Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-11
RETURNS FROM MEXICO
Prof, ". H. Holmes Completes His Exam
ination of Ruined Cities.
Found Temple on the Terraced Sum-
nit of Ancient NOchicaIco-The
Aztecs' Obsidian Mines.

Professor W. II. Holmes one of the head
Curators of the National Museum has re-
turned from trip to Mexico under the
auspices of the Smithsonian institution
He want from San Antonio, Texas, on
April l last and, with Maj. Dutton, in
Charge of the military post at San Antonio
and Mr.. g. X. Gilbert of the sociological sur
vey. Was the guest of Mr.. Brackenri lge a
banker of San Antonio, in whose private
car the party Travelled. Professor Holmes
returns with a wider knowledge and higher
respect for the culture Of the ancient Next
can peoples than ne had entertained ,re-
viously. He accomplished the exploration
OF the ruined city of Nociicalco, Hill Of
Flowers, som thing aot done hitherto in
scientific and thorough way
The party made its headuuarters at
Mexico City. and from there proceeded first
TO the famous mountain, Orizala and later
made the long trip to XOchicalco. They
went first to CuaTTaba and then We're TWO
days in crossing the valley to the ancient
city site. or the way they stopped over
Elght at the great sugar hacienda and
watched the work with sugar cane. The
next day. after a three-hours' ride across
ridges and canons, the ruins were found
on the summit of a~smau hill several hun
dred feet high. The hill is a series of stone
faced terraces from base to the summit
II is network of walls, finished in Sc
lected or cut stone and well plastered.
On NochicaIco's Summit
The summit is about one-fourth of a mile
square. and in the center stands temple
Of simple but artistic character Its walls
are covered with rude glyphs carved into
them. The temple Is about 60 by so feet
square, and Is surrounded by a very COM
pete system of courts and pyramids
Prof Holmes says the city belongs to the
pre-Spanish period. and that to remodel
and build the summit in the extensive way
now indicated must have taken centuries of
time Therefore he concludes that the city
Is much more than SEQ years old as there
IS no record of its capture and occupancy
by the Spaniards He said that it was the
work of the AZtecs, whose material deyeI-
opment shows primitive culture of type
similar TO the Egyptians. They We're an
enterprising and thoughtful people The ex-
cavated caverns in shat vicinity were found
most interesting
The party also visited and examined the
ruins OF the city of San Juan Teotihuacan
This IS the most extensive prehistoric city
on the American continent. 1t lies in the
valley in which CorteZ established the Citv
OF Mexico. and there are no records of its
occupancy by the invaders army
From the archaeological point of view. the
next important trip was to the ancient oh
stdian mines of the AZteCs, eighty miles
north OF the City of Mexico The Aztecs
we're famous for their use of knives with
which they shaved and cut their hair and
made use of somewhat as the moderns do
The sites of ruined towns and dwellings
all over Central Mexico are covered with
fragments of these implements. All were
made from Obsidian quarried in these
mines, which cover one square mile of
mountain side. 1t a difficult art but
hakes properly Clipped made excellent
knives. Numerous of these pits are still
to be found and some yet have depth of
twenty-five feet.
NO new archaeological facts were liscov-
cred or established conclusions changed, -
said Prof Holmes to a Star reporter. but
have gained a wider knowledge of these
ancient peoples and their cultures and have
a higher opinion of the intelligence and
ability of the inhabitants of Mexico in the
PARKWAY ages"