The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-04

centuries before. They had vivid ideas of
what they wanted to make, and carved
them directly out of the rock.
Professor Putnam, of Harvard Univer-
slty, author of the prehistoric Ruins of
Copan." is the only scientist who has ex-
planned how these old sculptors worked. He
thinks that they did not use the maIlet
and chisel, but cut away the stone by
drawing a sharp instrument over it. Thus
fined lines, but lost accuracy of proportion.
They made good heads, arms and legs, but
Their technique. however, was always per
feet. Their work always expressed just
what the sculptor intended. This. with ac-
curate proportion which they sometimes
attained, made theirs the highest art. The
strength of their figures is remarkable. The
terra-cotta vase in the Peabody Museum
or Harvard University, representing a
woifs head; is of great accuracy and has
an extraordinary artistic merit. And its
wounded lion in bas-relief from old AS
syria.
Like every other people, these ancient
Central Americans had a passion for or
naments. and. like all the rest. they used
Tor this purpose the things they had at
hand. From shells and stones they made
beads; from jadeite they cut all sorts of
ornaments. simply polished or deliberately
stone for teeth settings. just as some peo-
pie to-day use diamonds. Dentistry must
have been a profitable profession among
them. 1t was quite the style to have
ones teeth set with highly polished disks
OF green jadeite or with dark red cement.
ANO Z they COIlltI1I Will luis. iii flied
their teeth into various shapes. according
to the prevailing fashion. And not yery
long ago only about thirty years. ladies'
here wore enormous earrings that reached
TO their shoulders and pulled the lobes of
their ears out of shape.
Collectors of rare dishes would find treas
ures in the pottery of ancient Copan. for
1t IS SklllfuHy made and is artistic both in
form and decoration. In shape some of
the unglazed red vessels suggest rare cid
Japanese jars. There is one gray lar from
Copan in the Peabody Museum that is ex-
qulS1te in form. Many of the objects that
have been found at Copan may be seen in
this museum. The exploration of Copan
by means of money contributed for that
purpose.
The writing of this people has not vet
been deciphered. Some, however. of the
great number of signs that cover the stones
and monuments have been understood: the
signs of the days are known. and the nu-
merals. and from these latter it is seen
that they We're written by a people of
mathematical ability. Their numbers reach
TO millions. Copan may be compared to
ancient Egypt. for in architecture and
sculpture it suggests the land of the
Sphinx. Its great building prove that n
strong and w-ell-organized government ex-
listed. The evidence of the age of this ma
ton takes it back. not centuries before the
discovery of America by Europeans. but
thousands of years before. Nor is that ali
Beneath the great monolithic monuments
OF CaDon have been found two scuIptures
IN relef, which We're buried there as foun-
dations when the monument were erected
They were entirely different from anv
sculptures previously found. and thex, pvara
used merely as foundations because thar
orlSanai purpose was no longer known or
appreciated. These two Scufptured stones
crumbling now with age, point hack into
the centuries, into a time of which the an
Client city OF Copan itself did not know.