Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-12-25
RUINS OF A GREAT CITY.
Older Than Previously Discovered on
the American Continent.

An archaeological discovery of the
hrst Importance was recently made in
the vicinity Of the city of Oaxaca, in
the southern part of Mexico, by Leo
poldo Batres, government archaeolo-
gist OF Mexico, who accompanied
Prof. Marshall H. Saville, of the Am
erican Museum Of Natural History in
his researches in that region. The
ruins OF great city, older than any
previously discovered on the Amer
lean continent, have been uncovered
and the objects found in the temples
and tombs thus far excavated seek to
link that city with both Egypt and
China. The ruins are more extensive
than those Of Militia, only few miles
distant, and appear to have been COW
cred with the dust of ages before Nit
la was begun.
The explorers went to Oaxaca for
the purpose Of eXcavating certain old
Zapotec mounds or tombs, and the
discoveries thus far made more than
justify their efforts. The ruins I'M
covered by Senior Batres are situated
upon the summit OF Monte Alban,
which rises about 1000 feet higher
than the valley Of Oaxaca and is about
5000 feet above the sea level. The
mountain is only a few miles from the
city OF Oaxaca, the sides and top hav-
ing been cultivated by the natives for
years. The patio or courtyard of what
may prove to be the greatest temple
ever built upon the American contin-
ent, was discovered with a cornfield
Scattered over the mountain top are
mounds. or mogotes as they are call
ed in Zapotec, in systematic arrange
ment. They appeared to be of the
oh ,fxNv. H,,v, I,-1 81
dotting the great valley of Oaxacas.
These mounds are ranged about a
great square several acres in extent,
this square proving upon examination
to form the central court of the tenn
pie. Four pyramid-shaped mounds
run down the center of the great patio
which, in the opinion of Senior Batres,
formed the central affairs Of the great
temple In addition to this purpose
they served as tombs, probably for
the monarchs Of the builders of the
city, and it was in one of these
mounds that the most important dis
covery was made.
In the work of excavation, the first
object encountered was a great ODE
lisk of porphyry, slightly resembling
the Egyptian obelisk known as Cleo
patra's needle. The obelisk is feters
face, and 440 centimeters across its
sides. 1t rises with perpendicular
lines to within 40 centimeters of it's
top, from that point assuming wedge
shape. On the face of the obelisk is
an elaborate figure with a deaths
head, evidently the portrait in bas-re-
lief of dead monarch. The back is
covered with hieroglyphics, to trans
late which no attempt has yet been
made. Next in Importance to the
finding of the obelisk was the excava-
ton of a jar made of jade and con-
tanning sixty or more specimens of
fine jade. Pieces of this stone have
been found in all parts of Mexico for
the past century, and archaeolOgists
have regarded them as evidences of
former communication of the prehis-
toric races of Mexico with the Chinese.
Since the Aztecs had jade as herit-
age from earlier peoples, and evident
Iy priced them highly. On one of the
pieces the face of Chinaman, with
all the facial characteristics most dis
tinctly marked, is carved.
1t is the opinion of Psychologists
that Militia, the great sacred city of the
Nahauns or Toltecs, was destroyed
some time between the beginning OF
the Christian era and the year 500 A.
D., whereas Senior Batres believes
believes that the city of Monte Alba
was destroyed by the great upheaval
which sunk the continent of Atlantis,
possibly the biblical deluge. Pictures,
drawings, plans, and specimens, to-
gether with full description of the
work and the discoveries Observa-
tions and conclusions therefrom, will
be submitted at the coming congress
of Americanists in New York for the
consideration Of the distinguished
archaeologists OF America.