The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-05-13
A CATACOMB OF MUMMIES FOUND
IN KENTUCKY.

/
Lexington, lin Kentucky, stands nearly on
the site of an ancient town, which was OF
great extent and magnifcence, as is amply
evinced by the wide range of it scircumvalla-
tory works, and the quantity Of ground it
once occupied.
There was connected with the antiquities
of this place, a catacomb, formed in the
bowels of the limestone rock, about fifteen
feet below the surface of the earth, adjacent
to the town of Lexington. This grand object,
SO novel and extraordinary in this country,
was discovered in l775, by some Of the first
settlers, whose curiosity was excited by
something remarkable in the character of the
stones which covered the entrance to the
cavern within. They removed these stones,
and came to others of singular appearance
for stones in natural shape-the removal Of
which laid open the mouth of a cave, deep.
gloomy, and terrific, as they supposed.
With augmented numbers, and provided
with light, they desceded and entered, with
out obstruction, spacious apartment the
sides and extreme ends were formed into
inches and compartments, and occupied by
figures representing men. When alarm SUBJ
sided, and the sentiment of dismay and in
quiry, the figures were found to be n'ummies,
preserved by tine art of embalming, to rs
great state of perfection as was known
among the ancient Egyptians, eighteen hun
dred years before the Christian era; which was
about the time that the lsraelites were in
bondage in Egypt, when this art was in its
perfection.
Unfortunately for antiquity, science, and
every thing else held sacred by the illumined
and learned, this inestimable discovery was
made at period when bloody and inveter-
ate war was carried on between the Indians
and the whites; and the power of the ma
tives was displayed in so savage a manner
that the whites were filled with revenge.
Animated by this vindictivo spirit the dis
coverers of the catacombs delighted to wreak
their vengeance even on the mummles, sup
posing them to be of the same Indian race
with whom they were then at war; f
They dragged them out to the open mir,
tore the bandages open, kicked the bodies
into dust, and made a general bonfire of the
most ancient remains antiquity could boast.
The descent to this cavern is gradual, the
width four feet, the higth seven, and the
whole length of the catacomb was found to
be eighteen rods and half, by six and half;
and calculating from the inches aud shelv-
ings on the sides, it was sufficiently cape
cious to have contained at least two thousar
subjects.
could never, says Mr. Ash, from whose
travels we have taken this account, learn the
exact quantity it contained; the answers to
the inquiries which he made respecting it,
were, 30, they burnt up and destroyed hun
dreds" Nor could he arrive at any knowl-
edge of the fashion, manner, and apparel of
the mumies, or receive any other nforma-
ton than that they "were ,DeH Tapped up"
But not being contented with the uncertain
information of persons, who, il seems, had no
adequate knowledge of the value of this dis
covery, he caused the cavern to be CLEANED
for such fragments as yet remained in the
inches, on its shelving sides, and on the floor
The quantity of remains thus gathered up
amounted to forty or fifty baskets, the dust
of which was so light and pungent as to af-
feet the eyes even to tears, and the nose to
sneezing, to troublesome degree.
He then proceeded on minute investiga-
ton, and separated from the general mass
several pieces of human limbs, fragments of
bodies, solid, sound, and apparently capable
of external duration. In cold state they
had no smell whatever, but when submitted
TO tho action Of fire, gave out an agreeable
eflluyia, but was like nothing in its fragrance
to which we could compare it,
On this subject Mr.. Ash has the following
reflections: allow these bodies were en-
balmed, how long preserved, by what ma
tions, and from what people descended, no
opinion can be formed, nor any calculation
made, but what must result from speculative
luDCy anu WIN CoIJO'buioo' VI my P''C
am lost in the deepest ignorance My read
ing affords me no knowledge, my travels no
light. have neither read nor known Of any
of the North American Indians who formed
catacombs for their dead, or who were ac-
quanted with the art of preservation by en,-
balming.
The Egyptians, according to Herodotus,
who fourshed four hundred and fifty years
before Christ, had three methods of embalm-
ing; but Diodorus, who lived before Christ,
in the time of julius Cesar, observes, that
the ancient Egyptians had a fourth method
of far greater superiority. That method is
not described by Diodorus; it had become
extinct in his time; and yet cannot think il
prcsump,uous to conceive that the American
mummics were preserved after tha, very man.
ncr, or at least with n mode Of equal virtue
and effect"
s3J" The Washington correspondent Of
the New York Courier g. Enquirer has the
following:
at has been thought that The intimate and
: confidential relations so long subsisting be-
tween Mr.. Marcy and President Polk, would