The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-07
OLDEST AMERICAN CITY.
REMARKABLE DISCOVERIES RE-
GENTLY MADE AT CorAN.
The Mysterious City Of Honduras.
the Cradle of Maya Civilization
Remains of Great Temples and
Palaces in Central Americ..

The Central American explorer George
by ron Gordon. contributes an article entt-
tied The Mysterious City OF Honduras.
TO the January Century. This gives "a
account OF the recent remarkable ais-
covegies made at Copan- Mr. Gordon says:
Hidden away among the mountains Of
Honduras IS beautiful valley when.
even in that little Travelled country. where
renotsneSs is a characteristic attribute ~
places. Is unusually secluded. Copan Is one
o. the greatest mysteries OF the ages Az
ter the publication in tisiD OF stephens
account OF has visit 10 the ruins. which
made them known for the arst time TO
the world. the interest awakened by his
graphic description. and the drawings that
accompanied IL from the sk!sui pencil cr
Catasrxood. relapsed: and until within
the last decade writers on the subject Of
American archaeology were dependent en-
tirely for information concerning Copan
upon the writings of stephens which weYa
regarded by many with skeptieism and
mistrusf. Not only do the recent expiora-
fions confirm the account given BY Ste
phens as regards the magnitude and in
portance of the ruins but the collection
OF relics now IN the Peabody museum 10
sufficient to convince the most skepti>ai
thar here are the remains of city. un-
known TO history. as remarkable and as
worthy OF our careful consideration as
any OF the ancient eenters of civilization
in the Old World. Whatever the origin
Of its people. this old city is distinctiveIy
Amerlcan-the growth OF American soil
and environment The gloomy forest. the
abode OF monkeys and iaguars. which
clothed the valleys al the time of Ste
phen's visit. was In great part destroyed
about thirty years ago by a colony from
Guatemala, who came To plant in the
fertile soil OF the valley the tobacco for
which. much more than for the ruins,
that valley is famous throughout Central
America today. They left the trees that
grew upon the higher structures, form.
ing n picturesque grove. a remnant OF
which still reE1atns-a few cedars and cei-
bas or gigantic proportions. clustered
about the ruins of the temples. shroud-
ing them In a somber shade, and sending
their huge roots into the crevices and
UNEMPLOYED chambers and vaults and gall
ieries OF the vast edfice.
The area comprised within the limits OF
the old city consists of a level plain seven
or eight miles long and two miles wide
al the greatest. This plain IS covered
with the remains Of stone houses doubt
less the habitations OF the wealthy. The
streets, squares. and courtyards were
paved with stone. or with white cement
made from lime and powdered rock. and
of covered canals and underground sew
built of stone and cement. ON the
slopes OF the mountains. too. are found
numerous ruins; and even Oh the high
est peaks fallen columns and ruined
structures may be seen.
On the right bank Of the Copan river.
IN the midst of the city. stands the prin-
cipal group OF structures--the temples.
palaces, and buildings OF a public char
acter. sheSe form part of what has been
called. for want OF better name. the
Main Structure-a vast, irregular pile ris-
ing from the plain in steps and terraces
of masonry. and terminating IN several
great pyramidal elevations. either topped
by the remains OF n temple which, before
our excavations were begun. looked like
a huge pile OF fragments bound together
by the roots OF trees. while the slopes of
the pyramids, and The terraces and pave
ments below, are strewn with the ruins
OF these superb edihces- This huge struc-
tare. unlike the great pyramids OF Egypt
and other ancient works OF a similar
character, is not the embodiment of n
definite idea. built IN accordance with a
preconceived plan and for a specific pur-
pose. but Is rather the complex result OF
a long process Of development, correspond
ing 10 the growth of culture and keep
ing pace with the expanding tastes OF tho
people or the demands OF their national
NE. It's .g1SS EaCE the f0IF CAfGlgai
points: It's greatest length from north 10
south Is about eight hundred feet. and
from east 10 west IL measured originally
nearly as much, but a part OF the east
ern side has been carried away by the
swift current OF the river which flows d.
rectly against IL. The interior OF the
structure is thus exposed In the form Of
cliff 80 feet high. presenting compu-
Gated system of buried walls and floors
down 10 the waters edge-doubfleSs the
remains OF older buildings. occupied for
a time. and abandoned 10 serve as found
atoms for more elaborate structures Tx
cavations have also brought 10 Hight be-
meath the foundations OF buildings row
occupying the surface. not only the filed
chambers and broken walls OF the older
structures. but sculptured monuments rs
well. The theory Of development. though
il cannot be- set aside, seems inadequasa
10 explain this curious circumstance. and
yet Their Is just enough difference between
these art relics and those OF later date
10 indicate a change in style and treat
n1ent. Whether or not this change con-
tinues IN regular sequence tower down has
not yet been determined. IT, as | am
inclined to believe We shall fnd. away
down In the lower levels, the rude begin
n!ngs from which the culture Of the later
period developed. we shall have pretty
conclusive evidence no; only that coran
f. the Oldest OF the MAYA cities. bat that
the Copan valley itself with the iTnme-
date vicinity, was the cradle of the Maya
civilization