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"Yes, by all ranny spectacles "Let's have a look at it"

Pitt opened the case, gently removed the jade box, and placed it on the conference table Giordino and Gunn had already seen it during the flight from the rain forest to Quito, and they stood back while Sandecker, Yaeger, and Straight moved in for a close look

"Masterfully carved," said Sandecker, ad the intricate features of the face on the lid

"A ht "The serene expression, the soft look of the eyes definitely have an Asian quality about them Almost a direct association with statuary art from the Cahola dynasty of southern India

"Now that you er, "the face does have a remarkable resemblance to most sculptures of Buddha"

"How is it possible for two unrelated cultures to carve similar likenesses from the same type of stone?"

asked Sandecker

"Pre-Colu?" speculated Pitt

Straight shook his head "Until someone discovers an ancient artifact in this hemisphere that is absolutely proven to have come from either Asia or Europe, all similarities have to be classed as sheer coincidence No more"

"Likewise, no early Mayan or Andean art has ever shown up in excavations of ancient cities around the Mediterranean or the Far East," said Gunn

Straight lightly ran his fingertips over the green jade "Still, this face presents an enigma Unlike the Maya and the ancient Chinese, the Inca did not prize jade They preferred gold to adorn their kings and gods, living or dead, believing it represented the sun that gave fertility to the soil and warmth to all life"

"Let's open it and get to that thing inside," ordered Sandecker

Straight nodded at Pitt "I'll let you do the honors"

Without a word, Pitt inserted a thin metal shaft under the lid of the box and carefully pried it open

There it was The quipu, lying as it had in the cedar lined box for centuries They stared curiously at it for al if its riddle could be solved