Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-09
ANCIENT RUINS IN MEXICO
A Prehistoric City Found, Larger in Extent
Than New York
THE OLDEST on THE CONTINENT
Many Affairs aud Temples, rs We'll n'
Evidences of Aztec, ToItcc and
SIN older CiNiIizn-
tion Found.

by Mr. William Niven. a well known miner
alogist Of New York City. a Scotchman by
birth and a life member of the American
Museum of Natural History The newly
discovered city lies Immediately northwes
Of Chilpancingo. the capital of Guerrero.
From the reports just received from Mr.
Niven, after only a few weeks exploration
among the ruins OF the ancient city, enough
is learned. says the New York Herald, tC
insure the find containing much that is o
chronological and archaeological interest, and
that will add new and remarkable chapter
to the history of ancient America, which. in
deed may prove the cradle of the race.
The excavations show evidences of three
distinct races of peoples, when succeeded
| each other
1t was little more than two years age
when Mr. Nevn. in the interest of his ia
vorlte sclence-mineralogy- 10 Mexico
to investigate the mines of rose garnet
called by the natives "Xalortoc," and learned
Of the existence OF an ancient buried city
! near Chllpancingo. He inquired as to Its
location, but could learn nothing definite.
| With the persistence of an enthusiastic
! scientist Mr.. Niven prosecuted his inquiry
! and finally met peon who said he knew
where the city which bore the supposed
mythical name. Quechmlctoplican, lies
| buried. Accompanied by the native, Mr..
| Nevin started from the City Of Mexico
| through a rough, wild and almost unin-
| habited land.
APPROACHING THE CITY.
For four days they travelled and finally
reached a little settlement, formed by few
huts Of natives where they procured sup
| ply of simple provisions, and then started
on a three days journey So unDropitious
was every sign that Mr.. Nevin began to
| doubt the honesty Of his guide yet he per-
| sisted, and continued on for two days more.
| Then his doubts hppamp stronger but when
! the guide pointed out what appeared to be
an artifcally levelel path, overgrown by
| trees that looked as though they had en-
| dured for centuries. and said that the path
had been a roadway leading to the city, he
! took courage.
| On they went for another day, and then a
| valley was reached, into which they de-
| scondCd, and behold before them the ruins
| Of what had apparently been a doorway
made OF unhewn stones roughly piled to-
gether. held b in place by clay and sur
mounted by a roughly hewn stone that
formed the Intel. This was the entrance
| to the ancient city
Up and down the valley and along the
| hillsides Mr.. Niven and his guide went.
| seeing on every side evidence of a great
| buried city. The mneralogist was salts
| fed that Quechmictoplican was not a myth;
| that the ancient city, with its treasures Of
the past lay beneath his feet. and that ex-
! cavatons would, lead to wonderful dis
| CONerlCS. But explorations ana excavations
| require men and money. and Mr.. Niven had
| not the latter with which to get the
former. So, entirely satisfied with his sue
| cess for the present. he returned to New
York
Mr. Niven said little of his discovery in
Mexico. for he did not want others to step
in, take the path he had pointed out and
rob him of the honor and the delight that
the ultimate unearthihg of the ancient city
| would bring. But he did impart his secret
to trusted friends and sought for means to
enable him to prosecute his explorations.
man OF wealth came to his rescue and
agreed to furnish the necessary money IL
he would take personal charge of the ex-
plorations. There was one other condition,
which was that the name OF the financial
hacker should not be made public. These
arrangements were made in July last. and
| on August Mr.. Niven started for Mexico.
At Chilpancingo Mr.. Niven procured
horses, arms, few tools and workmen To
get the latter was no easy task, for the
natives do not fancy work. dislike to face
dangers, and particularly object to being
away from whisky. But these difficulties
were overcome and the explorer started for
the wild country that he had before entered
with a single attendant. In his outfit was
the very important Photographic apparatus,
that he might preserve pictures of his dis
coyerles. Selecting favorable spot, near
small stream that flowed over a portion of
the ancient city, the camp was pitched and
the work OF exploration entered upon.
First. a general surface survey was made.
and on every hand near and far were found
evidences Of the old civilization. Here and
there were found ruins of stone structures
that reared their dismantled heads high
enough to mark the grave of a hugo city,
and the soil in many places showed itself
to be of comparatively recent deposit.
The main portion of the city where had
been the mart OF trade and the seat of the
manhattan shows hOun6grinS hat
would more than include the present city
OF New York, aud beyond this stretch out
lying suburbs that increase the size of the
central portion many times.
EVIDENCE OF AZTEC RELIGION.
After the surface survey was completed
and careful notes of ruins made, with sug-
gestions as to the apparently best points for
beginning excavations, the more serious work
of underground explorations was entered
upon One of the first objects of special in
terest unearthed was a stone altar that
spoke plainly of the Aztec bloody human
sacrifice. This altar and other discoveries
showed that this people whose descendants
the Spanish invaders found in Mexico, had
lived in Quechmictoplican But they had not
been the founders of the city for their fierce
civilization was built over the graves of a
more mild, peaceful and advanced people
the Toltecs.
Numbers of these altars OF cruel sacrifice
were found which in places, rested on the
structures of adobe brick These point to-
ward more ancient Toltec Civilizations
civilization whose origin is wrapped IN
mystery.
But the signs OF antiquity did not stop at
the Toltec age, for beyond and below We're
found remains OF architecture and decora-
tions that cannot he surely attributed to
either AZtecs or Tnltecs. and may belong to
a yet older and heretofore entirely unknown
race. But further research must be made
before positive statement on this point can
be made. ~
As Mr., Niveu went from place to place
over broad extent OF country, making ex-
cavations at various points his wonder in
creased for the ruiHs are much more numer-
Gus than at first supposed, They cover an
area OF 300 square miles. On every foot
hill and mountainridge remains Of great pre-
historic structures are found, in most in
stances little more than foundation walls
are standing, but there are many walls, from
three to eight feet high substantially built.
The temples, often covering 600 square
feet OF space, alb have altars in their CEN
ters, from five 40 twGnty feet high and fifteen
feet square on the ground
Some Of the building stones are very
large, carefully cut and properly squared
While delving among some OF these large
number OF bones were found and in what
proved to be a circular chamber or tower
about twelve feet In diameter, were found
heaps OF dust, broken plaster, painted bril-
liant red and white on the floor were also
found a large quantity of stone beads
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