The Washington herald., 1912-11-03
Dr. Hiram Bingham Starts for Plateau of Titicacs, in
Peru Important Archaeological Discoveries Ex-
pected in Realm OF Ancient Incas.

DR.. Hiram Bingham, backed by u5.0o0
from Yale College and $4,000 from the
National Geographical Society. Is now
starting on his return to what has been
called the 'Thibet OF America. e.. the
plateau of Titicaca. the most wonderful
uhexplored region In the new world.
where was developed the ancient civiliza-
ton OF the Incas.
DR.. Bingham's recent discovery. at
Cuxco. Of a human skeleton Of great
antiquity-supposed to be anywhere from
1000 to 5000 years old. judging from
the geological formation In which It was
found-has stimulated interest in the ex-
ploration Of that little-known part Of
the world. where. at the time Of the con-
quest of Peru by the Spaniards. there
existed the most thoroughly organized.
most widely administered. and most ex.
tensive empire OF aboriginal America.
To lend an additionally picturesque in
terest to the study Of the remains Of that
vanished civilization. there are enormous
buried treasures Of gold and silver. which
the Incas concealed to prevent them
from falling into the hands OF the Span
iards Some Of the tales of these treas
ures are doubtless myths. but certainly
not all. One In at liberty to deem either
true or false the story which attaches to
the lake OF Urcos. sixty miles southeast
of Cuzco. Small but deep. its bed like
the crater of a volcano. IL has no out
let. but repeated unsuccessful attempts
have been made to drain 1t. in order to
recover the golden chain OF Huayna
Capac. This chain. according to tradi-
tion. was of the thickness Of a mans
arm. and long enough to extend twice
around the great square of CuZco.
Wealth Is HistoricaI.
The enormous accumulations OF prec-
ious metals possessed by the Incas are
Cuzon, the ancient capital. was looted by
the invaders. the great statue Of the sun
god. taken from its temple. fell to the
lot Of the Conauistador Leguizano. who
gambled It away before morning. From
the celebrated shrine OF Pachacamac
tthe mecca OF the ancient Peruvian re-
ligion) the Spaniards took away. accord
ing TO their own account. about LOO
pounds weight Of gold. together with
an immense quantity of silver. without
the hiding place Of 5000
pounds OF the two metals. somewhere be-
tween Pachacamac and Lima. twenty
miles to the north
Peru, at the beginning OF the sixteenth
century. embraced not only the country
now called by that name. but also Ecua-
dor Bolivia and Chile. II extended from
the fourth degree Of latitude above the
equator to the thirty-fourth parallel Of
south latitude-a distance Of approximate
ly 1900 miles With an average width
Of 900 miles (vest TO the Pacific Ocean
and east into the Amazonian valleys,, its
area was over I.nh.G5 square miles. or
equal TO that OF the whole United States
pa NJ Of the MissisSippi River
Close along the Pacific shore Of South
America there runs for thousands OF
miles q mighty range Of mountains, upon
the feet Of which the ocean waves may
actually be said to break Further in
land are the yet loftier Andes. and be-
tween the latter and tho coast range
above described Is a long and relatively
narrow plateau. three miles above the
level OF the sea. Upon this plateau was
ieveloped the most ancient American civ
civilization the origin of
which Is to-day wholly a mystery. though
The presumption is that It was derived
from somewhere in Asia.
Warn in Valleys.
At such an elevation the climate Ia nee
sssarily very cold. But scattered over
The plateau are numerous. cup-shaped
valleys. which enjoy relatively mild tenn
Innate (beinE in the tropics. and with
N twenty miles are other and deeper
ralleys wherein 'semi-tropical fruits are
yrown.
The word Cuzco means ''naver'-the
.ity being the very center Of the ancient
Peruvian empire. When the monarchs
II odd made 1t their place of residence.
he city was strongly fortified. and was
connected with the four divisions OF the
our great roads. constructed Ior military
purposes. to enable large bodies of troops !
o be moved expeditiOusly.
Cuzco occupies the central one Of a
yroup Of cup-shaped valleys toriginally |
ake-beds. doubtless). and the most eas-I
ly defensible from a military standpoint |!
the valleys in question being separated !
rom each other by relatively low passes !
the mountains. Here were the |!
,alaces of the monarchs; also immense |
structures in which festivals were held: |
md. most important of all, the religious |
convent of the Virgins of the |
Jun. and the gorgeous Temple Of the ,
Jun. with chapels sacred to the moon. |
tars, &C. |;
The Temple Of the Sun at Cuzco was
n Its day the most imposing structure
n all America. The Spaniards wrote
hat there was nothing finer to be seen
n all Europe. Rectangular in shape.
ipclosed n court {nfo which Opened