The ultimate cordage project...?

[Wenie]

Has anyone else heard about this bridge? It's an Inca suspension bridge across the canyon of the Río Apurimac, made of ropes of handwoven qqoya grass (a type of Andean bunchgrass). It's a very impressive structure! Would any of you fancy making that much cordage? More to the point, would any of you be brave enough to cross that bridge?!
More pictures and information on the bridge and the process of constructing it can be found here.

 

[bloodline]

very impressive shall we start one there was a tv programme on some time ago it has been repeated but i cant remember the title may have been this bridge or similar one. how much nettle cordage do you think we will need

 

[Rhapsody]

I think that that was on What the Ancients Did For Us, or something like that. Certainly very awesome!

 

[Ed]

I think that that was on What the Ancients Did For Us

Yes thats the one, they are being repeated at the moment... really impressive bridge by the way


Ed

 

[jdlenton]

The building of one was on what the ancients did for us with Adam Heart-Davis IIRC a hole village can build one in a couple of days and the Spanish Conquistadors reckoned that those bridges could carry there mounted horses (3 horses and 3 men) and a cannon without damage, don’t know if I would like to try that

I also seem to remember they build them like that so they are disposable heavy rain or snow melt in the mountains is a regular thing it causes the gorges they cross to fill up rather rapidly and wash the bridges away if they were made of wood or stone they would loose a far greater investment than one made of grass, when it does happen the locals turn up and have a three day bridge making party

J*

 

[Wenie]

I think that that was on What the Ancients Did For Us, or something like that.

I remember seeing it on TV a year or so ago. Can't remember if it was What The Ancients Did For Us or not, but I remember they made the show's presenter try the bridge out first!

 

[Stuart]

WOW and there I was thinking a nettle cordage gill net would be the ultimate cordage project!

Stringing it up across the gorge must take a hell of a lot of work, that must weight quite a bit.

 

[innocent bystander]

Sure it wasn't Palin on one of his jaunt's ?

 

[ilovemybed]

Sounds like something Palin would do too. The What the Ancients did for us ep. was on last night - Hermione Wotserface crossed it (she was banned from being anywhere near the construction point because apparently women are bad luck...) and it did look like an ace bridge! She complained the hand-ropes were too low, but I bet they're a bit shorter than her over there...

 

[innocent bystander]

Of course - now i think about that must (might) be where i saw it. Just couldn't see AHD by the gorge in my minds eye. Sure it's been on somethng else though.
Damn short term - what's the word ? Oh yes. Memory loss...

 

[Toddy]

Of course - now i think about that must (might) be where i saw it. Just couldn't see AHD by the gorge in my minds eye. Sure it's been on somethng else though.
Damn short term - what's the word ? Oh yes. Memory loss...

No,no,no.....it's just an intellectual overload
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[ilovemybed]

I believe they are called "CRAFT" Moments:

Cant Remember A F***ing Thing!