The ancient Peru conquered and robbed by Pizarro is now divided into
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chili as far down as the thirty-seventh
degree of south latitude. Its remains are found to some extent in all
these countries, although most abundantly in Peru.
The ruins known as "the Palaces of Gran-Chimu" are situated in the
northwestern part of Peru, near Truxillo. Here, in the time of the first
Incas, was an independent state, which was subjugated by the Inca set
down in the list of Montesinos as the grandfather of Huayna Capac, about
a century before the Spaniards arrived. For what is known of these ruins
we are chiefly indebted to Mariano Rivero, director of the National
Museum at Lima. They cover a space of three quarters of a league,
without including the walled squares found on every side. The chief
objects of interest are the remains of two great edifices called
palaces. "These palaces are immense areas surrounded by high walls of
brick, the walls being now ten or twelve yards high and six feet thick
at the base." There was in each case another wall exterior to this.
Within the palace walls were squares and dwellings, with narrow passages
between them, and the walls are decorated. In the largest palace are the
remains of a great reservoir for water, which was brought to it by
subterranean aqueducts from the River Moche, two miles distant. Outside
the inclosures of these palaces are remains of a vast number of
buildings, which indicate that the city contained a great population.
The Spaniards took vast quantities of gold from the _huacas_ or tombs
at this place. The amount taken from a single tomb in the years 1566 and
1592 was officially estimated at nearly a million dollars. Figure 58
presents an end view of the walls at Gran-Chimu. Figures 59 and 60
represent some of the decorations at Chimu-Canchu.
[Illustration: Fig. 58.--End View of Walls at Gran-Chimu.]
[Illustration: Figs. 59 and 60.--Decorations at Chimu-Canchu.]
[Illustration: Fig. 61.--Edifice, with Gateway, at Old Huanuco.]
Remarkable ruins exist at Cuelap, in Northern Peru. "They consist of a
wall of wrought stones 3600 feet long, 560 broad, and 150 high,
constituting a solid mass with a level summit." Probably the interior
was made of earth. On this mass was another, "600 feet long, 500 broad,
and 150 high." In this, and also in the lower structure, there are many
rooms made of wrought stone, in which are a great number of niches or
cells one or two yards deep, which were used as tombs. Other old
structures exist in that neighborhood. Farther south, at Huanuco el
Viego, or Old Huanuco, are two peculiar edifices and a terrace, and near
them the faded traces of a large town. The two edifices were built of a
composition of pebbles and clay, faced with hewn stone. One of them is
called the "Look-out," but it is impossible to discover the purpose for
which it was built. The interior of the other is crossed by six walls,
in each of which is a gateway, the outer one being finely finished, and
showing a sculptured animal on each of the upper corners. It has a large
court, and rooms made of cut stones. Connected with this structure was a
well-built aqueduct. Figures 61 and 62 give views of the so-called
palace and its ground plan. Figure 63 represents the Look-out.
[Illustration: Fig. 62.--Ground Plan of Edifice at Old Huanuco.]
[Illustration: Fig. 63.--"Look-out" at Old Huanuco.]
[Illustration: Fig. 64.--Ruins at Pachacamac.]
Seven leagues from Lima, near the sea, are the much-dilapidated ruins,
shown in Figure 64, of a large city of the Incas, which was built
chiefly of adobes or sun-dried bricks. It is called Pachacamac. Ruins of
towns, castles, fortresses, and other structures are found all about the
country. At one place, near Chavin de Huanta, there are remarkable ruins
which are very old. The material used here was like that seen at Old
Huanuco. From the interior of one of the great buildings there is a
subterranean passage which, it is said, goes under the river to the
opposite bank. Very ancient ruins, showing remains of large and
remarkable edifices, were seen near Huamanga, and described by Cieca de
Leon. The native traditions said this city was built by "bearded white
men, who came there long before the time of the Incas, and established a
settlement." It is noticed every where that the ancient Peruvians made
large use of aqueducts, which they built with notable skill, using hewn
stones and cement, and making them very substantial. Some of them are
still in use. They were used to carry water to the cities and to
irrigate the cultivated lands. A few of them were very long. There is
mention of one which was a hundred and fifty miles long, and of another
which was extended four hundred and fifty miles across sierras and over
rivers, from south to north.