Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-01

excavation was tNlutnNlA utNN ~
tomb. The arms and head OF the cross
have beautiful mosaic panels. ana lhe
walls also faced with mosalcs There Is
also second crucifOrm chamber yet
more extensive than the first.
In the valley Of Militia, at Naaga'
there Is a beautiful cruclform TOMB
another significant tomb. IN the shape
of a perfect cross. has been unearth-
ed on Gularoo mountain a few miles
from Militia. IL was the discovery, last
year. Of Senior Batres. The grecque
work indeed, constantly reveals the
presence OF crosses They occur MS
leading feature. In all TOltic arehltec-
ture. and unQuestionably they had
symboical meaning although what
this latter exactly was, remains pug
zle. According to some speculative
persons who take q religious view OF
the matter one OF the apostles, ctmlng
10 this continent as a missionary,
preached the Christian faith to I've Toll
tees. OF this view however, there Is
no scientific corroboraton.
Naturally. the oldest and only records
that we have Of the Toltecs come 10
Ms from Spanish sources. The last OF
the Toltecs were evidently subjugated
il not completely annlhllated, during
the reign Of Montezuna |. They haai
therefore ceased 20 exist as people
but few years before the eastern
coast Of America was discovered Nil
Ia was occupied by the Spanlards soon
after the conquest OF Mexico from
their descriptions. we learn That one
Of the ancient buildings designated as
the palace Of the kings was a magnili-
cent ediflce. and It's walls were beautl-
fully decorated with fine mural paint
ings. and the most delicate grecque, or
mosaic work These mural paintings
were Of symboical character, ana oW-
ing to the vandalism OF the Spanlards
who chartered their troops al the pat
ace they were covered with a coating
Of whitewast, 1t is hoped that It may
be nossible 20 restore some OF these
paintings. which stu reveal much 20
the Archaeological
Father Burgoa, who wrote In the
seventeenth century gives the most
particular account existing OF the ola
inhabitants of Militia. Writing from TIA
coluln. he SAYS "1wo leagues beyond
this Is the most celebrated town Of all
Zapoteea, called Militia In the Mexican,
II resembles the Inferno In variety oil
WAYS. II Is known 10 the natives as Lyo-
baa. or the center OF rest Upon the
north side OF the town. the land Is very
dry and rocky; 1t has the appearance OF
the most profound antiquity, Either ma
ture in It's early formation stages, or
the Deluge, has left great hollow, OF
which the devil took possession, ruling
the people whom he gathered here
from the large rock OF Tenutlan, Here
for centuries has existed a race or the
most clever artiAcers the world has ever
SEEN but 50 controlled by satan. that
they only exist to be the instruments
OF his evil designs lie has established
priesthood which rules the seople
with q rod Of iron. The highest OF
these priests possess more absolute
power than that Of the kings OF Teoza-
potlan, who consider themselves SO near
to the gods that the high priest alone
can be the mediator Of all their trou-
bles. The orders and mandates OF this
superior priest are executed at the cost
Of the blood Of the people. While the
priests and kings alike, have lived IN
| the most stately and beautiful palaces
and temples. the people themselves I'VE
| I'm one or more enormous caVernS IN
| the secret recesses of which are said TO
| tNlSt lntNilh uNilUlt AltbNhlNa ill'''
| treasures are said to be guarded by
monsters, description Of which alone
| convlnces one that the entire commun-
| " IL under the control OF the devil
| These priests perform rites entirely diff
ferent TO any that we have ever heard
| Of as being practiced by any pagan
people. In the temple is great hall,
| known as the Chapel OF the Idols.
\
| shapes so terrible that they
| strike terror 20 the stoutest
heart, and they are the repositories OF
| internal spirits. II was the custom Of
| the chief priests 10 PROSTATE themselves
before these idols and throw themstves
| into a trance. In this condition, the
| priests revealed the wishes of the de-
mons in the idols. When the spirits
| called for human blood, the assistant
priests bent the victim across a great
stone. After tearing Off his clothes
| while he was firmly held down to pre-
vent struggling, his breast was opened
with sharp knives Of flint The breast
was then torn apart. resulting In hor-
rible contortiOns OF the body, thus lay
ing bare the heart. which they tore out,
and. with the soul, presented to the
demon The high priest clothed IN
robes of CHASTITY design, and a mtre
| upon his head, took the heart and put
IL 10 the mouths OF the idols, the body
being thrown into a place called the
Sepuchre OF the Blest The Hall Of the
| Dead was the Inferno of the infernos,
Here were buried the priests and kings
| Of TeozapOtlan. At the death OF a
priest or king, the body was carried into
the Hail OF the Dead and placed upon
a funeral pyre, where amid awful la
mentatlons and unearthly chantlngs the
body was slowly consumed. The priests