New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21
RELICS OF THE MAYA RACE
THE CAST OF THE TURTLE OF QUIRIGUA
AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM.
AN IMPORTANT GIFT FROM THE DUKE DE
LOUBAT~THE INTERESTING RUINS OF
Z COPAN AND WHAT THEY INDICATE

Among the relics Of ancient American civiliza-
Don which have come to this country in recent
years those pertaining to the Maya nation
are looked upon with great interest by students
Of the subject and for that reason the plaster
east Of the Turtle Of Qurigua" which has been
presented to the Museum Of Natural History OF
New-York by the Duke de Loubaf Will attract
much attention.
In speaking Of II Erwin p Dusseldorf. Of
Copan, Guatemala, said: THE great institutions
for the education of the public should strive to
bring the objects of art showing the high CIVIL
ization of the Maya nation to the notice or
the public at large. Americans like to see that
their continent has produced works Of art which
can show themselves side by side with those Of
the Old World and which even If they do not
come up to their finish, realistic style and
beauty are still more remarkable than modern
works because they were produced without art
knowledge derived from another race. as hap
pened with all the nations OF the Old World. The
Duke de Loubat recognized the Importance OF
this sentiment and ordered casts of the most re-
markab!e Maya and Mexican monuments, and
has presented them to the Museum Of Natural
History"
Mr. Dusseldorf gave the following description
Of the Turtle of Ourigua' This deliberately
carved monument. made from one stone, repre-
cents a number of Maya gods At one side is
god probably Of the planet Venus. holding in his
right hand a god representing the life OF new
period. while the left hand is covered by the
profile mask Of the dead sun. The whole hgure
appears in the jaws OF a snake. AT the sioTs
and on top are faces of the suns god and OF a.
new life while at the back appears the face OF
the god with the nose pointed downward IL
was explained that the nose plays an important
mart on monuments Of this kind. and that the
81 nf
which one has the nose turned up and the other
turned down. When the nose is broken oil-as
u Is in many instances-it becomes dihcut 10
determine the proper class of the god
"In n few months there will be on show also
a plaster cast Of the tallest Maya monolith.
known as the leading stella or Quirigua-
Guatemala. which will be greatly admired TOT
the fine carving. The deciphering OF the Maya
ruins is to-day the most important problem OF
Archaeology, and Europe has long recognized II.
Collections from Central America. II duly Ia
beIled as to their locality. are highly appreciated
Collections without this Information are alnos
worthless.
"America has but recently awakened to the
Importance Of these studies. and 1t is TO be hoped
that the interest evnccd will become more wide
spread as soon as the public has more and I'M
proved OPPORTUNITIES to see and admire the ex-
ousite art of the Maya sculpture. Extraor-
binary as it may seem, these objects have
been carved with stone implements and obsidian
flakes There has never been found one nipple
ment Of copper or bronze in the Maya ruins OK
Copan, and as the copper implements were maze
by Mexican tribes long before the Conquest ana
as copper bells were especially common and to
be seen in all parts Of the continent the ab-
aepce of bells and copper working tools would
prove that Copan was ruin before the Mexi-
cans began to manufacture in copper
'-There are probably several cities. one uhoer-
meath the other, at CCpan. and by their excava-
ton the development OF Maya ART oouio DC
clearly shown. A pyramid which Is destined to
solve many questions Is the one STANDING al
Cholula in Mexico. formerly the centre OF loitec
worship There is to-day a Cathohc church
standing on the top Of the pyramid. ana De-
meath IL could be found, believe, temples which
were built by the Totec9 And. II my sur1nises
are correct, their structure and the oD)ect3 OF
art which will be found in them Will determine
tbe question which has been SO much specuated
nnon. Who were the Toltecs. the originators OF
all Central American civilization? An Amerl-
ron SchIcrnann is needed TO help solve the
fiddle.
."rhis nation reached it's highest point before
tho development Of power by the Mexicans. or
Nahnas. who by their longing for conquest
terminated the reign Of the peaceful and artistic
Mavas whose doom began about 1000 A d. and
WAS completed long before the discovery OF
America The most remarkable vestiges OF this
xa.ion ox,st ALL over YuCatan, Chiapa and the
Atlantic side of Guatemala as far south as CO.
nan and Honduras. The finds made recently
lead rs to believe that Yucatan In prehistoric