The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-01
the TOWER OF BABEL WAS
BUILT BY ANCIENT @EXDCAMS

Inc towers n pyramids built by
the Mayas, the ancient civilized in
habitants Of Mexico. who fiourished
before the Aztccs. are tho greatest
wonders of antiquity in America.
An interesting theory. now strongly
held by scientists and scholars Of the
Smithsonian institution, is that the
Mayas are descended from tho an
Gent people of Babylon who were
dispersed over the face of the earth
after the capture of that famous city
by Cyrus.
If this be so then the ancient May
as built the tower of Babel of the
bible. and those carly Inhabitants of
tho earth We're in a Americans.
This view is confirmed in a great de-
gree by The extraordinary rcsem-
hlancc between the ruined towers and
pyramids of EabNlonia and those quilt
by the Mayas in Yucatan. In addi-
ton to his there is other evidence
that the Mayas came from some
where in Asia.
The of Babel was the largest
ono of many a similar structure of
pSramidal shape in Babylon, which
were crowned with tcmpcls. But
where the ancient Assyrians con
struct scores of such terraced towers,
II" MaNaS built thousands. many of
them huge size and of substantially
Nv zine P"l'cr, -ike"ls" upholu-
ing temples ON their platform sum-
mitS.
n Babel Legend Among Mayas.
According to the Maya lcnegnd.
Zclhuc, ono of the seven gitnts who
survived the deluge. erected Il pyra-
ma tower of enormous height for the
purpose OF storming heaven. But the
offended gods destroyed it with light
nlng ana COMPOUNDED the language of
the builders.
This evidently gives strong confir-
nation To the theory that the pre-
historic inhabitants of Yucatan
brought the tradition of the tower
and the story of the flood with them
from Assyria.
Certainly nobody anywhere else in
the world. save the ancient Assvrians
and 1!abylonians ever built temple
covered towers like those found TODAY
in ruins all over Yucatan. While
pursuing tho same architectural
method. the Mayas far outdid the
B~abylonians in pyramid building.
Sometimes they shaped and terracea
whole hills to serve as for
temples or groups of shrines. adding
courses Of stone in such a way as to
give increased height and
The temple at the top usually had a
special Enclosure. which was the place
of sacrifice. whore human yirt;p,.
were offered up.
h Governor Palace at Cxmal.
The pyramids of Yucatan are
square or rectangular in shape. Some
are nearly 100 feet high. and the larg-
est is over 500 feet square. They have
sloping sides. some nearly vertical
and many rise in steps. Faced will,
tone dressed smooth or plastercd.
and cmbcllished with sculptures. they
arc assembled by steep stairways on
one or more sides. The interior mass
is of earth and stones. or of stone
and mortar. In some cases the stones
We're filled in to a smooth slant.
h loftiest is the pyramid Of FL
Castillo. or The Castle, at Chichen-
liza. which is of the stcpped tyne.
The largest and most imposi~- is tho
so-called governors palace. at Uxn1aI
which stands on a natural elevation
arl,hrla!lN heightened by stone blocks
"hu RISING IN three terraces. 1t is
considered by ethnoloGists the most
lilpoI'hht prehistoric structure in
america. Inc building is $50 feet
io"S' ~ iect deep, and 20 feet high:
rs covered with a marvellous elabora-
,ioIl OF sculpture. belt Of which.
~ leet "lde. running entirely around
,he palace' contains 10000 stones,
nearly every one of them a separate
work Oh arr.
NOBODY Knows for what purpose
!his wonderful building was used, but
IL seems IN nave been erected merely
as n SIDE of a contemplated quad
tahe"iar edlflce. AS for FL Castillo.
IL was a pyramid temple of the first
oIder. INC square pyramid is so feet