s cut gives us an idea of
their appearance. As to their construction Mr. Squier says: "Many if
not most of the pyramids, or huacas, were originally solid--built up
of successive vertical layers of bricks, or compacted clay, around a
central mass or core."
But this is not always the case; since in many huacas we find walls, in
some rooms, and, finally, as before remarked, some apparently consist of
a large, many-storied building, the rooms of which are all filled with
clay. In the mound just mentioned, Mr. Hutchinson found a number of
inclosures--though the work was done in a rough, shapeless manner. Mr.
Squier gives us a description of a many-roomed huaca as follows: "Thanks
to the energy of treasure-hunters who have penetrated its sides, we find
that it had numerous large painted chambers, was built in successive
diminishing stages, ascended by zigzag stair-ways, and was stuccoed over
and painted in bright colors. The conquerors filled up these chambers,
and recast the edifice with a thick layer of adobe."<37>
This is surely a singular piece of work. The building just described
by Mr. Squier must have been much like a pueblo. We wish we had fuller
descriptions of it. Mr. Squier is eminent authority, and scholars
delight to honor him for his researches. We take the liberty, however,
to question some of his conclusions. How does he know that this
structure was ever used for any other purpose than as a mound? It is
indeed a singular way to construct a mound, but when we learn of the
existence of mounds showing the different methods of work--some solid,
some with walls, others with rude rooms, still others with rooms towards
the top--why not say that this many-storied building was simply one
style of mound-building? He claims that the Incas filled up these rooms,
and transformed the house into a mound. Mr. Hutchinson claims there is
no proof that the Incas did this sort of work.
As an example of fortress-mounds, also prevalent in the valley of the
Huatica, we present the next cut. Mr. Hutchinson describes this mound
as being eighty feet high, and about four hundred and fifty feet square.
"Some of the adobe walls, a yard and a half in thickness, are still
quite perfect. That this was not likely to have been a burial-mound
may be presumed from its formation. Great large square rooms show their
outlines on the top, but all filled up with earth. Who brought this
earth here, and, with what object was the filling up accompl
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