The Penn's Grove record., 1882-02-11
Anticipated America.
he Ruins Of New Mexico Compared with
Those Elsewhere. Plausible Theory about
the Mound Builders and Azteos.

he Ruins OF New Mexico Compared with
Those Elsewhere. Plausible Theory about
the Mound Builders and Aztecs.
The antiquities of New Mexico, Col
orado and Arizona are distinct from
those of any other portion Of the
United States, and the forms peculiar
to the two last named are found in
New Mexico, and these are the best
examples of them / have examined.
The object of these explorations was
primarily and prominently to throw
some light on the origin Of the mys-
FERROUS mound builders, and to find, if
it exists, the analogy between their
works and those Of the pyramid
builders in the valley OF Mexico. If
that analogy were established ii is be-
lieved that one important step would
be gained in the solution of the prob
lem.
Beginning In Minnesota, 1 have by
personal survey traced the mound
builders to the gulf, and found an un-
broken chain Of their curious works
down the valley of the Mississippi,
into colonies on the principal tributa-
ries traversing the states that border
on the great stream. 1t is not neces-
sary to recount the days that were
passed in the Mississippi valley, or the
work that was done. 1t will be
enough to say here that mounds were
found along the entire route, and on
the shores of the gulf. Crossing into
Mexico, we were not long In finding
the chain dropped in the sea at Calves
ton, but recovered 1t near Vera Cruz.
On the plain Of Cholula is a mound
that, If transferred to Cahokia, would
ht the landscape, and appear in keep.
ing with the general plan OF the
works. On the other hand, If the
great mound of Cahokia were brought
in presence of Popocatepetl 1t would
not be abashed, but be a fit companion
for the pyramid. The pyramids of the
sun and o at Teotlihaucon would
be mounds in Virginia and Ohio, and
the great mounds of Grove creek and
SeltEertown might embellish the
ancient City of the Gods"
Excavations were made in Mexican
mounds as they were made In the
United States, and substantially the
result were the same-tombs in some
mounds, affairs in others, aud nothing
in a few. Pottery was found with the
lines of ornsmentation the same as
that discovered in Arkansas; heads of
idols, the counterpart Of those found
in Tennessee; children's toys from
each, that might have been produced
from the same moulds, and skulls
from the tombs OF San Juan with the
same peculiar f1attening of the occipital
region that distinguishes the skulls of
the mound builders wherever they are
found in the United States.
The presence Of an intrusive race
was early detected, and the comment
made that 1t was impossible for the
Aztecs to have been the builders Of the
pyramids orofany ofthe works ofantiq-
uity in that region. This l have demon.
strated since, and produce absolute
proofs through Investigations made in
this Territory. The Aztecs were not
then, or at any time a mound building
race, and there are no mounds in New
Mexico from whence they spring.
1t will now be seen how necessary
il was to investigate the antiquities OF
this territory in order to throw light
on those of Mexico and the states.
With the evidence all in, let us recap
itulste and see what we have gained.
Investigations have established the
following as facts:
/. The mounds of the United States
were made by the same race that built
| the mounds Of Mexico. Proven by
| close resemblance between the works
by implements used in common; sim.
liar Of burial, and skulls from
the tombs Of each locality.
2. The mounds of Mexico antedate
Aztec occupation. Proven by records
that the Aztecs did not enter the val.
ley until the close Of the thirteenth
century; by investigation that the
mounds contain skulls that are moi
Aztec; that they contain specimen,
Of the plastic art that could not hav,
come from the hand Of an Aztec.
s. The Aztess were not q mound
building a Proven by investiga
ton in New Mexico, disclosing tn,
fact that there is no temple, sacriticia
or burial mounds in the land from
which they come that they build n,
mounds here and built none in Mexic,
from the time the Spaniards occupied
the country in 1920 until the present
and Ii was q physical impossibility
even though they had the knowledge
to have erected all the mounds anC
pyramids In Mexico during the spac,
of time that elapsed from their entr,
into until its occupation by the Span
iards.