The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-14
EXCAVATIONS
IN MEXICO
Many Ancient Curiosities are
Unearthed by Mailer.
FOR HARVARD MUSEUM
Home of AzteCS Is Found After
Hard Struggle.

Cambridge, Mass, March ! Another
chapter has been added to the explora-
ton OF the ruined cities OF Central Amer
lea, once the heats Of the strange Az
tee civilization. destroyed by Cortez near
ly five centuries ago. in the recently
published report of Mr. Teobert Mailer.
who for several years has been conduct
ing researches among these ancient ruins
in the interests of the Peabody Museum
of Archaeology ana EthmoIogy. al Har-
ward University, and whose Iuily Illus
trated account Of what he has seen and
found is shortly 10 be issued as one of the
publications OF that Institution.
DR.. Maler's exploration stretches over
three years. and were carried on mainly
in the Usumatsintla Valley, in Southern
Mexico Among the long forgotten cities
which Mr.. Mailer visited were Yaxchilan,
literally the City of Green Stones;
III Cayo, the Place Where the Banks are
Strewn With Stones, Budsilha, or
Smoking Water" from the mist rising
from an adjacent waterfall; Ell Chile, SO
called from The herb from which chile
sauce is made; Ana.te. named for the
white lilies that flourish on the banks of
the river; and II Chicozapote, named
from tree which produces a well-known
Mexican chewing gum. These cities are
all hidden by the tropical jungle. some en-
tirely unknown even to the wandering
wood cutters and gum collectors. and
others visited only by mysterious bands
of Indians who still come to make occa-
sional sacrifices on their fallen affairs.
The definite results of Mr.. Maler's in
vestigations were the study and photo
graphing of some twenty stelate, or
carved monolithes. on which are repre-
scented many of the scenes OF Aztec daily
life in particular their religious rites: the
restoration OF between twenty and thirty
ruined buildngs-temples tombs. and
communal dwellings, and the examin-
alton of nearly fifty carved and painted
lintels. many of them excavated from
long accumulated debris and never before
noted by the modern explorer. In many
cases the expedition has preserved the
record OF objects that in another century
would have entirely vanished. for the
changing course Of the UsumatsintIa
River has already eaten away the former
Tenosique where Mr. Mailer made his
preparations for plunsing into the Mexi-
can wilderness, is a small town about Eve
days sail from the Gulf of Mexico up the
Usumatsinla. which here flows between
modern Mexico and Guatemala From
here to FL Cayo. the first of the ruined
cities was another four days journey,
overland. with camp equipage. cameras,
servants. and pack animals. Budilha is
not far from Ell Cayo and La Mara-an-
other town visited by Alr. Maler-is in the
same neighborhood, but the two arc sepa-
rated by tangle of tropical vegetation
through which the explorers made their
way only with the greatest difficulty. In
teresting finds were made in all these
places-El Cayo. for example the figure
of god that dates back. perhaps. to the
very earliest period of the city yet which
had evidently been worshipped even up
to our own times. as was shown by the
presence Of several broken incense vessels /
in the tumble-down room in which the
image was discovered
At La Mar there still remained sufficient
evidence of its ancient structures TO re-
construct a very good picture of one Of
the smaller cities OF the Atzec period. The
architectural center of the city. ii was
found. was formed BY two temples. now in
ruins. which crowned two pyramids. one
facing to the east and the other To the
west Between the pyramids was a wide
plaza bordered on the north and south
by smaller buildings The plaza was orig
inally ornameuted with stelae one of
which although serving only To adorn so
small city as La ar. is a splendid speci-
men Of the best contemporary Aztec sculp-
ture
1t has been suggested that YaNchilan.
the most important Of the ancient cities
which Mr. Mailer visited. may have been
The town referred 10 by Cortcz IN letter
to his master. the Emperor Charles V,
although AR Moier himself rather doubts
the Identification. The ruins have been
visited i'm modem times by more than one
explorer. and in lSS2 when the CITY was
visited by Mr. Desire Charney. q French
archacol0gist whose expedition was sup
ported by funds from his home govern
ment and from the American millionaire.
T.o,iIIard. in who's honor Nv. Charney
called the placa "Torillard CITY" Mr..
Mailer. however. has succeeded not only
I'm rncoverinc numerous hitherto unnoted
sculpture5 store monuments from the de-
brlS that row overfows its terraces ard
es7Isnades. but also in discovering certain
important tempt :