The islands of Titicaca and Koati, illustrated . ds on a plateau, or esplanade, 250 feet wide, oc-cupying the highest place close to the isthmus on the west,and terminating abruptly both east and west. Fartherdown, the declivity on each side shows traces of ancientandenes. One hundred and sixty feet to the north of the**temple an ancient wall, partly rebuilt of late, traversesthe isthmus from east to west. North of it the plateauextends in slightly varying width for another 160 feet tothe base of Llaq-aylli; so that this ancient wall dividesthe neck into two equal sections. The base of Llaq-ay
The islands of Titicaca and Koati, illustrated . ds on a plateau, or esplanade, 250 feet wide, oc-cupying the highest place close to the isthmus on the west,and terminating abruptly both east and west. Fartherdown, the declivity on each side shows traces of ancientandenes. One hundred and sixty feet to the north of the**temple an ancient wall, partly rebuilt of late, traversesthe isthmus from east to west. North of it the plateauextends in slightly varying width for another 160 feet tothe base of Llaq-aylli; so that this ancient wall dividesthe neck into two equal sections. The base of Llaq-aylliis formed by a handsome anden 224 feet long, part ofwhich shows traces of former buildings which the Indiansboast of having destroyed for the sake of treasure-hunt-ing. Of these buildings there remain part of the founda-tions—two sides only, so that no accurate idea can begathered of size—and an interesting doorway, very wellmade. The details of this doorway, which opens onandenes of the slope of Llaq-aylli, are given on this plan. So 0). ANCIENT RUINS ON THE ISLAND OF TITICACA 205 The masonry is far handsomer than any at Pilco-Kayma orPucara, and the lintel, consisting of a single thin slab, isparticularly well cut. It is a gateway rather than a door,its walls measuring at least five feet in thickness. In time, already, the northern part of the esplanadewas a greensward, nearly in the midst of which lies a hugeblock, rudely chipped.^^ The Indians call it a block ofsacrifice, and say that its lower side is elaborately did our utmost to induce them to overturn the stone,but in vain. So that, while the upper surface indeed showstraces of artificial changes, we cannot affirm the same ofthe lower. At the base of Llaq-aylli is another large stoneresembling a seat, the back of which has a groove. This isbelieved to have been a sacrificial block also. The groove isartificial, and there is no doubt about human sacrifices onTiticaca. The description which Ram
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidislandsoftit, bookyear1910
