Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-12
PYRAMIDS IN OLD MEXICO.
Large Structures, May Contain Fabu-
lous Wealth.

/
| That several regiments Of soldiers,
working unknown to the world for
many months, have been uncovering
true pyramids, built Of huge stones
and cement, larger than those Of
Egypt, is the astonishing news that
has lately come from the republic
of Mexico.
That these pyramids existed in earth
form has long been known to
archaeologists. But 1t was always
supposed that they were once great
hills Of sand. and that centuries ago
long before the time Of Cortez, even
they were shaped and trimmed with
shovels and spades.
| Removing the dust Of ages past,
however, the fact Of their construc-
ton by human hands is now revealed.
and, furthermore, Almost indisputable
indications have been found that they
were the handiwork of Egyptians or
the descendants Of Egyptians.
| 1t Is difficult to at once grasp the
stupendous significance Of this latter
Theory once ii can be proved a fact
beyond dispute. Primarily 1t will dis
close that the western continent was
discovered centuries and even ages
before the date now established by
history.
| But 1t may go even further than
that. and, taken in connection with
archaeological finds being unearthed
in the Mexican pyramids. 1t is possible
that we are on the very life Of the
earth itself, and Of the ancient races
which inhabited 1t before the dawn
of history
OF less Importance in its possible
bearing on world facts, but highly
Interesting in its possibilities. is the
belief of many that when the pyra-
mids are opened they will be found
to contain treasure Of fabulous
Inhabitants of Mexico when these
vast piles were erected.
| Situated only twenty-seven miles
from the City Of Mexico, the San
Juan pyramids, as they are known,
long ago aroused the interest Of the
Mexican government Desultory in
lvestigation at last led to the belief
that excavation might uncover some
thing Of value to the world, and
work was begun some time ago.
AS this has progressed great
secrecy has been thrown around
what was being done, and little act
ual information heretofore been al
lowed to creep out. It is now known,
however, that sarcophagi containing
human bones, ogsidian knives, terra
Gotta heads and fragments Of rare
and costly pottery have been uncov-
cred.
| Also it is asserted by persons hav-
ing certain knowledge Of what is be-
ing found that the relics Of a prehis-
toric age now being dug up are posi-
lively of Egyptian handiwork. Many
of the fragments Of pottery and the
implements and utensils found are
similar to those uncovered along the
Nile, while scroll work and orna-
mentation on every hand is distinctly
Egyptian. 1t is limited, however, that
even more specific proof that the San
Juan pyramids were built by Egyp-
tians has come into possession Of the
Mexican government, but 1t Is being
| held back for compilation and veri-
fication, and, assuredly, II this Is not
Inow true, such revelations are ex-
pected within a very short time.
While the group Is spoken Of as the
San Juan pyramids, only two Of them
are attracting extraordinary attention.
These are the pyramids Of the Moon
and the Sun, the latter much the
larger of the two.
found, is constructed Of five gigantic
layers of basaltic blocks. cemented to-
gether. The pyramid Of the Sun
covers more than fourteen acres OF
ground Present excavations have
shown its base to be 761 by 721 feet,
and its limits have not yet been de-
fined by the soldiers who are employ
ed at the work by the government.
Half a mile south Of the pyramid
of the Sun Is the pyramid OF the Moon.
lit Is much smaller than the former,
measuring 511 by 426 feet at the base.
lon the top Of each Of the pyramids
are the ruins Of temples. On the
lpyramid Of the Sun at one time was
a gigantic statue to the sun, with
faces Of solid gold, which reflected
the rays Of that luminary, but 1t wa
rolled off by the Spaniards during the
days of the conquest and now reposes
in the museum Of Mexico.
Rising out Of practically level plain
the Pyramid of the Sun reaches
height of almost 200 feet, the Pyramid
Of the Moon being not so tall. Be-
tween the two runs the Canine de los
Muertes"-the Path Of the Dead. AL
though the two pyramids are only
about half a mile apart, the winding
course of the path covers distance or
more than two miles.
Evidently this Path of the Dead gets
it's name from the sacrifcial process
sions which wended their way from one
pyramid to the other in the ancient
days, when sacrifices to the sun and
the moon were offered by the priests
of the Toitecs or Of some race even
earlier in history than they.
At that period, too, the pyramids or
San Juan are now proven to have been
the center of large population en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits. the
| ruins Of the ancient civilization mere
have long attracted antiquarians from
the far ends Of the earth, and excava-
tions among them have been going on
for wears, but II Is only comparatively
recently that the investigators nave
attacked the great pyramids them
| selves.
| While the work Of the Mexican gov
ernment has been carried on with
such secrecy that 1t Is impossible to
state Just when 1t was begun. an In
teresting evidence Of how recent 1t
really is may be found in Mexico" a
notable book by C. Reginald Enock, F.
IR.G.S., author Of several books on
Central and South America.
| Mexico" was published only last
year, but in it Mr.. Enock, referring to
the San Juan pyramids, says that
Cortez and his Spaniards, defeated and
fleeing, passed near the great earth
pyramids Of the Sun and the Moon.
''but even at that time," he says, they
were-as they are tOday-mere mounds
of earth in which the pyramidal form
has been partly obliterated by the ac-
tion of time"
| Since that time, as has been related
above, excavations have shown that the
pyramids are not mere mounds or
| EARTH" but that they were built with
geometrical accuracy Of great blocks
| of stone strongly cemented together.