The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-08-24

Is an Ola pace t!iat was OF COZ
siderable importance not only
before the Spanish conquest,
but long before the Aztecs. 1t was a
holy city, q city OF temples and
shrines, and even at the tine OF Cor
tez It contained hundreds OF sanctu.
aries that were the object OF pilgrim.
ages from al over the country. The
plain all around Cholula was dotted
with pyramids OF sacred character and
varying size, all OF which were domi-
mated by the great temple Of Duet
Zalcoau, the god OF the air, that stood
on the summit OF the artificial mound
called today the pyramid Of Cholu!a.
This pyramid. one Of the sights OF
Mexico, has at present the appearance
OF natural h!n OF regular form. 1t
is thickly grown with bushes and trees
and its top is reached by a rough
winding road Nowhere is q trace of
its artificial origin. and on the spot
where centuries ago stood the colossal
statue OF QuetzaIcoal and where once
burned the eternal fires in honor o!
the god now rises the Christian church
of Nuestra Sonora de los Remedies.
The pyramid OF Cho,ula has height
of about 10 feet and. like the pyra-
mids OF Egypt, its sides face the four
cardinal points. But, unlike the Egyp-
tan monuments. It was originally built
in terraces and could be easily ascend
ed by stairways leading to the sanctu-
AIRY which formed the apex. While
not as lofty as Cheops by half, 1t had
base lines of double It's length and
took up nearly twenty acres OF
ground. The date of its building is
unknown, but when the Spaniards
came the Aztec legend ascribed their
erection to race OF giants sprung
from the survivors of a deluge.
Standing on either side OF the broad
terrace which surrounds the present
day church one has a magnificent
view over the fertile valley and the
surrounding mountains. Within TWEEN.
~ miles, but apparently close enough
to be reached by short walk. rise
the snow-capped peaks OF Popocatepetl
and IxtaccihUatl. On the opposite side
is mysterious Malintzi and on clear
days even the peak of Orizaba may be
discerned in the hazy distance. Closer
by. only quarter OF mile to the
southwest, rises the Cerro de Acozac,
a small mound OF 50 feet. which hides
another ancient monument in the
shape of an oblong cube with an apex
Its sides are almost vertical and t can
be assembled only by means OF a lad.
der. About 100 yards to the west Of
Cholula is the Cerro de Ia Cruz, which
evidently takes It's name from the
tradition that it was there that Cortez
caused the first mass to be read after
his landing in Mexico. The Cerro de
la Cruz IS somewhat lower than AGO
FAC. but its base lines are considerably
longer. measuring over 1900 feet in
circumference. Both cerros are built
OF adobe brick. as are the numerous
smaller ones that abound in the neigh
borhood.
While a visit to the pyramid Of Cho-
lula and. incidentally. to the small
town OF the same name. is worth the
travellers while 1t does not compare
in interest to the visit OF the pyramids
Of Teotihuacan, IS miles from Mexico
City. There the national government
has uncovered the larger OF two great
mounds. known as the Pyramids OF
the Sun and Moon, by removing from
its sides all plant growth and the
thick layer Of soil and conducting an
archaeological research on a scientific
basis. like the excavations OF Pompeii
and Herculaneum. So far nothing has
come to light that would serve TO dis
pei the mystery surrounding these an,
Client monuments. OF their history
and origin nothing is known. There
Is no record OF them existing. eithe.
( in writing or IN hieroglyphIc sculp
lures. although such may have been IL
evidence at the time Of the Spanish
conquest. But II there were any they
certainly have been destroyed by the
fanatic Hidalgos, and It now looks as
II the secret Of these pyramids woult
forever remain undisclosed. for the lit
tie statuettes. Implements and Other
relics so far found in the excavations
do not contribute anything toward &
solution.
Passing by on railroad train or ap
pEoaching them with an automobile
the pyramids look rather sQuatty ant