afterward located and ex- 

 plored under the supervision 

 of Mr. Erdis, the archcologi- 

 cal engineer. The greatest 

 number of these graves were 

 in caves under the large boul- 

 ders and projecting ledges of 

 the mountain side, and the 

 method usually followed by 

 the osteologist in exploring 

 them was, first, to photograph 

 the entrance of the cave from 

 without, after which the grave 

 was opened and its contents 

 carefully removed. Measure- 

 ments w^ere taken and dia- 

 grams were made to show the 

 position of the human skele- 

 tons and the arrangement of 

 the accompanying pottery, im- 

 plements, ornaments, and 

 bones of lower animals. 



In a few instances it was 

 possible also to photograph 

 the interiors of graves. 



CONTEXTS OF THE BURIAL 

 CAVES 



In some of the caves only 

 the most fragmentary skeletal 

 remains were found ; in others 

 only the larger bones and a 

 skull or two ; wdiile others con- 

 tained not only nearly com- 

 plete skeletons, but pots in 

 more or less perfect state of 

 prescrs-ation, and occasionally 

 pieces of bronze. In this w^ay 

 a large and valuable collection 

 was made of human skeletons, 

 pottery, and other artifactsof 

 various materials, including 

 some of the tools probably 

 used by the Inca or pre-Inca 

 stone-masons in the more in- 

 tricate parts of their work. 



Before dismissing the sub- 

 ject of the ancient graves, it 

 may be noted that the custom 

 seems to have been, whenever 

 possible, to bury the dead in 

 the sitting position, with the 

 knees raised. In a very few 

 instances bodies were interred 

 in crudelv fashioned "bottle- 

 shaped graves." While en- 

 gaged in this work the collec- 



447 



