The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-03-23
The Remains Of a Prehistoric Wall.
The Washington Star says:

of the scientific departments OF the
government of strangely interesting
prehistoric wall discovered on the from
tier OF the Lone Star state. This mar
velous ruin surpasses in interest all
the other wonderful remains hitherto
found of the people who once inhabited
the whole Mexican plateau and at.
tanned high state of civilization. 1t
passes through Milano and has total
length of about twenty miles. 1t is
built of solid masonry, ten to fifteen
feet high and as many feet thick. Its
| heighth and thickness are thus almost
az great as the famous Chinese wall on
the north of China, Its direction is
northeast and northwest.
1t is for the most part underground,
and this is one of the curious things
| that puzzle those wise men who are
| supposed to know all about prehis-
toric remains. 1t is undoubtedly very
old.
One might suppose it to be the sure
| foundation of a gigantic fortress which
rose above the ground many feet.
The towers and other means Of de-
Tense with which it might have been
provided have had time to crumble
away in the years that have passed.
The long fortress may have been pull.
ed down by the conquering invaders.
AS the people died out from the land
the debris of the old wall would
| in either case cover its foundation.
| PROBABLY BUILT BY AZTECs.
The Aztecs probably built this wall.
They have lett some inscriptions on
| it, but since their language is entirely
| lost no scholar can ever hope to deci-
pher them. One covers space eight
| feet square. ghe characters are kim
bred to Indian inscriptions, but not
SO closely allied that their mystery
can be penetrated. There was I'M
doubtedly populous village or city
in the vicinity, for on a high hill near
| Mlano the remains of a mighty tenn
pie of worship are found. This was
supported by more than 200 lofty pill
lars. Some of them are still standing.
They were made Of clay, which was
well burned. This gave them the ap.
pearance of stone.
In this temple were placed many
idols, broken parts of which are pre-
served; one shaped like an owl is pre-
served entire. Human sacrifices were
made to these as well as sacrifices of
birds beasts and reptiles. Skulls and
bones have been preserved in the
clay. Some of these belonged to very
large animals. Some are petrified,
and it Is thought that these early Az.
tees may have unders ;ood the art of
petrifatcion, and thus preserved the
bones of their sacrifices. Many of the
skulls show marks of violence, which
was done, perhaps, when the human
victims were slain. Strange to say,
none of these skulls are larger than
the head of an infant, and they have
molar teeth.
CURIOUSLY MARKED IDOLS.
The idols are all curiously marked.
Around each pillar small stones are
piled up in circles or squares, and
inside each circle, underneath the
pillar, there is center or foundation
stone, fashioned to represent the God
head.
Near the wall there are furnaces, in
which tho natives smelted iron.
The location and direction of the
wall are not easily accounted for.
Perhaps it marks the boundary of GER
tain tribal territory which was expos
ed to the attacks of the enemy. An
enormous amount of the labor and ma
terial must have been required for it's
construction, if built above the ground
on the same gigantic plan as the foun-
dalton. Although there were toward
million people then living in that
vicinity the work must have extended
over considerable period of time.
4 T.NlA lNs ltr Ofn mi nj
it is difficult to understand how but a
few thousand could be Interested in
its construction.
ORIGIN OF THE AZTECS.
An old tradition says that the Az.
tees were one of seven powerful tribes
that emerged from seven caverns in a
region called Aztlan, or place of the
heron. They wandered away from
their fellows after great confusion
of tongues and settled in the region
they are known to have inhabited.
This tradition may be partly fabu-
lous, but it sure that the Aztecs set
tied the country before the eleventh
or twelfth century.
All the tribes lived in peace for
considerable time until the strong be-
gan to 9ncroach upon the territory OF
the weaker. Then a fierce war for
supremacy over the whole territory
ensued and lasted many years. I'm
der the leadership of their military
chiefs the Aztecs obtained control of
the whole territory and established
very enlightened form OF government.
This was consummated in 1924 or 1925.
1t is likely that the fortress was built
during this period of war.