Temple of Sun Stairway Bared

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 54, 6 March 1939, Page 5

Temple of Sun Stairway Bared

LIMA—A flight of brightly-coloured adobe and stone steps, the remains of an imposing stairway to the celebrated preIncan Temple of the Sun, has been discovered in the course of excavations carried out at. Pachacamac, near this city, under the, direction of the National Archaeological Board. The colours—blue, red and yellow—have remained fresh and richly toned, thanks to a centuries-old protective covering of sand. The discovery followed a month’s persistent excavation by a workers’ gang led by Prof. Alberto A. Giesecke, one of Peru’s foremost archaeologists and for many years associated with Worhat at the Incan capital of Cuzco. The Pachacamac stairway appears to be an important approach up the slopes of the hill with the, Pre-Incan shrine The steps, broad and also yield traces of human figures and hieroglyphics. The Archaeological Board attach considerable importance to the discovery, which is expected to provide fresh impetus to lhe Govern-ment-proposed motor road to the. top of rhe hill, to enable tourists to visit the ’general ruins more comfortably. The Temple of the Sun, as theoretically reconstructed by international archeological experts, consisted of an • rormous pyramid with the vertex removed to accommodate the Image of the Sun. Steps were cut in the walls after rhe style of the more ancient Egyptian pyramids. Remains of old pottery and textiles have continually come to light, but the bulk of the real treasure was removed four centuries ago, when Hernando obtained the “concession” ■ from his brother, Pizarro the conquistador. Dr. Siesecke, once he has completed his studies at Pachacamac, will commence further excavations at Cajamarquilla, on the Lima-Chosica highway. 'First of all, however, the Government has asked him to “lay bare” all that remains nf the Pachacamac ruins, to reveal to the modern eye, the “comp’ete ensemble” of this once-holy site. Scene: Concert hall, audience waiting for concert to start. A man, seeing a little boy in front of him looking at his watch, bent forward and asked: “Does it tell the time?” “No,” answered the boy. “You have to look at it. ”