Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-30
MAGNIFICENT PALENQUE RUINS.
News Readers May Get Faint Idea Of Their Beauty and Gran
deur by Looking at Some Superb Photographic Re-
productions Now OF Exhibition.

large and as luxuriant as those on the
soil below We assembled, and entered
the portico. The large pillars were
somewhat fallen but their massveness
and the beautiful stucco work on their
sides were still to be seen The roof
was like an inverted V, or pointed
arch built Of solid stone; the floor, as
were the floors OF all the rooms and
Railways, was Of solid cement.
Passing through large hall then out
through a portico we came TO an inner
plaza or portico ten feet deep from
the floor on which we stood and in
size about l0Oxl5O feet. Along the
sides Of the patio standing on ends were
monoliths, or stone slabs on which were
beautifully carved the figures OF men
and women Stone steps led down in
TO the patio, and similar ones led out
again into halls similar to those
through which we had passed. A Sec
ond patio like the first excepting that
the monoliths were wanting was reach
ed after passing through three long
halls.
To the north Of the main building anG
hidden somewhat by the dense vegeta-
dion, is tower four stories high from
ne top OF which a good view Of the
country for miles around could be seen.
Winding stairs inside the tower lead
from the first story to the top.
In one Of the long Railways, one side
Of which was in ruins was a larg
stone slab feet by 4 feet G inches
thick, sitting on four pillars, feet
high and forming a sort Of stone bed,
or Cana de pledra. This must have
been bed Of torture. Several other
similar beds are found In other rooms.
From the main Palace a few hundred
Yards brought US to a somewhat level
piece OF ground a half block In size, on
the four sides Of which and facing in
ward were four temples. The first one,
the Temple OF the Sun so called
faced the east. Like the rest Il was
built one story on an artificial mound
about forty feet high. There were three
door ways or entrances. In the main
hall, fastened In the back wall was n
large stone slab. on which was beautl-
July carved the figure OF a man, gaudi .
~ dressed, and possessed OF the fine in
tslligent features OF a Caucasian OF
today. Above his head was the rude
figure OF rising sun, which gives the
temple its name,
Facing the west and opposite the
Temple Of the sun" is the
Temple Of the Cross" Both buildings
are alike, the figures are alike, but
instead Of a sun there Is the rude out
lines of a cross In the latter.
Facing the south Is the largest OF all
the temples and the one containing the
most beautiful workmanship. Unfor-
tunately the front portico has fallen in
ruins, and the hands OF man have
robbed the inner hall OF some OF its
most beautiful tablets.
Another building just above the main
palace, we called the HAL OF History,
from the fact that in II were three large
tablets Of stone about u by IA feet on
which were finely carved hleroglyphics
about four inches square. Without
doubt here was the history OF that
ancient people, the builders and lnhab-
itants of these wonderful ruins.
And these do not constitute all one
can see on this terrace, rich In arch
geological specimens There are many
mounds. there il stone bridge span
ming the stream; there are walled banks
OF the creek. there IS n high stone wall
now In ruins, that surrounded the city.
there are paved roads leading from the
city, along the mountain and many 9TH
or things that make VISIT to Palenque
well worth the necessary time and ex-
DenSe