424 MAN : PAST AND PRESENT. [CHAP. 



with its myths, monuments, and traditions from one nation to 

 another, that has obscured the relations of both, and surrounded 

 the inquiry into Peruvian origins with endless difficulties and 

 contradictions. The credit of having cleared up most of these 

 obscurities, and placed the whole question on a satisfactory 

 footing, is due to the patient researches of Herren A. Stiibel and 

 M. Uhle 1 , who make it evident that the megalithic structures 

 of Tiahuanaco, including the wonderful doorway of Akkapana 2 , 

 perhaps the greatest architectural triumph of the New World, 

 were the work neither of " Toltecs " from Central America, nor 

 of Quechuas from Peru, nor of any other people but the Aymaras, 

 in whose territory they were raised. It should be remembered 

 that this territory was not even included in the Incas' empire till 

 the reign of Yupanqui, scarcely 130 years before the arrival of the 

 Spaniards, that is, at a time when the very builders themselves 

 had already passed into the world of legend, and become divine 

 beings associated with the pre-Inca cult of Viracocha, " creator of 

 all things." Garcilaso himself tells us that when the fourth Inca, 

 Mayta-Capac, first penetrated to the lake district, the sight of 

 these structures struck his Quechuan followers with such amaze- 



1 Die Ruinmsttitte von Tiahuanaco ini Hochlande des alien Peru, Breslau, 

 1893. Since the appearance of this monumental work E. W. Middendorf has 

 returned to the subject, and in his Pem: Beobachtungen n. Stndien &c. 1895, 

 vol. III. denies that the Tiahuanaco monuments were associated with the cull 

 of Viracocha, while admitting with our authors that they are not Quechuan, and 

 in fact differ fundamentally from all others in South America. The founders 

 of this civilization were connected with the now degraded Aymaras, and came 

 from some foreign land, as indicated by their name, Tiahiianaco-haque, which 

 he interprets " Wanderers from Foreign Lands." This, however, was not a 

 national name, and whatever its meaning, appears to be of Quechuan origin. 

 For our purpose it is enough that Middendorf now recognises the non-Inca 

 character of the monuments and their connection with the Aymara race. 



2 The still standing monolithic uprights in this district are specially interest- 

 ing to English archaeologists, owing to their likeness to Stonehenge : "Ak- 

 kapana macht durch seine Aenhchkeit mit den Stonehenges Englands im 

 Aeusseren allerdings einen besonders alterthlimlichen Eindruck. Allein diese 

 Aenlichkeit betrifft nur seinen gegemvartigen Zustand, und es erscheint sehr 

 fraglich, ob das unverletzte Werk die gleiche Uebereinstimmung im Aeusseren 

 mit den alten megalitischen Steinbauten Englands hatte erkennen lassen" 

 (Ruinenstatte, p. 46). 



