Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-03-29

fruits. In old days maize and cotton were extern
sively cultivated here and in many of the earliest
graves seed pods of cotton have been found. It
still grows easily in soil surprisingly rich when
irrigated A nearby hacienda apparently con-
tanning the most extensive of the ancient burial
places, Is chiefly devoted to the fluffy bolls and
brown stalks of this plant.
The most scholarly and reliable authority
upon Pachacamac history is undoubtedly DR..
Max Uhle, now head of the new National mu-
scum at Lima. To him is due elucidation of
many puzzling anachronisms in this rich region,
and 1t was our good fortune to be accompanied
on this trip by Doctor Uhle-to whom every wall
and angle and brick has absolute significance.
The name Of the creator god, applied to
sanctuary, town and river, came into only
about ITO years before the Spanish conquest No
older name has yet been found.
Burial places always bring rich returns to
those who can interpret their annals. Here is
an enormous number of graves, not less than
$4,000 to $4,000, among them a few stall-like
cells, much cruder and earlier than the majority.
Graves are found in the open, in houses, in tenn
ples most OF which have, years ago. been rifed
for the gold, silver and gems supposed to be in
tered with the dead.
Previous to the Inca conquest probably at
least two civilizations met Pachacamac-the
culture Of the highlands and the newer customs
of the coast. After cemetery had been used
for long time the temple was destroyed: even
the sort Of civilization itself was changed
third epoch shows cultural decline, inferior
but supplanting, despite the general advance Of
the world at large. The founding and growth
of the Inca empire of the last great
events Of preSpanish centuries.
Although Pachacanac graves were 80 rich in
articles from which the story of the past can
be read, larger outlines of life and custom may
be traced in the ruins of town and temples
Approaching from the north one sees the con-
vent, still called by it's ancient name, Mamacona
("mothers," as applied to the nuns) and SUBJ
1ect OF especial study by Doctor Uhle. In the
land Of the 1ncas celibate women were not un-
common, and were generally attached to some
temple OF the sun. The mamacona was secluded
on three sides. the front only facing plain and
sea- with entrance openings No fewer than 200
OF these nuns lived here, and they were obliged
to pass through the inner and outer sanctuary
OF Pachacamac to reach the sun temple
From the convent it is best to pass on to the
former, huge structure 400 feet long, $50 wide
and covering two-thirds of an acre. Once there
were terraces on three sides, each 20 feet high
but the sand has so blown in and over and about
them that they are really dtscernible now upon
only one. Its approaches by five low and
narrow grades" slightly over three feet high
and six In length; the walls once covered with
polychrome frescoes rich in color and extremely
ancient, though traces of design still remain.
The top Of the temple is large plateau, 800
feet by 100. 1t was at least once rebuilt before
the Inca period, and may date from about B. c.
20OO but it is not, In any event, later than B. c.
LOO.
The valley, and indeed the entire region, was
ruled by chief at Pachacamac, who had the
right to enter the temple Of the highest deity, as