Cuzco: America's Ancient Mecca 



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FAMILIAR FACES IN CUZCO 



trimmed with gilt or silver braicl. The 

 poor creatures have a sorrowful expres- 

 sion and really have little to "cheer over" 

 excepting on the numerous fiesta days ; 

 then they drink large quantities of chicha, 

 made from fermented corn, and become 

 very hilarious. 



The decorated street shrines, church 

 processions, and the like are little more 

 than a game to these simple Andean chil- 

 dren. It is doubtful whether any form 

 of religion could have as deep a meaning 

 to them as had the ancient worship of the 

 sun to their ancestors. Few, I believe, 

 can see farther than the gorgeously 

 decked altars, the pageant of marching 

 Indian bearers, carrying great platforms 

 on their shoulders, supporting images of 

 the Virgin and the Saints. These images 

 are carried from the many churches to 

 the Cathedral, where they remain for a 

 visit of several weeks before being re- 

 turned to their respective homes. The 

 original Virgin of the city was presented 

 to Cuzco by Charles V of Spain. The 

 figure is adorned with gold and precious 

 stones and when carried in the procession 

 stands on a pedestal of solid silver. 



Only "a good bringing up" saved me 

 from walking off with the Inca relics in 

 one of the churches, ornaments wrought 

 by the conquered Peruvians to beautify 

 their Temple of the Sun. The present 

 church of Santo Domingo stands on the 

 foundation of this venerable temple, and 

 throughout the old part of the city are 

 many remains of the ancient capital in 

 massive walls, doorways, aqueducts, 

 fountains, and terraces. Most imposing 

 are the walls. 



I recall one street that is especially nar- 

 row ; little more than an alley, in fact ; 

 the sidewalks are merely flagstones. On 

 either side rise mighty walls, forming the 

 foundations of Spanish structures. These 

 walls are twenty feet in height, com- 

 posed of massive stones, a dark slate 

 color, irregular in size, rough on the sur- 

 face. On all sides not exposed the stones 

 were accurately cut, fitting perfectly. 

 No mortar was used, yet the walls have 

 stood through the centuries and will out- 

 live the sixteenth century buildings which 

 rise above them. The stones vary in 

 length from one to eight feet, in thick- 

 ness from six inches to two feet, the 



