El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-30
WONDERFUL DISCOVERY
Of Astec Temple and Relics In the
City Of Mexico.-president DlaZ
Quick To Grasp the SIanificin .

What promises to be the richest and
most important archaeological discov-
cry on this continent was made a rev
DAYS ago by workmen in n sewer ex-
~cavation Immediately back OF the ca
tnedral in the City of Mexico. Two
Of the chain OF seventy-eight chapels
which the great Aztec tenn
pie which stood at the time of Cor
tez-s conquest have been found. Only
the tops OF the towers have as yet
been uncovered. but other articles
found are conclusive evidence that the
buried Teocalli has at last been uncov-
cred. A great quantity of objects per-
tanning to the old temple have been
taken out in the last fe wdays. includ-
ing idols of all sizes. some richly or
nzmented with gold: gold objects. pure
Jade beads. sacrificial knives. censors.
of copal. the incense burned
by the Aztecs. masks. date stones. cary
ed slabs OF stones. colored pottery on
which the colors are as brilliant and
beautiful as they We're Our centur-
les ago. and stone ana metal objects OF
many kinds. making altogether sever
al wagon loads
President Diaz was quick to grasp
the Importance Of the discovery. and
upon his recommendation 5000. 900 has
been appropriated to continue the work
of excavation. An area covering TWEEN
II acres. including the main plaza OF
the city and the cathedral. which Is
thought to cover part OF the buried
Aztec Teocalli. will be e~xcavated. The
temple itself may be found. as may |
the lost treasure of MonteZuma- From
the gold objects already taken out this |
hope see mslikely to be realized. In |
any case the value of the objects taken |
out is sure to be many times the cost
Of 1t is thought by the
scientific men in Mexico that the rich
est mine in the world lies under the
present cathedral. the largest church
edifce in America. Excavation for a
sewer system has been going on for
several months and many valuable
objects ave been discovered. Senior
Leopoldo Batres, government inspec-
tor or archaeological monuments Of
the National Museum. has watched the
work to prevent the theft by work
men of archaeological objects.
The find was made at a depth of %
feet The first figures discovered were
Two idols. representing Ehecatl. the
sod of the air. the companion of Duet
zalcoatl. the most interesting of the
Aztec gods. The figures were k out
in excellent condition. They are So
centlmeters in height and stand upon
bases 20 centimeters square One of
the figures is painted red. yellow and
black. and the colors are still pre-
served. These idols were adorned with
gold. polished and engraved in a re-
markable tanner. One of the orna-
ments is a lyre-shaped piece of gold
worn on the head Ear rings of gold
and golden disks worn as breastplates
we're also found. a gold jewel box and
other gold ornaments unattached were
found The most important find Is
about a thousand genuine jade beads
These beads were the most valued OF
all Aztec possessions. The possession
Of Jade by the AZtecs is regarded by
ar~chaeologists as the strongest evil
dence in support of the theory of Chin
csc origin. No Jade in its natural state
has ever beer found in Mexico China
h the only place where IL is found.-I
American Contractor. IL