Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25
TEXAS PREHISTORIC GODS
THREE RACES or PEOPLE HAVE IN
HABFTED THAT STATE.
Some Remarkable Discoveries of Old
Rufns-An Ancient Temple d edi-
eated to the sun.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.

/ rom the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Western Texas Is literally covered with
mounds ruins and long lines of earthworks
that were evidently constructed by race
of people who possessed the earth long be-
fore the red Indian Of modern times ap-
peared and disappeared. Archaeolos1sts be-
lieve that no less than three different races
of people, none of whom was Of the least
kin to the North American Indian, have
lived and passed away at widely separated
periods of the worlds history in the country
now called Texas. The most modern of these
prehistoric peoples was a race that IN
habited the valleys of the Colorado and the
Rio Grande. They dweit in houses built OF
sun-dried bricks and partly dressed stones
Their ruins are not abundant, but they are
easily found in many well-knOwn localities.
The cursory exploration that has been made
has shown that these people were or Toltec
or Aztec origin, and it is possible that they
fourished contemporaneously with their
dwelt in long, subterranean galleries, al
ways we'll protected by system of earth
| works, inhabited the plains nearer the sea-
coast. Traces of their works OF defense
and portions Of their habitations are yet In
evidence over vast areas of the eastern part
of the state. These people always lived in
cities, and at some remote period the region
that they inhabited must have been densely
populate
A still older race, one that, perhaps, ex-
listed when Europe was wilderness, seem
to have pressed their feet upon every acre
of Texas soil. They must have existed In
countless swarms, for their ruins. though
many of them are barely perceptible above
the face of the earth, are encountered at
very step. They dwelt in small. circular.
mound-shaped houses, the walls of which
do Of or
the roof was doubtless composed Of grass
and clay. These habitations were partly
subterranean. for the floor was always
about three feet below the surface of the
earth. There are places on the plains of
Texas where the traveller may count these
mounds until he Is tired. and then in what
ever direction he may turn his eyes. he will
see other collections of mounds spread out
hills to the extent Of his vision.
COngre9ated at WATERFALL.
These people congregated in countless
hordes at the waterfalls of the great rivers,
where fish were easily taken, though wher-
ever there is depression In the earth on
the western plains, which at some remote
period contained water. the mounds are
sure to be in evidence on the adjacent
slopes. The stones that formed the walls
of these habitations invariably show the
effects of fire. They are crusted with black
lime and smoke and they bear a striking
resemblance to rocks that at time
had formed the body of chimney that had
been used for centuries. The people who
constructed these rude shelters were EVIL
IDENTIFY savages of the lowest type. They
We're probably an autochthonous race and
the first of their kind that ever breathed
the air Of this continent.
On account of some very remarkable dis
coveries that were accidentally made con-
siderable interest has recently been excited
concerning these old ruins. An effort has
been made to explore and uncover what is
believed to be the ruins of an Aztec city In
the valley of the Colorado, near Marble
Falls, which has resulted in finding con-
siderable collection of antiquities, relics and
curiositfes. The objects that have been
found have not yet been examined by an
expert in such matters, but a few Of them
are believed to be of considerable value.
The credit of the discoveries belongs to
Miss Alma Ney, an educated young lady,
who Is deeply interested in everything per
tanning to the early history of Texas The
place where the first excavation was made
| is believed to have been the site of a pal
ace occupied by the king or ruler Of the
country. The ruins are covered with sew
eral feet of dirt, making a mound some
forty feet in height, upon which oak trees
are growing that are thought to be at least
400 years old. After reaching the floor Of
the building the woorkmen found an album
dance of broken pieces of pottery but not
a single whole vessel. Near one Of the
walls, protected by large granite slab
the first curiosity of any value was brought
TO light. This was a small stone image
about the size of a billiard ball. One side
presents an ugly human face, and there is
a hole in the neck, as II the head had at
| some time been fitted to the end of staff
1t. perhaps, represents one Of the gods Of
war that the old Aztecs carried at the
head of their armies.
After the great slab had been removed
two more heads were found These are of
life size. and they are supposed to be busts
OF the sovereigns who ruled the country.
perhaps at the time Of the destruction Of
the city. They have been chiseed out of
hard granite, and although the work is
| rough, they show that these people had
some knowledge Of the art of sculpture
The brows of the heads, one of which Is
evidently intended to represent a female
are encircled by bands bearing some re-
| semblance to crowns. Two of the ears
| were broken Off
PrehistOric Mound.
Not far from the ruins Of the palace there
| Is mound which rises more than 100 feet
above the surface of the surrounding coun-
| try. Wind and rain and perhaps the storms
| Of centuries have worn the dirt from the
| rocks on the top Of this elevation, and it re-
| quired very little exploration to reach the
| floor and inside walls Of small structure
| that was evidently identified with the re-
| ligion OF the people. 1t was perhaps a
| temple dedicated to the sun. On the center
of the floor there was an altar about four
| feet In height on top Of which there was q
| solid granite slab nearly seven feet In
length and four feet in width. Lying close
| to this altar was found a hook-nosed god
with enormous ears. 1t Is an ugly hideous
! monstrosity, and is doubtless the bloody old
| war god to whom they sacrificed human be-
| ings The enormous nose Of the god Is
| hooked over at the point like the beak OF
| an eagle, and there Is a crude figure on the
| forehead which was evidently intended to
| represent the sun.
| A large knife, which has since been mis-.
placed. was found near the sacrificial altar
1t was made Of bronze. Fragments of sew.
4 eral rather large vessels made Of clay were
| collected from the floor Of the temple One
| easily imagined that these pieces of pottery
| were stained with blood for they were
| probably used to hold the life current OF
| the victims sacrificed to the hideous god
| The laborers declared that there was a De.
| culiar, repulsive odor about the place-the
| odor of decayed human fiesh-which neither
| the passing ages nor the action Of the ele-
| ments had destroyed.
The most valuable object found was dis
| covered in a small building which was prob.
ably the sovereign's private arsenal 1t Is
| the head of a monarch, and Miss Ney be.
| lieves that 1t was carved to represent no
less a parsonage than Montezuma The skill
displayed in the workmanship and moldine
| of the features shows that the artist DOS
sessed ability Of a rather high order, con-
| sidering the age in which he lived 1t was
! a Gra hal ynd bat hto