Bisbee daily review., 1913-01-12
Ceremony of Cremation Among
 Eurly Mexicans Elaborate One
Miss Barbara Stephens.

(From the Cleveland Fnll Dealer)
 Recent excavations n the state of Guerrero. Mexico have revealed many surprising facts ab sut the i'm mensc prehistoric population which is nov known to have inhaDitrd the isolated region One of the most intercs' ing disco cries made Is au old eeiruicitre which clearly reveals the ingenious method used by thIs tn- cient people te dispose Of their dead.
 Some ends Of carved Elahs Uroject- .ng from the earth or the west hanl. Of the Rio del Orc attracted the at tention of explorers and led to the finding of mortuary chamber con g taining the personal belongings and 1he partly burned bones of a man.
 Placed about the remains were the following articles arranged in a pecU- liar order which archoologists be- iieve 10 have special religious signifi- cauce: a iadeite pendant, caTveu shell. armlets, large number O. beads ef all shapes and sizes. and three odd vessels. two of which for lack of 2 better name are called table uris. The third Of these vessels is a 1netate CT stone corn grinder The table urns are square blocks Of stone carved 70 represent rnde tables. and centaining tsyc square depressions on the upper surface: while the ston- grinder is in the form of a turtle
 What the old urns were used for the areheologists are unable to say. although they surmise. on ac- eohnt or the pant which still clings To their sides, that they were sor; of stone palette used by some pre- historic artist whose works and his tories have been lost to us.
 Leading from the surface of tho ground through the clay substrata and giving entrance to the sepulchre is the shaft. the sides Of which still slow marks of smoke and fire. This Is a very rare oecurance among pre- historic inhabitants of tropical Amer ica. anc Is causing much discussion aLIong areheologists. but stranger still Is she fact that only partial cremation of the skeleton took place. and tha; ports of the bones and teeth stili remain
 The ceremony of cremation Was an elaborate one. as was customary among the Tarascaus. who probably formed the stock of this newly dis covered race. and whose influence is evident in it's art. 4 large slab was placed in the bottom of the deep grave. the mans body placed on top of it. Hot ashes and coals were then thrown in until the square chamber was one glowing mass.
 Another slab was then placed downward on top, effectively elosing the stone coffin and concentrating .i,e heat on Ihe body The action O. the fire can be Seen on the upper part of this slab. where the extreme heat has fiaked of the carving.
 Two plain slabs were then placed on the top of the upper slab and after giving the lire 8 chance to cremate the body. the grave was filled and .he chanters in their gay feather dresses and carrying their religious ceremonial staffs formed procession and filed slowly to a nearby temple where the interlnent ceremonies were concluded by sacrifices and the burn ,ns of copal on the altars.
 If one looks carefully at the slabs. ono scan make out a series or heads with diamond shaped eyes and curved shouts. This is a conyentionalized re rroduction of the great rain god Tialoc. one of the principal deities of inc aborigines of Mexico and Central America. In the open mouths. which are lined with teeth, appears mys ferious symbol like the figure S. which is found in so many Mexican ruins. but the significance of which no one has ys. been able tc aecipher.
 Snakes gre seen about the grotesque heads representing one of the nun e-ous gods or these prehistoric peo- Dlc. The feather serpent named kuk hGl-Kahn held a position of import ance, which varied with the different