Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-01-15
A WONDERFUL STAIRWAY.
Remarkable Ruins That Have Been Dis
covered In Central America.

Remarkable Ruins That Have Been Dis
covered In Central America.
George Byron Gordon, the explorer,
in The Century gives an account of dis
coveries at Copan under the title Of
"The Mysterious City Of Honduras. /"
Mr.. Gordon says:
The most extraordinary feature that
our excavations have yet brought to
light is the hieroglyphic stairway al
ready referred to. Facing the plaza at
the southern end, it occupied a central
position on the western side of the high
pyranidal elevation that forms the
! northern wing of the main structure.
Even in the sad state of ruin in which
we behold it now it affords magnifi-
cent spectacle What must it have been
in the days when it was entire and
reached from the floor Of the plaza to
the entrance of the temple that stood Oh
the height 100 feet abovel
When discovered in 1894, this stair
way was completely buried beneath the
debris fallen from the temple, of which
not one stone remained upon another.
The upper part of the stairway itself
had also been thrown from its place as
| if by an earthquake and lay strewn upon
the lower portion. When at length,
after months of labor, on which from
so to 100 men were employed. the fall
en- material was cleared away, an acre
Of ground was covered with broken
sculptures removed during the progress
of the work, and the lower steps were
found unframed In the center OF the
stairway, at the base, is throne or
pedestal rising to the fifth step and pro-
jecting eight feet in front. The design
upon its face is rich in sculpture and
delicate in detail. 1t is made upi part
of handsome faces, masks, deaths heads
and scrolls, beautifully carved and dis
posed with perfect symmetry, but the
ensemble is perfectly unintelligible. On
the face of each step in the stairway Is
e row of hieroglyphs, carved il medium
relief, running the entire length. Az
intervals in tic ascent the center is &C.
cupied by a human figure of nG5le and
commanding appearance, ARA. Ell IN
splendid attire, seated on tie si2ps.
The upper parts t al tht:' tres were
broken away, but t..e !.Sris u s",eral
were recovered and rested On each
aide was solid La!u*rr.t.p two tcst
chick The upper :;::r' t:i*:" wIre
also broken away. H.; u c":cidi study
and comparison enough WAS recovered
to enable US to make out tie curious
and complicated design i'ortraitlike
busts issuing from the Jawscf erotesque
monsters, standing out upon these balus-
trades and repeated at regular intervals,
formed their principal adornment.
Notwithstanding the arduous toll IN
der the fierce rays of tropical sun, the
exhuming of this stairway, in the con-
struction of which the ancient sculptors
exhausted the resources of their art, was
fascinating labor and was performed
under the constant stimulus of expecta-
ton and the excitement of discovery.
When the last day IS work was done and
I stood upon the broken throne as the
base of the stairway to take last look
at the scene Of my labors, SO familiar
had grown with every feature of the
place that it seemed to cost but little
effort of the mind to roll aside the mist
that hid the past and restore again the
shattered fabric From my position l
could see tho whole plaza, with its mon
uments and temple crowned pyramids.
In front of me the smooth cemented
pavement stretched away westward to
range of terraces that bounds it in that
direction, but leaves unobstructed the
view of the mountains beyond the val
ley. In other days the parting shafts OF
the sun struck the temple, and its sculp-
tured walls, adorned with paint and
stucco flashed in the light, until the
shadows, mounting the throne and
climbing the stairway, shot above the
highest tower and left the city wrapped
in gloom. For moment the peaks stood
dark and gigantic against the dazzling
sunset hues, crowned with glory; then
the colors faded rapidly, giving way to
q pale glow above the mountains, while
sudden darkness fell upon the valley.
Afusing on the scene, l was dimly
aware OF u loi array of shadows pro-
jected from the past Nor was it alto
gether fancy. This plaza has witnessed
many q scene of august pomp and many
glittering pageant. Many priestly
procession with solemn rites has trod
these sculptured stairs, and here, doubt
less, on many day famous in the an
nails of the nation the plumed warriors
of Co, returning with victorious BAN
ners, bowed before the throne where
their monarch sat in state and proudly
reviewed them as they passed.