Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-09

AS n result of five months investi-
cation among the little known sections
of Southern Mexico and Northern
Guatemala, DR.. Alfred Tozzef instruc-
tor in archaeology at Harvard Uni
versity, is able to present to the world
a new set of ruins, heretofore absO-
lutely unknown and presenting many
side lights on the history of the an
cient Maya Indians by whom they I'M
doubtedly were erected. He encoun-
tered them in the Tzendalcs region Of
Chiapas, where the present day Lacan-
done Indian lives his life exactly In
accord with traditions handed down for
centuries, and which nave never been
added to nor taken from by mission
aries of the Christian faith-the latter
never having penetrated into the fast
ncsses where the Indians live.
DIR. TOZzer has visited the little
known regions Of Yucatan. Chiapas
and Guatemala for five successive win
tiers, spending several months each
"trip. For additions to scientific know
ledge secured by him on these trips he
has been given a fellowship in the
Archaeological Institute of America,
the same institution which has colleges
at Rome, Italy and Athens. Greece.
He is now in Mexico City, en- route to
the United States, where he goes to lay
before the Harvard board of scientists
the information that he has Cleaned
during the present trip to Mexico. II"
was a guest at the itur5ide Hotel. but
has left for the North.
More to prove that the present day
Lacandone Indians inhabi;ing portions
of Chiapas, Tabasco and Guatemala
lying along the Usumacinta River We're
direct lineal descendants of the an :
cicnt Mayas, than for aGy other pur-
pose was the five trips of DR.. Tozzer
made. While he expresses no absolute
opinion regarding any of his proofs and
finds in those regions Dr. Tozzer be-
levcs that the evidence which he has
accumulated is of such convincing
character that there can be no longer
doubt but what the LacandOnes and
the Mayas of the present day are but
descendants of the ancient latter tribe
which has become scattered over u
large area from perfectly natural
causes. His greatest confidence is
placed in the fact that he found COM
plete survival of religious rites and
worshipping of stone idols among the
Lacandones, which have been traced
back to the Mayas long years
ago. Especially was this notice.
able along the extreme southern border
of Mexico and the upper parts of
Guatemala. in which regions DIR.
Tozzer pursued mis- Investigations.
Del, in, bn hcn
atoms was his theory corroborated,
though the domestic life of the Lacan-
dones was not dissimilar to that of the
present day Mayas as known in the
eastern part of Tabasco and Campeche.
A feature worthy of comment DR..
ToZzer states, was the finding that the
Lacandone Indians show no evidence
or influence derived from contact with
the Spaniards or the early mission
aries. Among the Mayas he says that
there is yet a survival of certain pagan
customs, but these are so inter-miXed
with Spanish customs that there can
be no doubt but what at some time the
Mayas were influenced by Spanish con-
tact. On the other hand, the Lacan-
Gone Indians have not a single religi-
Gus or domestic custom which in any
manner portrays the belief that it was
inherited from the Spaniards. They
still have their stone IDOLS and sacri-
fees are offered in front of Them
which, while not human, are yet fash
toned in the semblance Of human
form which is burned to nropitiate the
gods of wind and ram. The piercing of
the car with rude stone knives and the