The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-02-04
IN
THE RUNS
O|FQUI|R.I|l}U!|A|..
DESCRIBED BY skLyANUs Girls.
W0LD MORLEY IN a COM:
MUNIcATI0N. 4
no THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IL,
SOCIETY AT WASHINGTON,

SOCIETY AT WASHINGTON,
WARRINGTON, Feb. 4.-The
original of the Roosevelt SMILE
has been discovered in the ruins OF
Quirigua. I'M the Republic Of Guate-
mala. Central America, 81 miles
from the Caribbean Sea. The dis
eoyery is described by sylyanus Girls
void Morley. in communicate to
the National Geographic Society, at
washington, D. G. Quirigua. 5he
says. was one. of the. older centers
of the great Maya civilization, which
forished in southern Mexico, Guate-
mazda, and northern Honduras dur
ing the first Is centuries OF the
Christian Era.
"Judging from the dated nionu-
ments; 0htch were erected in its
several courts and phazas, this anci-
emit American metropolis was aban-
doncd during the first half of the
9th century A. D." writes the explor-
err Towards the close of the. eth
century the Mayas moved out from
the3oldere centers of their cfyiliza-
ton in the south and migrated
northward into Yucatan. Here In
the Stress of colonizing a new and
unfamiliar land the remembrance
OF their former homes gradually
faded, until Quirigua, along with
many another southern city, became
only memory, a tradition. Finally,
long before the discovery Of Amer
lea, even the tradition Of its former
existence had passed from the
minds of men,"
1.-The exterior of one of the build
ings recently unearthed." says Mr..
MORLEY, was decorated with curl.
Gus sculptural mosaic. This design.
a variation OF the humorous head
motive found throughouts.the oHaya
area, OCCURS at each Of the four
corners and in the middle Of the
back and side walls. a
In this particular, example, he
continues, ..the incisor teeth are as.
prominent as, Col. Rcesevelt's, and
the first visitors who saw the head
Immediately called 1t 1.-THE original
Roosevelt grin. Under this name.
Its fame rapidly, spread; until 1t be-.
came the chief.point&of tourist in!
terest in the ancient city.',ae
But for the enterprise jof a well
known corporation interested In
fruit cultivation, the ruins might
have remained uncovered for CEN
turtles more. The company purchass
ed a large tract of land in this vi
entity for banana plantation, and.
through an arrangement with the
School of American Archelogy. the
systematic study of the ruins was
undertaken. During the centuries
that had elapsed since its abandon.
ment dense tropical vegetation had
overgrown the city, oyerthrowing
its temples and palaces and reducing
them to shapeless mounds of fallen
masonry. writes Mr.. Morley.
1.-The jungle had won its way into
the different courts and plazas; and
these public squares, once teeming
with the life OF n popuious communt
| ity, had become the haunt of the
tiger, perccary. monkey, ant-eater
,.and the infinite host Of the tropical
forest. The. jungle had again re-
claimed its own. AS the work of
excavation proceeded there gradual
ly developed from this mound of
earth and fallen stone the grouid
plan OF what had originally been an.
Imposing temple. los feet long and
90 feet wide"
More than 200 hieroglyphics have
been discovered, but these only
about so have been ,deciphered, and
al OF these deal with some phase Of
the calendar. AS result, "the
more human side of this great
aboriginal civilization, tile record
of its wars and conquests, its reli-
II