The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-01
One Of the Pyramids of America.


Courier-Journal, from the city of Mexi-
co. gives in that paper an interesting
account of visit to the ruins of Xochi-
calico. The place is described in Lip /
plncott' s Gazetteer as &c a ruined pyramid,
Do miles s. by. w. of the city of Mexi-
co. The ruins, says the correspond (.
ent, are situated for the most part
upon single hill, which, although not
more gnan 3oO feet above rolling plateau
nnmeolateiy !! around, owing to the eleva-
ZION on the latter may be seen from a
great distance, save in one direction
Where the mountains approach within a
Few miles, so completely is it covered
now, however, with stunted trees. shrub
berry, vines, and weeds, that we could |
discover no Evidence of artificial work
upon 1t until we reached its yery base.
Here we crossed deep and broad ditch. |
walled with cemented stone, and ex-
tending entirely around the hill, dis
tance of about three miles. The walls
of this treuch are for the most part
broken down, or so overgrown with
vines and brushwood as to be scarcely
accessible except with great labor: but
in many places they are as perfect
as when first constructed, and measure
upon the upper side six or eight feet in
height. Above this point the slope pre-
sents q series of four or five high ter
races, supported by slightly inclined
walls, composed of large, rough masses
of porous volcanic stone called tepite,
closely cemented with mortar.
9. 1t has been satisfactorily determin-
ed by archmologists that the original
monument or temple was a five-storied
truncated pyramid, constructed entirely
of hewn stone, and measuring about
fifty feet in height OF this only the
base or lower story now remains, which
is rectangular in form, its lines cor
responding exactly to the profits of the
compass, and measuring along its up
| per edge sixty-four feet from north to
south and fifty y-eight from east to west.
1t consists of huge dressed granite
blocks, some of them eight feet Ill
length, and nearly three feet in breadth
and thickness. These are most accu-
rately fitted without cement, and form
in position an inclined wall fifteen and
Il half feet high; which presents a we'll
finished plinth below; then a broad
surface, divided into two
long panels which extend the
whole length of the wall; next frieze,
also divided into two panels; and; lastly,
prominent cornice by which it is ter
minated above. The whole of the
frieze, which is three and half feet in
width, and the two broad panels are
crowded with figures in bas relief, hav-
ing a projection of four or five inches,
and, as they extend from one stone to
another, it is more than probable that
they were sculptured after the wall was
erected. It is impossible to give an in
telligible description of these carvings
without the aid of illustrative draw
ings. They consist, however, for the
most part of the human form, with front
view of the body and face in profile. a
tunic around the loins, heavy necklace
of round balls about the throat, ard a
profusion of curved lines dropping
from the head, and supposed to
represent feathers. Some of the figures
terminate below in a kind of feather
brush or scroll: some are reeling, some
standing, and others apparently walk
ing, holding erect in the right hand 6
club shaped like cricket bat. There
are also well-defned rabbits, heads OF
nondescript animals like alligators, with
dropping lines from the interior of theil
open mouths and the tops of then
heads, hieroglyphic letters, circles in
closing cross, and near the last fig
ure like the letter on it side (thus y
which / have fancied were intended fo1
pair of dividers. Nearly the same
figures and groupings are repeated upo1
each of the two broad panels and upon
the four sides, and another set upon tn,
two halves of the frieze, and the sam,
upon the four sides. Among the latte
/ is a very remarkable representation of
man sitting cross-legged, with "a caI
upon his head, from which projects for
ward the head and half the body of
snake, and over his eyes what appear
+ to be pair of spectacles withou
glasses.
1 81 In the sides of the hill, short dis
: tance from the summit, are three o
t four large openings leading to subter
T ranean excavations, two of which w
: followed to the distance of twenty O
4 thirty yards, where they terminated all
e ruptly in moderate sized halls, ten o
twelve feet high, but without any ston
: facings or cement. A third one, whicl
+ was explored by DR.. Shelton and Mr.
f Drees, led to large vaulted hall, par
n tally walled with cemented stones, AM
o supported by pillars left in making thu
excavation In the centre of tn
arched ceiling they observed larg
r opening, occupied by hollow cylinde
v of earthen-ware, the upper orifice Q
v which was closed, as if by something
4 having fallen into it. This hall is salt
to be situated underneath the pyramid
q and it's opening 70 communicate wit
q the interior of the latter. The floor 0
r. the tunnel leading to the hall is cement
n ed, and ashort distance within the Ell
n trance [ found the root and shaft of
small deer's horn, about eight inche
in length Other small structures, tc
gether with fragments of ancient pot
- terry, were found around the spot.
q The writer continues:
= 'Whoever may have been the builder
'e Of the pyramid Of Xochicalco, it
e, quite evident that they lived before th
70 time of the constructors of the pyramid
ia of Teotihuacan, for the reason alread
h stated that they did not understand th
n use of obsidian, which was so largel
l. employed by the latter in the mani
es facture of cutting instruments, arrow
1T heads, and the like. That they POI
le sessed great taste in architecture, wol
ID derful skill in some mechanic arts, an
u. tolerably clear knowledge of scientif
le engineering, no one can doubt after q
~ examination of the ruins. When it
1t bor.le ia mind thai tie ol2cizs of gran
in ite, of which the base of the pyrami
1t is formed, were brought fro
es great distance-for there
lie no appearance of this specie
of khae