Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-13

mites. Often by intuition alone can
figures of animals chiseled BY the
former be distinguished, while Oto-
mite sculptures are never perplexing.
The foundation stones Of the sacri-
fetal tower are notable examples of
ancient Otomite art. One of Teayo's
curiosities is the tomb of Tlachimoc,
last of the emperors of the Otomites,
VINO was the first of them to be buried
outside the ancient tower. Upon the
raised cover of the tomb two sphinx
like figures stand like guards over
the remains Of the pagan ruler. A
cross OF mahogany, erected in recent
years, surmounts the cover. On top
OF TINS a queer continuance, COM
posed of a brass arrow and the brass
letters n and Sail rigidly held to-
I gether-is nailed. Arrows and letters
were taken from the city hall of
lXhuatlan eight years ago when Oto-
mites captured that place The In
dams used the articles as thew
! thought proper. The letters point in
! any direction but north and south
, and the arrow is fixedly pointing to-
ward the gulf Of Mexico. although
the wind very seldom blows that way.
| AT each corner of the paved area
over the tomb stands a scu1ntured
stone taken from some ancient lodg-
ing-place to do honor to the memory
of Tiachimoc. One of the stones is
needle-shaped affair over eight
ical figures, inscriptions and hero
glyphics. Another represents
prince: third the wise man, and the
fourth lady of high degree. minus
the head.
The tomb is strange mixture of
Christianity and paganism and hints
that the Otomites have had no fixed
religious beliefs for a long time.
Spanish missionaries never came
within converting distance of them.
Nor did science visit them, as is in
Dictated by the way they utilize the
| instruments carried off by them
from neighboring Mexican settle
ments. So far it is not proved that
the ancient Otomites were as mon
strous as the Aztecs in sacrificing hui
man beings. Sacrifices OF a dread
character were made, as many an I'M
derground chamber filed with skele-
tons of victims attests. But there is
nothing to show that such barbara
ties as the crushing of victims under
huge stones suspended so as to
slowly press upon the abdomen until
the condemned was squeezed in two
were committed. Only one sculpture
representing the application of tor
ture has been discovered, and this
is almost worn away. 1t shows SIX
victims, wa captives, bound to-
gether being hurled from the sum
nit of the tower The sacrificial
ceremonies were concluded by cast
ing the bodies Of victims into the
hole which penetrated the tower from
top to bottom and connected with
subterranean passageways. Part of
this hole is in perfect condition. It's
proximity to the sacrifcial altar indi-
Gates its purpose. At its bottom at
tendants of the priest disposed of
the mangled remains Of the victims.
The sculptures show that Otomites
of antiquity were we'll advanced in
civilization. The features Of the
faces are less pronounced even than
those of statues found in the Maya
ruins of Yucatan. All the figures
show craniums rounded and full, in
dicating ample brain development.
While the foreheads do not manifest
any lofty thinking, they show quick
ness of perception and fineness Of
judgment. In shape the eyes resem-
BILE those Of Caucasians more than
of Hindus, differing radically from
The exact extent of the horror viii
claims more than any other feature
Of the sculptured Otomite faces racial
superiority over contemporary Aztecs
and Mayas. The nose to the point
was straight as that Of the Romans,
the nostrils, of less than ordinary
thickness, curving upward slightly.
If the point had been brought for
ward and upward a little, the nose
would have been perfectly Roman.
The mouths were smaller and better
formed than those of AZtecs and
Mayas. In the paws, whose excessive
development indicates the brutal de-
termination characteristic OF the
other two dominant races of Mexico,
signs of inferiority are plain, but
are less remarkable than those OF the
rulers of Anahuac and Yucatan. n
the evolution of prehistoric Mexicans
Otomites were favored more than Az
tees and Mayas, attaining much
higher standard Of civilization than
either of the latter. Yaquis ana
Mayas Of Sonora alone among Mex
lean natives are Of lighter complex
ion than the living Otomites. OTTO
mites as dark as Mexicans are ex-
ceptional. although they may be
growing darker because of contact,
however slight, with Mexicans.
Ideal Religion.