Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-04-20
YUCATAN.
The Ruins Of Uxmal. TIER Exten t.,
Appearance, Probable Age and
Proofs Of Past Civil izatlon.
HACIENDA OF UxMAL March 4.

Is
These ruins are located in the
interior of lucatan about eighty
miles from the city of Merida.
They are perh aps the most re-
nowned in the New World and as
to size: form, beauty of architec-
tural design and strength, they
will compare well with much of
the finest work either in the United
States or Menco. Their age is
question of mere conjecture as the
city was in ruins long before the
discovery of America. 1t is claim
that they are more than two thou
sand years old and as all estimates
are based ON observation we have
an equal right to make our own.
In all the buildings, and rooms,
many of which are as perfect now
as when built, there is not one
which presents the modern arch,
or any principle involving it. The
arch was known to the Egyptians
more than one thousand years b.
c. and as the Indian races of Mex
leo are probably defendants of
them or some people Elm astern
Asia, they must have been here
years before, and as this was
among their first cities it must
now be nearly three thousand
years old.
The house Of the Divinity is the
first the visitor reaches. 1t is built
on the top of stone pyramid in
the exact form of those of Egypt,
being a square base and tapering
to the top by II succession of stone
steps running around on the four
sides of the square. This pyra-
mid is perhaps $50 feet high and
100 feet square at the base. The
summit is crowned with stone
structure about 20 by 40 feet
square. The walls are in places
about four feet thick and the roof
is made of lime and mortar and is
nearly two feet thick. All the
work is true to the plumb line and
spirit level. The rooms are OBJ
long and have very high ceilings,
in many cases twenty five feet.
Some are plastered but most are
finished with the smooth surface
of the face of hewn stone. These
stones are in form of smooth front
with rough back extending to
the centre of the wall from both
sides. They fit so closely that in
many cases the point of my pen
knife could not be inserted be-
tween the square blocks. There
are no windows in many rooms and
| failed to find room provided
with any kind of fire or place for
cooking. None present any paint
ings, but all are beautifully carved
with many designs used in mod
ern architecture. The Greek cross,
the double square, the circle, star,
wreath, plant and flower decora-
tions with statues, snakes and
beautiful projecting capitals over
huted colun Ms are all seen in the
stone carvings. There are long
colonnades just under the ewes;
beneath these are other great col
ums some three feet in diameter,
supporting the projecting sides
above. Great stone scrolls and
projecting plromes hang in long
lines from the corners, and the
door is spanned over head by large
oblong stones, or square timber
most of which is now as sound as
if only placed here fifty years ago.
tits known as sapote wood and is
red in color and as hard and heavy
as lignumn-vitae. Scarce any AK
will cut it and it cannot be worked
without damage to any tools except
those of the very hardest cast steel,
The first building, tradition says,
was the temple of the chief God,
and Judging from its rich carvings
and the position it occupies above
|all others in the city it is perhaps
true. The buildings are all but
one story high and some are COW