THE FACES OF MARCAHUASI

Nobody knows who or what carved the faces of Marcahuasi, the giant sculptures that populate a desolate 4,000-metre plateau in the Andes of Peru. Though little known to outsiders, the Marcahuasi Plateau has been a subject of local controversy for many years. Scholars say it constitutes a blank spot on the map, for if these are indeed sculptures then they are of an unknown style. One of giant rocks is called "Monument of Humanity" because, discernible on its side, are reliefs of several different races- a Caucasian youth, a Semitic man, an African and possibly others. Some rocks amazingly seem to reveal the shapes of lions, rhinos and camels, animals that never inhabited the continent. Visitors, their imaginations stirred, even swear they see astronauts and aircraft. The site is said to be place of healing, for both body and soul, and spiritualists from around the world are making the pilgrimage. "It is mysterious and fascinating place", one prominent Peruvian archeologist recently noted. "The problem is, we know nothing about the things we find there".