Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-18
AN ANCIENT olrY.

An archaeological find Of more than
common importance is reported from
Mexico, whore Dr. Leon is said to have
discovered the ruins of an ancient city
of Immense proportions These ruins
are located only l7O miles from the city
OF Mexico, and Il seems almost in
credible that they have not been found
before now The region In which they
are located is said to be mountainous
stretch Of land rising abruptly from the
surrounding plains. Upon the salient
points Of the high region are construct
ed monuments. pyramids, elevated
roadways and platforms Of huge dmen-
slcns, Every square yard Of the rugged
mountain stretch was utilized by the
builders OF this ancient city, to which
has been given the name OF Cantona,
The ruined walls, towers, moats and
porapets are stretching out for miles
Ia every direction, and It Is estimated
tat the city must ut one time nave had
at least half a million inhabitants.
IN the ruins there are numerous
features OF great interest. one Is the
hundreds OF pyramids that adorn the
site. These pyramids have an alttude
Of from forty TO fifty feet and are,
without exception. quadrangular being
constructed perfectly according to the
cardinal points. They are built Of sand
stone rocks placed In juxtaposltion
without being cemented All the pyra.
nlds were. so the published accounts
say, Systematically arranged, being
grouped In such a way that in sets of
four they inclOsed courts the entrances
10 which were guarded In nearly all
cases by the pyramids themselves
Wherever the pyramids did not suf-
ticiently protect the entrances to the
courts immense walls were erected TO
reinforce the pyramids, These walls
were an very much wider at their bases
than 90 their submits, but stl they
were wide enough At their SUBMITS to
Permit the largest vehicles to be drawn
along them. forming yeritabe avenues
for purposes OF defense and traffic. The
SUBMITS Of the walls were paved per-
fectly by great squares OF cut stone. At
certain distances along the walls, con-
verted in this way into thoroughfarcs,
staircases, elevated platforms and slop-
ing ramps were made
Here IS wonderful piece Of archl-
tcc,me, reminding Of both Babylon and
egypt
Who were the inhabitants OF this
great city Of primitive ages, and by
what process were their civilization and
an Is monuments blotted out OF his
tory? These are questions about which
scientists necessarily as yet are In COM
plrte darkness. According to pictures
-Stant they were a wen developed
race Of people They We're clad in tunics
without sleeves. ouriously worked and
dyed in various colors. Large nantes
were thrown across their shoulders.
They 6ofc long swords with channels
cn each side Of the blade which was
edged with sharp hints They had
hatchels OF copper
On one pillar a dance Is represented,
as follows. a banner Is spread IN the
ceatvr Of a crowd and ON the banner is
painted the figure Of the sun with two
men kaeeing In alteration. At the
fcet Of thc banner staff crouches an old
m0R with a drum made by stretching
skin over one end OF a hollow log.
Al he side Of The drum hangs a shell
o. The land torloisc, The Old man beats
lne drum and rattles the shell, a band