El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-29

story that opens up as great
field for speculation as may be found
in the entire history Of archaeological
science. 1t was. taken from the ruins
of Palenque, in Chiapas, a city 20 miles
in extent. thought to nave been desert
ed at least three full centuries before
Columbus discovered America-desert-
ed so completely that the builders of
the great city, and the name they gave
it. are not even subjects of remote
tradition. This tablet shows a cross,
before which stand two Indians in
reverential attitude. with uplifted
hands. The features Of the worship
pers bear distinctly Ethiopian cast.
From Whence Came The Cross:
Is the cross in this sculpture repre-
sentative Of the cross of Christ? Are
the worshippers descendants of the
same race that inhabited the Nile val
ley? From whence could the story
of the cross have come to these people?
This and hundreds Of like questions
might be asked and remain dnanswer-
ed today But If present activities
are as productive of real informa-
ton concerning ancient Mexico as it
IS hoped they will be. the mysteries
of prehistoric civilization in the
Americas may yet be penetrated and a
new world of archaeological endeavor
opened up.
The International school ofArcheol-
ogy and Ethnology has just been
established in the City of Mexico
This school is to be supported by Har
ward university Columbia, and the
governments Of Mexico and Prussia.
Each of the four contracting parties
is to appropriate $4,000 a year for the
expenses of the institution. Not only
is it the intention of the promoters to
engage in archaeological research and
to make archaeological inquiries, but
also to teach young men and women
to do this character Of work. The
purpose of the school is to go into new
territory and open up new fields OF
resea rch.
Prof. Starts Experience.
Another instance of what the archie
illogical studies Of the future may de-
velop is disclosed by an experience
of professor Frederick Starr Of the
university Of Chicago He has been in
Mexico several years engaged in stud
les relative to archaeology and eth
nology few weeks ago he had a
conference with the Chinese charge
de'affaires with reference to some in
scriptions on the pottery IN the pyra-
mids Of the sun and moon, inscrip-
tions which are known to have ante
dated the discovery Of America by
centuries. The diplomat found on them
a Chinese inscription which is one Of
the most frequently used in the Chinese
language-the equivalent for the En-
giish word longevity. He showed
professor Starr the inscription and the
latter replied that he could put his
hand upon dozens OF identical ones in
different parts Of Mexico. Were some
Of the ancient Mexican descendants Of
the Chinese and if so, how did they
get to Mexico2 Such Investigations
as these open broad fields of specula-
ton and make men wonder now Tar
back into antiquity the civilization
Of prehistoric America extends
Mexico Interested.
The Mexican government is taking
a deep interest in the Archaeology OF
the country, and has passed a law pro-
hibitirg the expectation of archeolo-
Sical specimens The baggage of every
person leaving the republic is searched
to make sure that this law is COM
piled with In the national museum
are many interesting relics Of the
past. Perhaps the most interesting
of all is the Sacrificial Stone, pre-
pared under Tizoc the seventh king
Of Mexico. 1t is a huge stone nearly
nine feet in diameter and almost three
feet thick, which was used in the death
rites of the human~ beings offered up
! as sacrifices to the Aztec gods.
Around its face and rim are sculptur-
ed figures in low relief representing
! the victories of Tizoc. A warrior holds
a prisoner by a tuft of hair; the vic
tim for the. sacrifice holds a bunch OF
inverted arrows as a sign of defeat
There is an telegraph which shows
the tribe to which he belongs. Four
teen of the warriors are clad in the
garb of the god Totec.
Sacrifice of Captives.
! 1t is related that in 1886 at the
great dedication of the Mexican temple,
10000 captives persisted on this one
stone. The prisoners we're drawn from
! all quarters of the capital and were
arranged in files forming a procession
nearly two miles long. In ordinary
years the number Of victims slaught-
cred amounted to 100000. 1t was Gus
| tomary to preserve the skulls OF
| those sacrificed in buildings provided
for that purpose, and in a single one
| of these edifices. compatriots of Cor
tez counted no less than $4,000 human
/ skulls. Men, women and children
were sacrificed, particularly in sea-
! sons of drouth at the festival of the
Unsuitable god OF rain. AS the chill
| dren were borne along in open filters,
dressed in festal robes, they moved
| the hardest hearts to pity, though
[, their cries were drowned in the wild
chant of the priests Parents would
sell their own children for the sac
! rifice, thinking thus to appease the
! wrath of the gods of poverty.
In making a sacrifice the prisoner
was bound hand and foot and stretch
ed on the upper surface Of the stone.
! Five priests held his head and limbs.
while the sixth, clad in scarlet man
! tie cut open the breast of the victim.
tore out the FACILITATING heart, held
it to the sun, and then cast it at the
| feet of the deity to whom the temple
was devoted When the body of a
captive was sacrificed it was delivered
to the warrior who had taken him in
battle, and was served UP as relig-
ious feast for his friends. 1t is said
that nowhere else in the history of the
entire world have human sacrifices
been practiced on a scale comparable
with those in Mexico.
The Calendar Stone.
Another stone of absorbing interest
! is known as the calendar stone. It is
% feet in diameter, three feet thick,
and weighs "a tons On it's face there
appear hundreds of carvings, each OF
which serves an important purpose in
the calculation of time With this stone
the Aztec priests were able to calculate
ayocfyv tho astronomical wear Pres