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

I present visible. Although the exact
angles Of the structure cannot now
! be determined, owing to many irreg-
ular subsidences, it is not probable
that the Otomites sbuilded to the
height suggested If tradition is
right the original extreme altitude
was approximately 200 feet, making
it the most elevated structure of it's
kind in Mexico. There is no doubt
that it was considerably more than
100 feet above the soil at one time,
as is indicated by the great quantity
of stones detached from it, scattered
about the vicinity. The over-active
| hand of man undoubtedly demolished
a great part of it. However, tradition
cannot be supported. Structures of
this form were usually truncated, and
not pyramidal, among Mexican an
clients. But, separating tradition
from reality the sacrifcial tower
stands forth one of the most impress
ing remnants, if not the most import
ant monument, of Mexican antiquity.
Considering it's size and age, it is the
best preserved prehistoric structure
on the continent.
At the ground the north and south
side extends 65 feet from corner to
corner, and the east and west rs
1eet The width of the stairs on the
east side is 50 feet to the ground,
and is 25 feet at the summit # in
time past they continued upward
without change of incline they would
have terminated in the west side at
a point where that side would have
a width of 55 feet, the upper stair
being 90 feet wide This would be at
a height of $50 feet from the ground.
AS the ancient Mexicans terminated
such stairs at margins Of outer
walls it may be safely inferred that
the summit OF the structure, count
ing the 40 feet under alluvium, was
165 feet above the ground, five feet
being allowed for breadth of wall.
Approximately 10000 tons of materi-
al were used in its construction
There remains erect above ground
$4,000 tons, buried 10000 tons and
oyerthrown 1000 tons. It was how
ever, a monument of exceptional mag
nitude. For years the Otomites have
taken stone from the sacrificial
tower to build houses. The king of
the tribe draws On the ruin for the
large stock which he has on hand
for sale. Subsidences in the tower
were caused chiefly by caving Of sub
terranean chambers through action Of
water.
Ancient Otomites constructed un-
derground thoroughfares, abodes and
vaults labyrinths 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 filled with
skeletons, probably of victims OF re-
ligious rites, of Aztecs 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 Otomite nation are true
and some Of them are-the subter-
ranean features Of Teayo will prove
of more interest than any other,relics
of Mexico whatsoever. Seven miles
from Teayo there is an opening in a
precipice. For decades no human be-
ing has entered it. Tradition says
that it is the mouth, of a tunnel
which 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-
tons. 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. Ex-
pressions of the human face as rep
resented on stone by Aztec and
Maya sculptures are very crude as
compared to those wrought by Oto-