The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-04-21
ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
A Prehistoric Race That Built Hills OF
r Their Own.

A Prehistoric Race That Built Hills OF
Their Own.
Within an hours ride of the City
of Mexico the traveller can reach one
Of the many ancient ruins that dot
this country and whose history was
as mysterious when Cortes landed
as it is now. The pyramids of the
sun and moon are near the little
city Of San Juan Teotihuacan, on, the
line of the Mexican railway. From
the evidences that are still to be
found about these ancient monu-
ments they once stood in the midst
of an extensive city extending at
least several miles from them in ev-
cry direction. Viewed from the
railroad, the pyramids do. not ap-
pear very formidable because the
eye compares their height with that
Of the small mountain, Cerro Gordo,
near by. Janvier gives the follow
ing detailed information about these
evidences of prehistoric civiliza
,tion: The pyramid of the sun, ac-
cording to. the very careful meas
urements Of Senior Garcia Cubas, is
216 feet s inches high, with base
7s1 feet by 721 feet z inches square.
The platform ON the top is So feet
from north to south by los feet
from ease TO west. The pyramid OF
the moon is $50 feet II inches high,
with base 511 feet by 426 feet. 5
INCHES and Q crowning platform 10
feet s inches square. The only en-
trance as yet discovered is found on
the southern face of the pyramid of
the moon at height of 65 feet from
the ground. This gives inlet to a
narrow descending gallery, inter
rupted by a deep. square well, the
walls of which are laid up with
carefully squared stone.
The axis of this gallery (observa-
ton of Senior Garcia Cubas) coin
cides exactly with the magnetic
,, t, meridian. Beyond the gallery the
interior remains unexplored. The
pyramid of the sun has not been en-
tered at all. To the south of the
pyramid of the sun is large earth
work known as the ciudadela (cita-
del), square inclosed by a mound
averaging 262 feet thick by 80 feet
high. In the center of the inclosed
square is a small pyramid, and upon
the inclosing earthworks are IA
small pyramids disposed at regular
intervals. In the neighborhood of
the pyramids are great numbers of
tumbuli, isolated and grouped. The
most notable group of tumuli is that
which borders the so called Gale de
los muertes (the street of the dead).
This curious causeway begins near
the citadel and, passing the west
ern face of the pyramid of the sun,
ends at the southern front of the
pyramid of the moon, there widen
ing out into a large circle, in the
center of which is tumulus. Many
of the tumuli have been opened, dis
closing in some cases boxes of
wrought stone inclosing skull and
ornaments of obsidian and pottery.
In other cases Gn the tumuli along
the sides of the streets of the dead)
only empty chambers have been
found. The conclusion arrived at
by Senior Orazooy Berra in regard
to these very curious remains,
mainly based upon the wide diver
gence from any known types of the
clay masks found in what may be
assumed to be the older of the
tombs, is that they are the work of
a race older than either Toltecs or
Acolhuas, of which only these mon
uments now remain. Modern Mex
/ 800