Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-08-19
ancient Mexican City Found.

water.
Ancient otomites constructed m
derground thoroughfares. abodes and
vaults laoyrinths in intricacy and
resembling the catacombs in magni-
tude. The tower was the key to the
system. Underground chambers with
sculptured walls are numerous in the
newly discovered ruins of Teayo.
Some corridors have been filed with
| skeletons, probably of victims of re-
ligious rites, of Aztees taken captive
and executed, of Spaniards and Mex
leans sacrificed on the summit of the
! tower. If traditions OF the few sur
vivors Of the OtoUite nation are true
and some of them are-the subter.
rsnean features Of Teayo viii prove
ct more interest than any other relics
o. Mexico whatsoever. Seven miles
from Teayo there is an opening in a
| Irecipice. For decades no human be-
| ing has entered it. Tradition SAYS
that it is the mouth of a tunnel
w,aich was constructed to provide
the Otomites, or at least the imperial
family, with a means of exit from
the capital in case of urgency. Years
ago Otomites attempted to go
| through the tunnel. Water was en-
countered and kept them back. While
it seems improbable that the tunnel
connects with Teayo, its existence
can be explained only by the tradi-
tions. A party is now being organ
lied to explore it.
Sculptures of Teayo show that the
ancient Otomites were superior in
art to the Aztecs and Mayas. Elk.
pressions of the human face as rep
resented on stone by Aztec and
Maya sculptures are very crude as
compared to those wrought by OTTO
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,
who was the first Of them to be burr I'd
! 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 this a queer continuance, COM
/ posed of brass arrow and the brass
| letters N and Sail rigidly held to-
gether-is nailed. Arrows and letters
were taken from the city hall Of
Ixhuatlan eight years ago when Oto-
mites captured that place. The In
dams used the articles as they
thought proper. The letters point in
any direction but north and south
and the arrow is fxedly 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 q sculptured
! 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
! feet high and covered with allegor-
zeal figures, inscriptions and hero
glyphics. Another represents a
prince; third the wise man. and the
fourth a lady of high degree. minus
| the head.
/ The tomb is a strange mixture of
Christianity AID 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 of 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 hu-
man beings. Sacrifices of a dread
character were made, IS many an I'M
derground chamber fill I'd with skele-
tons of victims attests. But there is
| nothing 20 show that such barbara
! ties as ne crushing of victims under
! huge stones suspended so as to
slowly press upon the abdomen until
the condemned was squeezed in two
were com mitted. Only one sculpture
representing the application Of tor
ture has been discovered, and this
is almost worn away. 1t shows six
victims, war captives, bound to-
gether. being hurled from the sum-
NIT of the tower The sacriicial
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. T.
proximity to the sacr,ficial 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 well 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
I. =