Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-04
ANCIENT TEMPLES.
THE MYSTERIOUS PYRAMIDS OF
La oUEMADA In MEXICO.
A Fallen City of Unknown History
Aztec Altars-Adventure of
an Exploring Party.
fRpooRD-Us1os Special Correspondence

The most interesting spot In TINS state
in fact one of the most curious in all Mex
ico-lies about thirty miles southwest of
the city of Zacatecas, near the Indian vii
Iage called La Quemada. 1t is an immense
collection of ruins, whose origin has puz-
zled scientists of the world and to this day
it remains an open question by what peo-
ple they were builded. Not trace of the
ancient name of the ruined city, nor that
of the nation who inhabited it centuries
ago. is anywhere to be found. The only
light thrown upon the subject is the theory
of the eminent Able Clavigero, who, in his
history of Mexico, says;
The situation of Chicomoztoc, where
the early Mexicans sojouTned nine years,
is not known; but it appears to be that
place, thirty miles from Zacatecas, where
are still the ruins of immense edifces,
which, according to the traditions of the
Zacatecanoes, was the work of the Aztecs
on their migration. 1t certainly cannot be
ascribed to any other people, for the native
Zacatecanoes of that day were so barbarous
asneither to live in houses nor know how to
build them"
We know that the Aztecs, coming from
in 1245 and the speculation is that before
this period, during the long years of wan
dering that brought them southwark, some
of the tribes must have tarried here and
built the city. The rocky eminence upon
which 1t stands, called
Ell cERRo DE Los EDIF1cIos.'
Rises abruptly from the plains like another
Acropolis. The summit is reached by an
ancient causeway on the northern side
which ascends with easy slope, guarded by
basti rs and double wall, while on the
other side the PERCEPTIONS rocks form natu-
raj defenses.
The entire mountain is covered thicklv
with ruins, but chiefly on the southern
side may be traced the remains of magnifi-
cent temples, pyramids, affairs and edifces
of sacrifice all cut from solid basalt, and
rising in the highest part more than 400
feet above the surrounding country. The
rock walls were formerly Joined by
mortar, but the stones-many of which
are twenty feet thick and of corresponding
hight-are held in place mainly by their
own massiveness. For a full and minute
account of this remarkable place. permit
me to refer you to Captain Lyon, who made
1t the study of months and has written
careful description.
The modern Zacatecanos will tell YOU
that 1t is impossible to visit Quemada that
there is no place of entertainment for man
or beast within many miles of the ruins
that, in fact, there is not much to see any
way. You must not mind those lazy folk, /
however, when travelling in Mexico, but
by all means bring little Anglo-Saxon
energy TO bear upon the case. Betsy and |
did 1t, aroused our unsympathetic country
men, living in that vicinity, who have one
and all fallen into dolce far nie7te ways of
the Mexicans, organized a reluctant party,
and succeeded beyond our widest hopes in
exploring the ruins
1t was late in the afternoon when we
reached the foot of the mountain, and the
thirty-mile horseback ride had shaken out
of US much of our accustomed vim" but
the spirit of exploration was still strong
enough to spur us up the nights among the
heightened shadows cast by the setting
gun.
Ascending the grand causeway (whose
rough pavement is still uniDjured, with
here and there heap of stones. as if the
remains of some altar, each paved around
with q border of flat stones arraigned like
six-rayed star we entered
THE DESERTED CITY
Where our horses found rich pasturage in |
spacious courts where monarchs may once |
have feasted. Passing over several wide |
parapets and raised terraces covered with |
gigantic pillars-many of which are still |
standing-throUgh various quadrangular |
spaces part pyramids large and small, and
ruined temples and palaces of vast proper
hons-we scrambled on to the upper works
over well-buttressed but crumbling wall
This wall, on its steepest side, is twenty
one feet high, and the width of its summit
(which is level with an extensive PLATFORM
is exactly the same. 1t is double wall,
the first one-ten feet thick-being covered
with smooth cement, the second wall built
close against it. Its platform, which faces
toward the south, is nearly a hundred feet
square, and on its center stands the remains
of a circular building, while the middle of
the quadrangle is occupied by a mound of
stones, doubtless an altar
Not far beyond, by broad opening be-
tween two massive and perfect walls, we
entered upon an enormous square or court.
This space is surrounded on three sides by
an elevated terrace, having steps cut in the
center of each side, by which to descend to
the square Each terrace is backed by
wall, twenty by nine feet. From the east
an entrance, thirty feet wide, communi-
cates'witb this court, and on the south are
two openings scarcely smaller, while on
The west is only one very narrow doorway
leading to an artificial cave or dungeon.
On the north this square is cut off by the
steep mountain, and in the center of that
side stands pyramid with seven distinct
Lodges. Immediately behind this pyramid,
and all in that portion facing the square,
are
NUMEROUS TIERS OF SEATS
Either scooped out of the rock or built of |
rough stones. In the middle of the square,
due south of the pyramid, is small, quad
rangular pile of stones, about five feet high |
and seven feet wide at the summit. I'm |
questionably this was an altar, and from
the whole character of the place in which |
1t stands, the peculiar form of the pyramid, |
the surrounding terrace, and the seats on
the mountain side, there can be no doubt |
that it was once a grand hall of assembly |
and of sacrifice.
Not one of our guides or servants could !
De induced TO enter the cave, about which |
many superStitious stories are believed. |
Having no torches with which to explore !
1t, we could merely see that it had mar !;
row, well-built entrance, showing in many |
places the remains of smooth plastering. 1t |
is said to be very deep, and doubtless
was the place of confinement for |
victims of the sacrifice. Close by |
is sheer cliff, $50 feet high, |
down which, probably, the bodies were |
thrown of those whose living hearts had |
been torn out, according to the horrible |
sacrificial customs of the early Aztecs. A |
carefully built causeway terminates directly |
beneath this cave and its overhanging cliff, |
and conjecture can form no other idea of
its utility than as being in some manner |
connected with the purposes of the dun |
geon.
Well, we ate our picnic supper upon the |
summit of FL Cerro, using for table the |
rocky pile that had once served for human |
sacrifices Even the stones upon which we |
sat had been carved by forgotten hands, |
perhaps thousand years ago. Every OBJ |
ieet that met our gaze was a suggestive but |
mute memorial of the long-departed peo-
Pile Our native companions, who believed |
in ghosts, witchcraft and avenging spirits, |
were naturally full of superstitious fancies. |
They endow all manner Of creeping things |
with supernatural attributes, and having q |
vague idea of the