lock-hole all out of one piece, 

 thus making it much stronger 

 than the average. 



(^iranite houlders in the tioor 

 oi the i)rincii)al house in this 

 grouj) liad their tops carved into 

 kitclien utensils for grinding corn 

 and frozen potatoes (see page 

 469). In this group also we 

 found the only case of houses 

 lined with stucco or plaster made 

 of red clay (page 463), and here 

 is the only gabled building di- 

 vided into two parts by a party 

 wall rising to the peak and 

 pierced by three windows. 



SOMK KXOUISlTl'; STOXEWORK 



Another group was distin- 

 guished by having its own pri- 

 vate gardens on terraces so ar- 

 ranged that access to them could 

 be had only by passing through 

 the small collection of houses 

 constituting this particular clan 

 group. In another ca.se, the en- 

 trance to a group notable for its 

 very elaborate and exquisitely 

 finished stonework, the upright 

 cylinder in the lock-hole is 

 brought flush with the surface 

 of the stone and is a part of the 

 block itself (see pages 478 and 



Another grou]) is distinguished 

 by having monolithic lintels for 

 the doorways ( see page 477). In 

 this group also the gables are 

 unusually steep (see page 478). 



Nearly all the groups had what 

 seemed tt) be a religious center, 

 consisting of a more or less 

 carved granite block in position, against intruders. 

 In several cases caves had been 



excavated under these rocks, and in one knew it. and every time we saw it it gave 

 case the cave was beautifully lined with us a thrill of joy. 



finely cut stonework (483-485). In this The detailed study (p. 488) of wliere 



last cave a semicircular tower was con- the wall joins the next house wall shows 

 structed on the top of a boulder (485 how ingeniously the blocks were con- 

 and 496) and connected with it by the structed. so as to form a brace which 

 finest exam])le of masonry in Alachu would prevent the house and wall froiii 

 Picchu (485 and 496). leaning apart and thus causing cracks 



This beautiful wall, shown on ])ages to a])pear in the wall. The i)recision of 

 487 and 488 and also on ])age 4(p. was line, the symmetrical arrangement of the 

 made of specially selected blocks of beau- blocks, and the gradual gradation in the 

 tifully grained white granite, and was tiers, with the largest at the bottom and 

 constructed by a master artist. \\'e grew the smallest at the to]), combine to pro- 

 more fond of this wall the longer we duce a wonder fullv beautiful etifect. 



Photo by Hiram Bingham 



THK -MliCliANISM 01^ THE LOCK 



The left-hand lock-hole, shown in the upper picture 

 on the preceding page, after its stone covering had l)een 

 raised, showing the saucer-shaped depression in the cap- 

 stone. enal)ling it to strengthen the stone cylinder of the 

 lock. It was not only an ingenious, but a patient and 

 devoted workman, who would take the trouble to make 

 such a cimtrivance for securing himself and his family 



471 



