Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-08-17

scriptions in the hieroglyphlcs OF CIV
ilized race! No writing of such an ad
vanced character as that OF these hero
glyphics has ever before been discovered
in America. The explorer took casts in
plaster and papier mache impressions of
this monoith, and finally of the whole
doorway. The inscriptions show in ex-
cellent relief. and Mr.. Savile is now en-
gagged in study OF them from the casts.
He intends to recast duplicates of the
originals and send them to the ablest
hieroglyphists and students OF ancient
records, in order that the utmost knowl-
edge and skill may be brought to bear for
their deeiphering.
As soon as the doorway was cut
through, Mr.. Saville and his assistants
entered the chamber of the tomb.
Mural paintings, representing female
figures draped in shrouds and in attitudes
OF prayer. were on the walls. Three
inches in the tomb contained a number
OF skulls, and other bones, comprising
parts OF ten skeletons, were scattered
about. These were all painted a bright
red, the same shade as hat which covered
the bones found outside the chambers
under the cazuelas. Red, Mr.. Saville says,
was the mourning color OF the AZtecs.
The fact that all the bones were painted
shows that they had been entirely
stripped OF flesh before being placed in
the tomb. During the long generations
which had elapsed since the sepulchre
had been sealed over an inch OF fine dust
had sifted down from the decayed rocks
which formed the roof and walls.
The most valuable part Of the discover
les nlt this ancient tomb, in the opinion
OF Mr.. Sayille, was the inscriptions. AL
though some OF them bear a generic
resem blance to the maya writing which
has been found in other parts Of Mexico,
no WRIT, II characters OF so high an order
have ever before been discovered in
America 1t is Mr.. Saville's belief that
the writing is at least partly phonetic.
The next step in Mr.. Saville's explora-
lions was the great crypt OF Xoxo. 1t was
discovered by DR.. Sologuren, the famous
Mexican archaologist and collector Of
relics, in 1886. Mr.. Saville forced his way
into it by small side door which had
been previously unknown. To reach the
interior four floors, each from two to
three inches thick, made OF very hard
white cement, were cut through. Pc
culiar architectural formations of an i'm
portant ceremonial significance were
found in the interior Of the crypt. 1t
seems likely, from the religious and cere-
monial symbols uncovered here, that the
origin of the Zepotecan religion may be
found to be identical with that of the
most ancient faith of he eastern world
PREHISTORIC METROPOLIS.
The great discovery and the one which
scientific men consider the most impor
tant yet made, was hit upon in the course
of excavations among the mounds already
mentioned. A terra Gotta drain pipe was
found leading from one of these mounds
into the fields. The joints of the pipe
were several feet long, and they were SO
made as to fit carefully together. The
course of the pipe was followed for con-
siderable distance. Then it broke off, but
further along it was found again, and,
following it up steep mountain, the ex-
plorer came to huge temple at the top,