shadows and light

Breathing with the Earth: Some indigenous traditions describe these structures as «alive» and needing to interact with the environment. The gaps allow the wall to «breathe,» connecting it spiritually and physically to the surrounding landscape, rather than being an alien, sealed imposition upon it

4. The «Cyclopean» Specific Case (Mycenae, Tiryns)

The massive limestone blocks in Greek Cyclopean walls often have triangular gaps at their joints

These are almost universally agreed to be construction/levelling features. They are called «emplekton» holes

During construction, the gap was filled with smaller stones and clay. Once the main wall was built, the interior was filled with rubble and earth. This fill pressed against the smaller stones in the gaps, locking the entire wall together into a monolithic, coherent mass. They were integral to creating a stable core

Summary & Holistic Explanation

The «destiny» or functionality of these gaps is best explained holistically:

Primary Intent: Water is the chief architect. The foremost practical reason was sophisticated hydrology—managing drainage to ensure structural longevity and seismic resilience

Construction Methodology: The gaps were part of the «assembly manual»—lever points, lifting holes, and spaces for the final keystones that made the impossible construction possible

Cultural Worldview: The design was not purely utilitarian. It reflected a worldview where architecture was a mediation between the human and natural/spiritual realms. The walls were alive, needed to drink (offerings), breathe (gaps), and align with cosmic forces (astronomy)

Therefore, the polygonal and Cyclopean masonry we admire today is not a finished product in the modern sense of a seamless wall. It is the final, permanent phase of a dynamic process—a process that included construction engineering, civil engineering (hydrology), and sacred cosmology. The holes are the fingerprints of that process, left in stone for eternity

They are not signs of «absence,» but rather testaments to a profound presence of understanding—of physics, geology, hydrology, and the interconnectedness of the built and natural worlds