Tapa-huarau No. 2 Pa

Proceeding along the ridge top from the high scarped face at the S.W. corner of No. 1 pa we find the ridge of the saddle a very narrow one. with a gradual slope on the north side and a steep fall on the south side. At a distance of 21 yds. along the straight ridge is a shallow fosse with the remains of a parapet on its eastern side. See A in Fig. 67, p. 256. At its south end this ditch is continued a few yards down the hillside. Three yards below the level of the narrow ridge top, on the north slope, is a terrace, here 4 yds. wide, but widening out as it proceeds to 20 ft. On this terrace at B is a store pit 20 ft. long. The straight ridge top from A to C is but 3 ft. wide across the top. This peculiarity may be partially artificial. This aspect continues for 50 yards.

At C we find a fosse cut across the ridge top, it being 6 ft. wide, 6 ft. deep on the south side but shallow on the north side. In its centre is a causeway 5 ft. wide, original formation unexcavated. page 256 page 257Then comes a small levelled area. That part in which D is situated is surrounded by the remains of a parapet on the south, north and east sides, except where a fosse 10 ft. wide extends from the middle of the area along the scarp base and 20 ft. down the southern slope.

A steep scarp of 16 ft. in height lifts us to the elevated area E, the summit of the fort, which area is 28 yds. long. At its eastern end are seen levelled hut sites, but this area is not a level one; its western part is 5 ft. higher than the eastern. Underlying terraces are noted on both flanks; that on the north side, covered with a dense growth of furze, has an inner scarp of 20 ft. Smaller ones, much overgrown, are seen below it.

F area is 6 ft. lower than E, the drop being a steep scarp; it is, however, a part of the true summit area or stronghold. It is 14 yds. long and averages about 16 yds. in width. At its eastern end are the remains of a parapet now 2 ft. high. The north and south faces of E and F have been steeply scarped.

Proceeding westward we descend a steep scarp of 12 ft., at the base of which is a fosse now almost filled with debris. At the southern end of this fosse is a singular excavated area or wide fosse now 3 ft. deep and about 14 yds. long, extending down the hillside, apparently a form of flank defence. See G on plan p. 256. On the northern side of this lower area is a flat excavated area 13 yds. by 10 yds. in size, 5 ft. below the level of the surrounding ground and extending to within 10 ft. of the base of the scarp. This sunken area was probably connected with the terrace on the northern side, and is marked H on the plan. Areas E and F represent the high lying stronghold of this No. 2 pa, the western limit of which is the 12 ft. scarp above mentioned.

Proceeding westward from the above works along the ridge top we find it to consist of a saddle, with a fall of 10 ft. in 55 yds. Here are seen no defences though it may have been a residential area, from which the people would retire within the defended areas in the event of an attack.

At 55 yds. from H area we find the lowest part of the saddle formation has been excavated 2 ft. to 3 ft. and so flattened into an area of 20 yds. by 19 yds. Within this area is situated a large store pit 30 ft. long and 5 ft. deep. This pit was apparently kept dry by a ditch to the southern slope, as shown on plan. From here the ridge top rises for 25 yds. to the trench marked I, which is the first defence of Pa No. 3 of this series and is marked as A on the plan thereof.

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