Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-01-29
AN AMERICAN PYRAMID.
Monumental Structure In Mexico
Equal to the Egyptian Cheops-

x
Equal to the Egyptian Cheops.
Ii Is not necessary to leave North
American soil to visit genuine pyra-
mid which will compare in size with
.he pyramid of Cheops itself. 1t can
be reached without crossing the sea; in
TACT, railway will carry us almost to
!he base. A tranch of the Mexican
and Vera Cruz railway runs from
Pueblo TO Cholula. about nine miles
ilstant, where the great pyramid
stands.
Although 1t Is on American soil, no.
body knows Just when the pyramid was
ouilt. 1t is very old-that We know
and may be older than that of Cheops,
IN Egypt.
The AZtecs invaded Mexico a thou
sand years ago, and 1t was standing
hen. Perhaps the Toltecs OF the Om-
lecs had hand in its construction, OF
perhaps 1t was there when they came.
Who they were, what they were, whl
they built this huge structure-aii
lhese are questions which have been
asked in vain. Certain It is that it was
built by a civilized race, one skilled in
eng reering.
iiffer. Humbolt giving the sides of the
base at ], 44U feet each, and Bandaller
made the north side 90 feet, and the
east side l. 26 feet, he south side
533 feet and the west side 1,UOO feet.
Tne height is about 144 feet or more
from the base to the top.
A view which Humboldt gives shows
that formerly the four terraces of the
pyramd were very distinctly to be
seen, b. now. owing to the crumbling
Of the sharp edges of the terraces by the
action OF rain and time, the pyramid
pect is not so Immediately to be dis
cerned. But new view and not very
IN mute examination shows at once the
artificial character of the mound
a broad paved road winds up to the
top, where in the time OF the conquest
stood an Aztec temple. This site is
now occupied by pretty church, built
by the Spaniards. The Aztec temple
was dedicated to the mysterious ''tair
god, ;" "QuetZcoatl, of whom tradition IS
that he came from over the sea in an
cient times to teach the Aztecs the
arts of civilization.
There is some ground for supposing
that this NEUROLOGICAL parsonage was a
Christian missionary who found his
way from Greenland-ln old times a
IA rly civilized land-to Mexico, who
lived with the ferefatheIs of the later
Aztecs and taught them many arts.
lie was called the god Of the air;" his
statue was crowned with a golden MI
ter; he wore a gold collar, turquois ear
rings, and carried a scepter studded
with gems and a shield painted with
emblems Of the four winds.
The pyramid is built of adobe brick,
| and il is supp sed that il served both
as forfeited place and site for wor-
ship. AT the top vas n temple CT tile
gods. and on the terraces were dwell
lings, the whole making a fortified
pueblo, no doubt impr-gnable 20 as.
sault in the days before gunpowder was
known.
This pyramid and the smaller ones
in the vicinity resemble maryelously the
Assyrian and Chaldean temples, which
Layard and other explorers have SC
minutely described Cholula has never
been explored, but doubtless contains
rare antiquarian treasu es-
At the time OF the conquest, in cut
ting off an end of the pyramid to make
room for a more direct route from
Pueblo to Mexico, vast hollow cham
Der unueI the sJIuCluEe "is ul>CAOSei
TO view.
1t was built OF stone and sustained
10y beams OF cypress. In it were two
skeletons, some idols and a large mum.
Der of glazed vessels.
From the top OF the pyramid can be
seen on the plain below some curiou:
mounds, one somewhat resembling al
elephant all unmistabably artificial,
showing that this region was once a
religious gathering ground, a sort oi
| American Mecca.
Cholulu has one great advantage
over Cheops. The latter is built on d
fat and arid Plan. Cholulu stands IL
the midst of magnificent scenery. Per
haps this Is rather disadvantage, the
pyramid being dwarfed in appearance
by the huge mountains which form Z
vast wall, separating the valley q
Pueblo from the Valley Of Mexico.
From the top of the phyamid there
is to be seen good-sized hill lying III
under the base of Popocatepetl. i
looks like a sailboat alongside of IT, {
| Great Eastern.
| In other directions one sees Malinche
the most curious Of mountains, anC
the lofty, "star-shining" peak of Ori
zaba- The entire district is beautiful
and at the same time impressive, ant
should be better known to American
tourists