Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-03
How d0ey.BAKED d1eiTo Dead
inIPrQhD hDtopiC Mexico.
The Discovery of Forgotten Artists GraUe ThrotOs
Interesting Light the Burial Methods
of 5000 Years Ago

~ ECENT excavations In the State OF Guerrero
X Mexico, have revealed many surprising facts
about the immense prehistoric population which
Is known to have inhabited this isolated region
sepuchre which clearly reveals the ingenious method
used by this ancient people to dispose Of their dead
Some ends OF slabs projecting from the earth
the west bank of the Rio del Orc attracted the at
tentOn of explorers and led to the finding Of mortuary
chamber containing the personal belongings and the
partly burned bones of man.
Placed about the remains were the following art
cles arranged In peculiar order which archeologsts
believe to have special religious significance; jadete
pendant carved she'll armles. large number OF beads
OF all shapes and sizes and three odd vessels two of
which for lack OF better name are called table prns
grinder. The table square blocks OF stone
carved to represent rude tables. and containing two
square depressicns on the upper surface; while the
Btone-grinder is In the form OF a turtle.
What the odd table urns were used for the arehe
oogsts are unable TO say, although they surmise OF
account OF the paint which stl clngs to their sides
that they were sort OF stone palette used by somt
prehistoric artist whose works and history have beef
Leading from the surface of the ground through the
clay suesraa and giving entrance to the sepulehre is
and fire. This is a very rare occurrence among the
prehistoric inhabitants OF tropical America and Is
causing much discussion among archeologists bu
stranger still s the fact that only partial cremation Of
the skeleton took place. and that parts of the bones
The ceremony OF cremation was an elaborate one,
was customary among the Tarascans. who probably
formed the stock OF this newly discovered race. and
whose influence s so evident In its art large slab
placed in the bottom OF the deep grave. the mans
body and his personal belongings were placed on top
OF Il Hot ashes and Goals then thrown in until
the square chamber was one glowing mass.
Another slab then placed downward on top,
effectively closing the coffin and concentrating
the heat the body. The action of the fire can be
the upper part OF this slab where the extreme
heat has faxed of the carving.
Two plain slabs were then placed on top Of the
upper slab and after giving the hre chance to ere
mate the body. the grave filled and the chanters
n their gay feather dresses and carrying their religious
ceremonial stans formed procession and filed slowly
N FhV tenn KVh "a
concluded by sacrifices and the burning Of copa
the affairs.
II one looks carefuiiy az the slaps. one can make
out a series OF heads, with diamondshaped eyes and
curved snOuts. This is a conyentonazed reproduction
of the great rain god, rlaloc. one of the principal
deies Of the aborgines Of Mexico and Central Amer
tea. In the open mouths. which lined with teeth
appears a mysterious symbol like the hgure eight
which Is found In many Mexican ruins, but the sig
nlhcance OF which has been able 70 decpher
Snakes seen about the grotesque heads repre-
senting Of the numerous gods OF these prehistoric
peoples The feathered serpent named kukhulhhaI