Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-05-20
From the Natlonal lnlellleene er

ANTIQUITIES OF CENTRAL AMERICA.
Tie New York Albion furnishes brief account
Of the important discoveries of Messrs. Stephens
and Catherwood, IN Central America, or Guatma-
Ia, as 1t formerly called. Our readers are
aware that the attention OF the learned has been
much directed, ~ late, TO the numerous and aston
fishing monumental treasures that lie scattered about
tins vast region. The two gentlemen above named
have recently returned from an extensive survey Of
these ruins, and about presenting the result Of
their explorations TO the public IN printed volume.
fn the time, ia order 10 satisfy N some de-
gree the public curiosity. they have delivered
raj lectures the subject the general conclusions
OF which presented IN the Albion.
The travellers proceeded from New York TO the
bay OF Honduras, and, upon landing, their FIRST
hating place IN the way IF their task was Copan,
the RUNS IN the vicinity OF which both eK.en-
sive and magnificent. Mr.. Catherwood on We'd
nesday evening" exhibited a drawing OF a temple at
EopaH, which seems TO have been upon extern
sive SCALE front of II being IN length about 2SD
teet aud It's side face about $50 feet. The interior OF
the temple is laid out with all the skill and regard
convenience Of the most practlsed architect and
the exterior presenting an elaboration OF ornament
ns we'll as refinement IN sculpture, which altogether
astohshed The travellers, in fact did the draw
Sng aStohiSh those before whom It was placed the
lecture. There were many single columns most
deliberately wrought, the work wasideepy cut, and
ali ia mastery style.
From CopIn the travellers proceeded 10 urgui
where they found many monuments chiefly OF the
same character as those at CoPan, only the latter
were much longer than those which were first visit
ed. From thence they proceeded TO Santa Cruz
del Culche, TO Gucquetenanso, 10 Ocosinso, TO Pa.
ienaue, and TO UXmal. The whole forming a cir
cut Of nearly three thousand miles in permeier and
the greater part of which was thiCky studded with
extensive ruins, all Of which perfectly analo,
gous 10 each other, although the variations IN ex-
Gent, ornament, sc. were numerous. They were
all evidently the labors OF a people OF a common
origin OF apparently the political religious and
SOCIAL principles, of the same habits and association
4o ideas, and certainly lar advanced IN civilization
and refinement. lnnumerable square columns or
beiisks OF stone were found in the OF their
Investigations, all of which were carved on every
side with herogyphcs, or with figures of animals
hannah beings the former, In all probability, con-
tanning legends which, If they could he decphered
would go far to explain the history OF the peop'e
who hal thus executed them: and the latter exc.
cUted with such regard 10 the due proportions of
figure actually to astonish the travellers who had
not the most remote expectation to find any branch
of the fine arts ia so forward state. What added
10 their astonishment was the fact that all these
monuments were found IN the deepest recesses of
forests of gigantic and closely planted trees; proof
OF their antiquity altogether rrcirsgibe, it must
have required centuries to bring such tees to their
maturity and enormous grOwth, and it mus have
been after those cities were ruined and gone 10 de-
structiOn, that those forests allowed to take
root in their precincts at ALL These considerations
unaided 10y any other, must carry the mind baCk
TO period Of tile word altogether startling to think
OF.
An erroneous notion has got abroad that tn, Sc
ant9 uiiies in the colossal magnitude u their parts
throw TIA sc OF Thebes, Luxor, and other Egyptian
monuments IN the shade, and that the latter nav
"hIde their dlm he'd heads !" it is believed al
90 that in architectural elegance as well as in ex.
tent, these American remains for exceed those Of
Balbec, Palmyra, or even ancient Babylon ITSELF
These suimscs receive no cOunteRance from the &C.
counts given by messTs. Stephens end CaLheTwood.
The extent Of the American monuments has rather
Fegsrd TO them rs one mass promIscUously and al
most everywhere spread within a circumference of
three thousand miles, than to the extent or magni-
tude al any one specimen Of RUNS; and moth
Ing but either complete misunderstanding OF the
true details. or an lntena9 love Of the marvellous
could have brought about those false comparisons
But the most important po.ni, 10 he sscertaintd is
that Of referring these monuments truly TO any Of
those Of the old world. At the first glance az some
Oi the more. colossal figures, tia5r costumes AMI
iheit grouping there for the moment similar
iY TO those OF ancient Egypt, but the praeiaed eyes
oi cur travellers soon correct the momentafy error
81 uaeIr thoughts. There not one Of those
fnonstrous heads which 90 essentially belong 10
Egyptian mythology, religious rites, and occult
writings; tne proportions Of the figures were in eve
~ respect better in those before them and nowhere
DID they hnd that inherent regard for great magni-
fude or peculiar position in the statuary and sculu
cure. The hierogyphics too, though Literally scat
tered and everywhere Homogeneous, were altogetb.
er different from those upon the Egyptian mona.
mcuts From the intncncy Of their designs and
tfOm many grOtCSque subjects Of their sculpture
these monuments might be referred to more orien.
Cal source than that Of Egypt; and the similarity
seems 10 increase the further they referred to the
eastward. China and Japan present many Of the
images and groups which found on these Amer.
ican monuments, and although with much that is
grotesque IN the latter there is also much that is
beautiful and dramatically correct, while China
and Japan particularly the latter, the monsrous
peVas m an eNotbtsnt degree, there is really much
that Is common TO the east Of Asia, and to the west
of America.
WIN data ike those before us, then, the editor OF
the Albion asks, can there he much difficulty in forti.
Tying 'ha, hypothesis that merica was
hrst peopcd from the eastern part Of Asia the pns.
sage being made across Behring's stuits1 where Is
the dheuliy N assuming the theory tina, mankind
continually radiatng from the Drnitvo seats OF frs
creation and continually advancing beyond previous
confines. should gradually arrive Of the western
shores orthe Pacific, should people the island there.
should cross the narrow straits so narrow that a,
midway both shores may be seen from the same po,i.
uon-shouid travel southward, and give . human
population 70 this continent