Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-05-10

JOS. Mu1nattonp ex-State 6eol4ElSts In Ex
Six miles east of HopkiusviIle
KY, lies the "Rock of the Sum-
1t Is covered with queer hieroglypb
les and rude figures representing
men, animals and events Of q pre-
historic period. II is chiseled rounG
and smooth, Is 40 feet 3 inches il
diameter by IA feet p inches In
thickness.
1t is evidently a grand monument
placed there by the Aztecs TO com
memmOrate some great event. How
such huge body was ever placed
there will forever remain a mystery
as 1t is upon a level plain and al
least six miles from any rocks oI
similar origin.
For generations past this "Rock
of the Sun" has been a favorite
place to drive to from this city, and
thousands of people have visited ii
annually. Brief descriptions of ii
have appeared from time to time in
the press of this country. Some two
weeks ago the writer of this article
and number of others interested
in scientific research decided to
make some excavations in the vi
cinity of this prehistoric monument,
Work was commenced March 6, and
after considera bic labor with men,
teams, and road scrapers, our efforts
were rewarded with one of the
greatest discoyeries ever made on
the American continent. At a
depth of six feet we discovered a
prehistoric city, an exact fac simile
of many discovered nearly a century
ago in New Mexico near Santa Fe.
We have already removed the light,
loamy soil and sand from a portion
of one of the streets and have enter
ed the houses of the silent prehis-
toric city. The unfortunate inhabi-
tants were undoubtedly surprised
by food, as the streets and houses
are filled with driftwood, leaves
and sand: Many of the bodies
found are still in perfect state of
preservation, having the appear
ance of Egyptian mummies. Yes
sells OF bronze and numerous gold
ornaments are found in many of
the houses. Yesterday we unearth-
ed one of their temples, in which
was an altar and stone seats; also
of gold representing the
sun, which gives conclusive evil
dence that they were race of sun
worShipers. The streets are ma.
with river boulders, and
the houses are built of stone and
adobe, the architecture corresponds
ing in every particular to that of the
Mexicans of the present day.
This monument of the sun was
undoubtedly placed there by the
survivors of that ill-fated city, many
of whom undoubtedly escaped to
the caves in the immediate vicinity.
The why or the wherefore of the
great flood that destroyed this city
will, of course, forever remain a
matter of conjecture. The scene of
our labOrs is in an out of the way
portion of the country, the road to
which from Hopkinsville, is merely
a trail through the canebreaks and
'wamps, and the place is totally
inaccessible during the winter
rreshets. Pond river, Green river
and Little river all contribute their
volume of overflow to fill the
'wamps. We propose to remove all
We possibly can before the fresheis
yet in, and also devise some means
% prevent the overflow of our ex-
,avations. Prof. John p. Barrett,
If Hartford, KY, Hon. Hunter
Wood, of the HOpkinsville New
Era, G. M. Meacham, of the Ken
uckian, Col. E. Polk johnson, of
he Courier-Journal, and b. f. |
Ridgely, Esq, of the Louisville |
Commercial, are now here and COM
Dlete reports of this interesting dis
,overy will appear in their respect
We journals.