Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-09-05
new COLONY OF AzTECS
Remnants of Powerful Race
Found Living In Mexico.
DISCOVERY OF NOTED SCIENTIST.

Museum Of Natural History In New
York Says the Tradition and
Customs Of Another Age Are Pre-.
served In the Present Tribe.
That the ancient race Of the Aztecs
exists today in the state of Merelos,
Mexico, their race lines and physical
characteristics unchanged. although
the arts and civilization OF four cen.
turtles ago are lost. has been estab.
ished by DR.. Ales Hrdlicka of the
American Museum OF Natural History
OF New York. The discovery Is one Of
the results Of his fourth expedition to
that region, from which be has Just re-
turned.
Scientists knew that a remnant Of
the nation lived in Mexico, but DR..
Hrdlicka is the fret to reach an alb.
eolute conclusion by means of measure.
ments and like physiological obserya.
tons. That they are of the original
Aztec nation is indicated by historical
records which show that body of
them migrated to the country they now
1nhabit near Cuernavaca, fifty miles
south of the city of Mexico. Their
language is that Of the Aztec, two vii
lagos speaking nothing else, while
few speak Spanish as well.
The arts Of civilization, sculpture,
painting and stone building, which
formerly distinguished them, have dis
appeared, but the reed and wooden
houses they now occupy are identical
with those of the earlier period. The
race type of 1000 years ago remains
intact
THE Aztec of today is the Aztec of
ancient times as far as purity of type
goes. He is far more of an Aztec thar
the present day Egyptian is all Egyp-
tan" said DR.. Hrdlicka to a reporter
OF the New York Herald. I'm popula-
ton they number several thousand. |
Like the Indians OF North America,
they assimilated to a degree the GUS
toms of the civilization about them. !
At present the Aztec Is In danger of
determination from drinking They
took readily to the national beverages
Of Mexico and have steadily degeper-
ated. The few arts, such as beadmak.
Ing and weaving, they possessed thirty
years ago have slipped from them.
They are inferior to the Yaqus. farther
north and arg absolutely dominated by
The MeXicalS about them.
Superstition and legend alone re-
main Of their worship of the sun. the
earth and the tire god. They have en-
oraccd christianity. The churches are
located III the m,udle Of their villages,
anu the services are held in Spanish.
lhls seems to i!aNr no DESTROYING eff
'ect however. OF In" Integrity of their
The ancient hieroclyphics.
which nav" newer been leciphercd and
which hrcllulogi>1s believe to hold the
secrets OF Il Grc:t civilization. the pres
mt Aztec is Unable To translate. The
rt of writing his tongue has gone with
he other attributes of former times.
While few can read and write Span
Sll. TIL" authority are Ignorant Or.
1rdli"h" Was loath to speak on this
uhicct.
1T Is lot il! my province to talk
bout that. for scientists are jealous of
ach others prcro@atves. can only
aH that the old monuments mean =
ofhn- more to the Aztec than objects
sun rStitlous awe. There is no
lew To the unanswerable problem of
J" old Aztec nation and its origin to
e obtained from the modern tribe.
Measurements of the skulls of the
resent race when compared with
nose found in the graves of the old 8
ztecs show that the two are identi- )
II in this respect. The comparison
the features of the living Aztec
it'll those found on the monuments 3
I'D in wall paintings prove unsatis-
ctory on account of differences in &
'ess. hi
THE Aztec does not contine himself q
the Morelos REGION" DR.. IIrdlcka 81
nthued. II have seen a full blood n
Aztec in the city Of Mexico. and it VI
not an uncommon thing to find them "
smaller towns Once away from 81
cir villages. however, their individ- A
lily is lost. and they become like any n
lzen of Mexico. In dress and Ian IS
ago they are alike, and one may dis II
lG'llSh the Aztec only by his phys IA
II characteristics. They are a branch r
the Nahua race. to which the Toll &
IS. who preceded them and reached Il
higher degree of civilization, possibly N
longed.' n
VI. llrdlicka brought with him manv "a
lmples of Aztec handiwork. both q
Gent and modern which will be "a
led to the collection of the American r
lseum Of Natural History. His adj n
IONS to the museum from this eX- y
llton will make that collection the &
81 complete Of its kind in the world u
procured Il number of Aztec skulls q
| parts of skeletons. They viii 81
we invaluable in providing anthro-
ogical measurements one of the d
est acquisitions is Toltec skull in
preservation. 1t belongs to an age u
coating any present history Of y
erica. "
! addition to the Morelos region Or. Isl
llicka visited southern Utah. Ari- n
Il, New Mexico and Il great part of