Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-02
PREHISTORIC REMAINS.
Some OF tho Wonderful Discoveries on
This Hemisphere.
New York Timesl

At the meeting of the Academy Of An
ihropology yesterday General Charles W.
Darling. OF Utica, read portion of very
comprehensive paper on The Prehistoric
Archaeology of America" Starting with
California, which is exceedingly rich in
prehistoric remains. be gave an account OF
the discoveries in that State, in Mexico, In
some of the States in the Mississippi VAL
ley. and in Central America.
Though il is not usual TO 60 further back
than to the glacial epoch TO determine the
age of man, General Darling said, man ap-
peared TO be present in California during a
portion Of this period. Remains had been
found beneath tablets of lava erupted IN
the pliocene epoch. His existence Mt this
period had been disputed. but 1t was GER
tainly true that be existed during the lie
of races Of animals now extinct. The pre-
historic man lived, built mounds, wrought
implements. and left behind records that
cannot be deciphered. There is reason to
suppose that this was in the very remote
past The opinion is held by DIR. Ihomp-
son and Others that the time will come
when perhaps, by the aid of the ancient
learning Of the East, the records can be
read. As yet, however the riddle OF the
prehistoric race in America IS unsolved.
One of the most remarkable monuments
found, General Darling said, Is IN San LUIS
ObispO county. Southern California. a
great rock rises $50 feet above the plain OF
Carissa, and IN the distance looks rugged
and fcrbidding. On near approach IT IS
seen to have on its eastern side an opening
25 feet broad. which leads into an inner tenn
pie or court. with level floor 225 feet long
and 1875 feet broad at its widest part. The
ceiling is 60 to 100 feet high. This great
natural cathedral is q wonder to biologists
but il is more wonderful to arch@ologists
1t was evidently used by prehistoric. men
as a temple of worship or capitol OF gov
eminent. On the walls are paintings IN
red white, and black, doubtless having
a meaning. There are figures represent,
ing fields, suns, forts, spears, men, and
animals. The colors are apparently as
bright ga when laid on. The wonder was
discovered by Franciscan missionaries 100
wears ago. and there has been no change in
its appearance since When or by whom
the walls were decorated no one knows.
The Indian tribes had no tradition con-
corning the work and regarded IT with su.
perstitious reverence. part OF the land
OF the Plain OF Carissa belongs to the Gov,
eminent. The Atlantic and Pacific railroad
land grant touches it. Until recently the
plain was frequented by wild horses, but
now the temple affords shelter for the
fIocks of the shepherds. Four thousand
sheep can find protection from the storm
at once :,
General Darling discussed the buried
cities of New Mexico. of which there are
many, and the prehistoric remains in Cen
trail America. In Yucatan alone sixty
seven prehistoric cities have been found,
though the obstacle presented by climate
and savage people make travel in that
country nearly impossible. The conclu-
sion was that the remains IN all the south
west were older than the Aztecs. The
older civilization was in many WAYS re-
markable. Ruined cities were found in
Mexico, including great palaces of
hewn stone 800 to 400 feet in dimen-
sions. They contained sculptured .orna;-
ments in bas-relief. Skulls were found
that in their cranial character, were equal
or superior to the average modern race.
The General named many wonderful things
discovered in Nicaragua, Brazil, and Peru.
One monument indicated that ship was
wrecked on the South American coast with
subjects of Alexander the Great, Skulls
were found that showed that the art OF
trephining was known and practced in a
rude way.