The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-07-09
MEMco's CIVILIZATIONS.

! For many centuries Mexico has
been the home of many races. Most
of us are wont to regard it as the
home of only the Aztecs, with whose
civilization Prescott and the early
Spanish chroniclers have made us
more or less familiar The archeolo-
| gist and student of pre- Columbian
and prehistoric times, however,
knows that there were races, espe-
Cially in southern Mexico and parts
of Central America, whose ancient
civilization had no connection VITA
the empire of the Montezumas, and
whose wonderful works, long ago
fallen into decay and ruin, are now
the subjects of scientific research and
study. To Americans at least these
should be as interesting as the ruins
of ancient Egypt or the buried cities
of Asia and the far east.
The ancient glory of this people
had long since departed when Her
nande CorteZ first came in contact
with them on the coast of Yucatan in
1919. Their star had set. Their
greatest cities had been abandoned
and lay in ruins. Even the memory
of the older cities of their culture,
example. seems to have passed from
the minds of men their former exist
ence forgotten. Probably the largest
and certainly the most magnificent,
of the ruined cities which the Span.
ish Conquerors found on their arrival
in Yucatan was ChiChen liza, around
which even in it's desolation there
still cluster a thousand traditions OF
former sanctity and splendor The
name is Maya, and means The Mouth
of the Wells of the ltzas."
To visit the ancient city now, one
jolts for fifteen long and weary miles
in a two.wheeled cart drawn by three
mules over the toughest kind of
highway imaginable. Finally. when
it seems that the limit of physical en-
durance has been reached, the cart
suddenly lurches around a sharp turn
in the road and as if by magic the
lofty Castillo flashes into view. tower
ing digh above the plain and the rest
of the city.
This imposing structure, the high
est in Yucatan, rises 70 feet above
the plain. The pyramid on which the
temple stands is 1875 feet long and
covers about an acre of ground. 1t
is made of terraces of faced mason
-ry, each terrace deliberately paneled
to relieve the monotony of effect. Up
the center of each of its four sides
rises a stairway 81 feet wide. These
stairways have massive stone balus-
trades, carved to represent serpents,
the heads being at the bases of the
Istairways and flanking them
The Castillo would seem to have
been the center of the ancient city,
and probably its chief SANCTUARY. To
the east is a vast group Of buildings,
colonnades, courts and pyramids.
The City of a Thousand Columns"
as some one has piCturesquely des-
cribed it. Due west is the group of
structures known as the Ball Court.
To the south for half a mile or more,
scattered through the jungle, are pyr
amids, courts, temples and palaces.
The central location of the Castillo
with reference to all of these, as well
as it's great size and commanding
height, argue strongly that it was
the chief sanctuary of the Holy City
In another structure, the House of
the Tigers" are found the remnants
of several beautiful mural paintings
One of these represents an attack by
an enemy on a large city, splendidly
executed, and presents perhaps the
most remarkable piece of aboriginal
painting known to be in existence.
The total area covered by the ruins
has been estimated at ten square
miles.