Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-06-15

leo, OF barely 5000 inhabitants,
is an old place that was OF con-
siderable Importance not only
before the Spanish conquest,
but long before the Aztecs. Ii was a
hoiy city, a city of temples and
shrines, and even at the time OF Cor
tez IT contained hundreds OF sanctu-
aries that were the object of pilgrim
ages from all 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
zalcoatl, the god of the air, that stood
on the summit of the artificial mound
called today the pyramid of Cholula.
This pyramid, one of the sights of
Mexico. has at present the appearance
OF natural hill of regular form. 1t
Is thickly grown with bushes and trees
and Its top is reached by rough
winding road. Nowhere is a trace of
Its artificial origin, and on the spot
where centuries ago stood the colossal
statue of Quetzalcoatl and where once
burned the eternal fires in honor of
the god now rises the Christian church
OF Nuestra Sonora de los Remedies.
The pyramid of Cholula has a height
OF about IT'S feet and, like the pyra-
mids OF Egypt, its sides face the four
cardinal points. But, unlike the Egyp-
tan monuments, 1t 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, it had
base lines of double its length and
took up nearly twenty acres of
ground. The date of it's building is
unknown, but when the Spaniards
came the Aztec legend ascribed their
erection to race of giants sprung
from the survivors OF deluge.
Standing on either side of the broad
terrace which surrounds the present
day church one has magnificent
view over the fertile valley and the
surrounding mountains. Within TWEEN
ty miles, but apparently close enough
to be reached by a short walk. rise
the snow-capped peaks of Popocatepetl
and lxtaccihuau. 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 a quarter of a mile to the
southwest, rises the Cerro de Acozac,
small mound of so feet, which hides
another ancient monument in the
shape of an oblong cube with an apex.
Its sides are almost vertical and 1t can
be assembled only by means of a lad
der. About 120 yards to the west of
Cholula is the Cerro de la Cruz. which
evidently takes it's name from the
tradition that IL was there that Cortcz
caused the first mass to be read after
his landing in Mexico. The Cerro de
la Cruz is somewhat lower than AGO
zac, but It's base lines are considerably
longer. measuring over 1000 feet I'm
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, 10 the small
town Of the same name. is worth the
travellers while It does not compare
In interest to the visit of the pyramids
Of Teotihuacan, 30 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
It's 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
Gent monuments. OF their history
and origin nothing is known. There
Is no record Of them existing. either
In writing or in hieroglyphic sculp-
lures, although such may have been in
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 would
forever remain undisclosed, for the 1T
tie statuettes, implements and other
relics so far found in the excavations
do not contribute anything toward a
solution.
Passing ty on railroad train or ap-
preaching them with an automobile.
the pyramids look rather sooattv and