Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-10-29
4ncient dztOIHM.
A Niscodsln spot Full OF Historic
Interest.

Interest.
Sixty pieces of burned clay, from sup
posed 'sacrifcial places" in the ancien,
mound builders works at Aztalan, Wis.
are among the recent acquisitions to the
curiosities in the Milwaukee public mu
scum They were disinterred and donat
ed by Mrs. VIM. Frankfprth, Mrs A.
Doerfinger, Carl Doerhinger and VIM
. Frankfurth. Nine fragments OF pottery
from the same ancient works IL this state
were disinterred and contributed by
! Willie Frankfurth.
"rhe ancient works at Aztalan." said
Secretary DJerfli ,ger Yesterday, "are ol
great interest to psychologists and stu
dents of American history They give
many indications of the customs OF a race
Of men who. in point of civilization,
were probably far in advance Of the
Indians rr other races who drove them
from their homes. perhaps many centuries
before the first discovery Of America by
the Normans."
Prot |. A Lapham's world-renowned
work on the antiquities of Wisconsin, v
contains the following passage relating to
the Aztalau works: 1.-The name AZtalsn
was given this place by Mr.. liver, be-
al>e, according to Humboldt the Aztecs.
or ancient inhabitants OF Mexico, hal a
tradition, that t"eir ancestors came from
4 country, at the north, which they
called Aztalail, and tue possibility that
these may have been remains OF their
occupancy, suggested the idea OF rest"r-
ing the name l. is made up of two
Mexiran words: att. water. and an. near;
and the country was probably 80 named
from its proximity to large bottles of
wate4 Hence, the natural inference
that the country about hese great lakes
was the ancient residence OF the Aztecs.'
"What are the significance OF these
Wisconsin works, Mr.. Doerf nger2"
THE authorities differ as to their sig
nificauce. Some writers consider them
Qualifications, and offer plausible reasons
for their opinion, while Mr.. Lapham
denomina,ed them sacred inclosure.'
apparently on equally good or better
grounus In the light of more recent
researches Azlalan has become still more
interesting on account of the probability
that it was me of the stations OF long
series of voluntary or forced migrations
of tribe of all ancieHt race who called
themselves 'Nahua.' They are thought
to have found their way from Asia to the
northwestern coast Of America, at very
remote time, very likely long before the
Christian era"
els there anything known to be the
object of their migrations?"
"Tha indications seem to be that in
their wanderings they followed the Pa
cifc coast southwark ia quest of more
favorable climate, or other desiderata,
settling down in suitable regions for
longer or shorter periods; that's part of
this ancient people found their way
eastward through one of the northern
passes of the Rocky noun .ains, down the
valleys of the great Northwestern steams,
to the lake region. settling here for q
long time, then spreading through the
Middle states and the Mississippi valley.
Hostile races finally crowded them into
Mexico, where they founded the poll al
structures that astonished the old con,
querors by their singular blending of q
civilization and a repulsive barbarity."
The works being defaced.
''In whose possession are the lands
where these relics are being disinterred?"
II do not recall his name. 1t is to be
regretted that no legislature of Wisconsin
had the good sense to reserve or purchase
the tract of land bearing these most ip-
teresting OF prehistoric remains, which,
like tn )usands OF other monnds in the
state are rapidly being defaced and will
be utterly obliterated by the pillow of the
farmer and other agencies ere long unless
measures are taken to preserve the most
important ones. Perhaps it is not too
late. The tract of land covered by the
Sacred inclosure' of Aztalan contains
only twenty eight acres, and not more
than twice that area, if the beautiful
tumuli on the hill west of il are included.
One would suppose that the owner, who
has lot the grounds as pasture, could be
induced to dispose of the land at the Gus
tomary market price, in view of the pa,
triotic scheme to be carried out.-.Sunday
Sentinel.