May 19

" The Andean Indians had no wood readily available; they did not know the arch; they knew and often used the cantilever type of bridge but this could only be used to bridge rivers not more than 40 feet in width; so without arch or wood, they perfected the suspension bridge. They reversed the arch through suspension cables , for depending as it does on the principles of gravity, pressure, and weight, the arch is earthbound and passive; the Incas reversed the arch-curve and gave it wings-and it became the hanging bridge. First in construction-the cables; those of this particular bridge were accurately measured by an American in 1864; they were 148 feet long adding an additional 40 feet for embedding. They were as thick as a human's body, plaited and twisted as rope-cables are, made in fact from the same material as modern rope is-the American agave, the fleshy leaved Century plant. The cables were spun at the edge of the river to be bridged and then the cables were brought across to the other side. They were then buried deep in the earth and held by six wooden beams ("as thick as oxen" says and Inca historian), then raised onto tall stone pillars which supported the cables; the action was repeated on the other side." ( Spinning on a large scale to inspire us!) I promise to add more tomorrow...


	Through My Eyes Monday May 19 ( We haven't had the chance to read of the Incas together for awhile.) " The Andean Indians had no wood readily available; they did not know the arch; they knew and often used the cantilever type of bridge but this could only be used to bridge rivers not more than 40 feet in width; so without arch or wood, they perfected the suspension bridge. They reversed the arch through suspension cables , for depending as it does on the principles of gravity, pressure, and weight, the arch is earthbound and passive; the Incas reversed the arch-curve and gave it wings-and it became the hanging bridge. First in construction-the cables; those of this particular bridge were accurately measured by an American in 1864; they were 148 feet long adding an additional 40 feet for embedding. They were as thick as a human's body, plaited and twisted as rope-cables are, made in fact from the same material as modern rope is-the American agave, the fleshy leaved Century plant. The cables were spun at the edge of the river to be bridged and then the cables were brought across to the other side. They were then buried deep in the earth and held by six wooden beams ("as thick as oxen" says and Inca historian), then raised onto tall stone pillars which supported the cables; the action was repeated on the other side." ( Spinning on a large scale to inspire us!) I promise to add more tomorrow... Through my eyes * This is still from the book Realm of the Incas .