Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-11

From q Photograph Il
has demonstrated the interesting facts
stated is a spindle whOrl.
This whOrl or weight used TO give mo-
mentum 20 the spindle stick. q thin rod
about "a foot long pushed for an inch or
more through au oriflce ia the centre OF
the whorl. in discussing these facts.
Professor Mercer said 10 the writer: The
thread material used I'm this spindle at
tachcI TO a dlstaG held I'm the left hand.
ran to the spindle, which. being twirlei
ol the knee. and being left free to act.
spun or wound the thread. These Who.rs
prove o. strange coincidence ia the thread
king processes In the ola and New
Worlds. DR.. Schliemann found several
sand whOrls az HissarNb and.
strange to say. many az them were deco
l.t.I with the SwastilIa, or bent armed
..s. Others were marked with the
ordinary cross. by the bent armed cross
.s meant q cross which resembles two
tier rs, one placed across the other
Just as IF each was a. single bar.
Some or the Mexican spindle whors
are marked with crosses, bat none show
the design in it's symbolic form so clear
lv as the specimens which 1 brought 70
urht the other day. IL was recently oh
tained-the specimen-by J. W. Detweiief.
of Bethlehem, Pa. from an ancient ana
probably pre-C0lumbian grave $40 the Rio
Cauca Valley. en- the Republic Of COLON
bin. Here the idea Of cross symbolism I'm
ancient America. rather than mere deco
refion Nv means OF intersectng lines.
IS Ten brought ont by the eight smaller
crosses between the arms or the central
cross. e..
"To my mind tho specimens snow. nrs't'
Tho cross symbol existed in ancient Ameri-
90
Second. the cross symbol carved on
.rindle vhorl by ancient Americans IN
srst the same manner as ancient ASA
r.s and Europeans had carved crosses
or enir1la wborls before the birth OF
Crristiaritv Third. the Identity OF
peculiar process for spinning III the Ola
and New worlds before the discovery on
America by Columbus
s studv OF the face Of The whorl found
ir eouth Africa shows u 10 be or eN-
ceedinc age. Its general style and Work
rnanghin make 70 plainly apparent lhal
it As tho result OF the labor OF the people
who inhabited that part or oouen
America now known as Colombia before
the star Of bethlehem startled the snep-
herds. In some particulars il resembles
in great decree stone objects found in
me monuments of the mOund-builders'
and also calls to mind certain carvings
on implements Of stone used by the
Azfecs NeXico's carly settlers. Directly
across the centre. or rather around II.
As "a belt large on each side IN point Oh
width narrowing down. until III the
centr. the longitudinal lines come close
together. Above and below this belt are
the croes s. which show that they are not
uurelv for ornament. but possea5ed AT
one time symbolic signihcaHce 10 '-'0
uerrous who carved them.
Archaeological records in regard 10 the
sion LANGUAGE of ancient peoples OF polh
the Eastern and Western hem.spneres
show nothing existed so far as hls'Oi
Knows FRI those early days in the way Oh
. SION which correspondent 10 the cross.
Therefore &c IS not believed 10 nave peeA
81 character of that method OF wlilihs
which obtained Boo greater or iess ues'eo
throughout the tribes Of Indians OF NoItn
and south America. The discovery cans
to mind ana earthen vase, also IN the
rfreo.r Of the University Of Pennsyi-
vania. found in stone grave or mourn
near New Madrid. No, several years ago
by HorauO Rust
Tfis vase. the body Of which was oval
ir form. bore upon the neck series ol
rorfect crosses, the design being com
lination of the Roman ana bIeeh
CROSSES The crosses on. this vase, now
ever. can hardly be called as syhOoiS
iu design as those on The whofl Iouha
ln colombia. The discovery or these
crosses on different articles an or WING"
were made before Christ was born IN
Mexico the United states. South Amer
.ca aud ancient Egypt-show 70 the
mind u the archeolOgist. that WINE lhe
cross is truly symbolic OF Chrlstlanits.
no. 40 the same time was most assnreoiN
"a RELIGIOUS emblem before the son OF
Wsn was ever heard Of.
yhe question Of the origin OF the cross
las been quietly argued for some tlihe
r.sf IA being held that the discoveries
rre,,ious TO the revelations made by Pfo-
lessor Mercer indicated plainly that IN
stead OF the use OF the cross rs symDoi
fe.ng coincldent with the birth OF the
saviour n was held 20 denote sacred
thought and belief during a period so
long ago tnat the known history OF
mankind does not touch upon u. Pro-
feesor Thomas Wilson. OF the Smith
f1nian Institution who has made THIS
matter study. finds ample evidence Tor
tte belief quoted, and declares X 10 De
beyond question that the Christian SYM
Dol Is really borrowed from the anclents.
The second curious fact which the
Colombian relic demon 4rates. - the
similarity IN the process OF spinning
which obtained IN both the Old ana
NJ. worlds 100 and more years ago.