April 21

" The house then was, as it is now, one rectangular, windowless room built of field stone plastered with adobe-mud or made up entirely of sun dried adobe bricks. It had one entrance; the "door" was a woolen drapery. The supports which held up a roof , either gabled or hipped, were made of gnarled poles cut from mountain shrub. This was very thickly and beautifully thatched with ichu grass. The house had neither chimney nor fire place; the smoke rising from the cooking was left to find its way out between interstices of the thatch. One could see the houses of rustic stone work at the fascinating ruins of Machu Picchu and observe very clearly this type of house. The floor was of beaten earth; perhaps skins of llamas or alpacas might be laid upon it. There was no furniture; only the head of the tribe was allowed a stool. The Indian sat on the mud floor or on an old weaving, or squatted upon his/her haunches. S/he slept on the ground either upon llama hides or on a blanket. Niches in the wall served as shrines for a local god. Pegs were used to hang extra tunics, robes ,shawls, festive cloaks, slings, or if one belonged to a militia, a warrior's fighting tunic,helmet , shield, and distinguishing headgear with the totem mark of the village ayllu. Stones were arranged to hold up the clay cooking pots; the kitchen utensils , clay dishes for eating, copper or bronze knives, bone skewers, and a large stone mortar where the Indian women brayed their cornstuffs, were in this section. All was simple and expedient." ( And now, if you would like, let's go to work in the studio. ) I promise to add more tomorrow...


	Through My Eyes Monday April 21 ( An Inca home) " The house then was, as it is now, one rectangular, windowless room built of field stone plastered with adobe-mud or made up entirely of sun dried adobe bricks. It had one entrance; the "door" was a woolen drapery. The supports which held up a roof , either gabled or hipped, were made of gnarled poles cut from mountain shrub. This was very thickly and beautifully thatched with ichu grass. The house had neither chimney nor fire place; the smoke rising from the cooking was left to find its way out between interstices of the thatch. One could see the houses of rustic stone work at the fascinating ruins of Machu Picchu and observe very clearly this type of house. The floor was of beaten earth; perhaps skins of llamas or alpacas might be laid upon it. There was no furniture; only the head of the tribe was allowed a stool. The Indian sat on the mud floor or on an old weaving, or squatted upon his/her haunches. S/he slept on the ground either upon llama hides or on a blanket. Niches in the wall served as shrines for a local god. Pegs were used to hang extra tunics, robes ,shawls, festive cloaks, slings, or if one belonged to a militia, a warrior's fighting tunic,helmet , shield, and distinguishing headgear with the totem mark of the village ayllu. Stones were arranged to hold up the clay cooking pots; the kitchen utensils , clay dishes for eating, copper or bronze knives, bone skewers, and a large stone mortar where the Indian women brayed their cornstuffs, were in this section. All was simple and expedient." ( And now, if you would like, let's go to work in the studio. ) I promise to add more tomorrow... Through my eyes * This is still from the book Realm of the Incas .