The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-07-31
CAVES OF YUCATAN.
We're the Abodes of People Of a
Prehistoric Race.
ScientiAc Expeditions ssent Out from
Pennsylvania to Secure Relics
of Race Anterior TO
the Mayas-


If there is one thing more than an
other which archaeologists would hail
with delight it would be the discovery
which would unlock the mysteries of
the Maya stone monuments uad give to
the world TIE keys to the history of
the carly races CT Central Anlerica, as
the discovery of the Rosetta. stone an
locked the history of ancient Egypt.
There has bcen for many years q G:s-
pute as to the degree of t.quity which
is to be accorded to the remains that
arc found in Central America. One sa-
Want carries them back to a time a.
most contemporary with ancient
IgyfS, sShile another will not allow
+hst' they are much earlier than the
days of the 3IontezuElas or Inc tine or
tho discovery of the continent by Co
lumbus. If the Maya tongue was as
open book as the records OF ancient
Egypt this question might be settled
Who were the builders of Uxmal?
Whence came the ancient race thai
carved the strange figures and c,iar-
actors that arc found on the altar slab
at Palenque? No one can til. Af.e
years of research we are but littdc
closer to the heart of the riddle thar
we were half a century ago.
Recently the inquiry has taken an
other turn and the effort tas beer
made to ascertain something about
the prehistoric races that il was SUP
posed might have preceded the Maya
Indians in the occupation Of the Yucca
tan peninsula. There are in the hills
OF Yucatan many caves, moi large in
extent, l3utwhich ii was believed would.
upon Investigation, show ii the De-
posits which might be found or theiI
floors some traces of prehistoric MAJ
in that region. The earlier races found
shelter in caves, built fires there, and
in the refuse of the ash heap are found
the bones of the animals they consumed |
and the fragments of the tools, utensils !
and weapons that they used. Relics
of importance might be found in the |
hill caves of Yucatan, and so IN eXTCdi- |
tion was sent out from the University |
of Pennsylvania to examine these caves |
and Investigate the Kitchen EliGdcns,r |
or culture beds" as science calls the |
soil of which the floors of these caves
is composed. The expedition was il |
charge of Henry C. Mercer and was
known rs the Corwith expedition, and
5Ir. Mercer has written an entertaining
and valuable account OF their re-
searches. Ten caves were examined,
and the method followed was that usu-
ally employed in such cases. Trenches
are dug across the floor with great
care, the earth removed in layers and
carefully examined for relics ard frag-
ments of pottery, bones of animals,
arrowheaGs and other weapons. ii
was hoped that there would be found
traces of q race anterior to the MGIas.
In this the explorers were doomed to
disappointment. They did rot brd
my traces of the prehistoric man, but
they found that the people who came
to the caves were generally identical
with the race that had reared the cities
whose ruins have excited SO much at
tention and wonder. They brought
with them whatever degree of culture
they were possessed of and had not
developed after their arrival in Yucca
tan. 1t was also established tliat these
people had reached the country in geo
logically recent tines. 1t viii thus be
;een that not all the results Of the c1t-
aedition were OF a negative character |