The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-02
ANCIENT CITY
IN OLD MEXICO
Professor A. H. BIaCkistOn
Makes Discovery of Re-
markabIe Ruins.
FIND SOLVES A MYSTERY
NO CIVILIZED MAN EVER SET
FOOT IN PLACE BEFORE.

Ell Paso, Tex, March Professor A.
H. Blackiston. archaeologist and pos
SCISSOR of the largest private collection
of Mexican antiquities in the Smith
sonian institution in Washington, has
returned to this city, after what he
announces is the most important OF
his discoveries in Mexico. He says he
has discovered remains of people of
prehistoric America and that these peo-
pie complete the link between the
Mound Builders, on the north and the
Mayas on the south.
Professor Blackiston brings back
some of the most valuable acquisitions
TO ancient American relics, among
them the largest stone axe ever found,
and stalks of maize and tornillo brush
800 years old. found in a perfect state
of preservation buried in the adobe
walls of the new-fOund city.
The site of the discovery is across
the continental divide from the scene
of the Casas Grandian ruins. which
have been the source of most extensive
studies by archaeologists in Mexico i'll
the last decade. In an almost i'm
passable wilderness thirty miles west
of Dos Cabezos, in a land never before
trod by the, foot of a white man. the
ancient city was found. Two months
ago the deserted city was located by
an Indian guide, and the fact was re
ported to Professor Blackiston, who is
conducting a government experiment
station in the Rio Grande valley. and
who Immediately investigated, with the
most surprising results.
Situated on Cliff.
The village was found situated on
a precipitous cliff, in part surrounded
by a large natural cave, 1.500 feet
above the BavisDe river, which flows
in the deep valley below. Here were
discovered the ruins of hundreds of
adobe houses, all but a Few in a
good state of preservation. The quail
ity of pottery found in these houses
is superior to that made by the Toll
tees and the Aztecs.
THE Casas Grandes Indians and the
tribes just discovered occupy a pecu-
liar position in the relations Of IN
cient tribes of the western hemi-
sphere" said Mr.: Blackiston. "Addi-
tionai facts just obtained show that
these tribes formed a connecting link
between the tribes of the north and
the south. The Mayas. Toltecs and Az
tees form the southern group, and the
PueblOs and Mound Builders, the
an intermediate group. Their ruins and
culture symbols show influences .om-
mon to both of the groups above
named"
Professor Blackiston says that the
idols of the new-found group resem-
BILE those of the Indians of the south.
Symbols on the pottery made by them
are also similar.
Sun Sign Used.
On the other hand. their buildings
are like those of the PueblOs. The
sun sign used was the same as that
used by both the AZtecs and the Mound
Builders. This is also the sun sign
used by the ancient Egyptians. which
in this respect tends to connect them
with the ancients of the eastern hemi-
sphere. The water sign of the Casas
Grandians and those of the new-found
race is the same as that used by the
AZtecs, which in turn resembles that
used by the Chinese. The winged
serpent Of the Casas Grandians is like
the same symbol of the north and
south tribes. The remains of the tenn
piles of the Casas Grandians show sun
worship, and the tribe Just discovered
evidently worshiped in the same way.
With the exception of the lone guide
up to two months ago no man of civ
luzallOl mac ever set 1901 on Tie ruins.
Proof of this is furnished in the fact
that the ruins stand today without the
sign of molestatiOn of the hand of man,
white or red. The doors of the houses
stand sealed as they were left when
their occupants departed never 20 re-
turn. On the still mountain, almost in
accessible to man or beast, the ancient
village stands. the doors blocked 7-th
stones that have never been rolled
away by curious hands, ruins of the
ancient ladders lying still close to the
cliff of the precipitOus height, disturbed
in no way but by the elements.