The Ordway new era., 1920-07-16
N HUNDREDS of places through
out the state Of OaNaca. Mexi-
co. are TO be found whnt they

out the state of OaNaca. Mexl-
co. are TO be found what they
call "Pueblos Vicjos" (old vii
iages), some close TO the site of the
new villages and others In the wild
country. far away from nll hahitations.
In these ruins traces can he seen of
houses. temples. fortresses and tombs.
In some places graves only are seen
TO mark the place of former civil
zatlon, and these consist OF mounds,
some Of which are built To consider
nble height, writes a correspondent OF
the Christian Science Monitor.
Among the ruins well known on
account of their state of preservation
und Importance can be mentioned the
ruins of Militia, those ut Monte Alban,
at Guiengula and at Achiutla.
The famous ruins OF Militia are the
best preserved on account of the dry
climate of the country in which they
are situated. They are among the
most elaborately ornamented ruins in
Mexico, and on the walls are found
about fifteen different designs made
with mosalcs known ms grecques. The
figures are all geometrical and are
found mostly In panels on both inside
and outside of the walls Of the rooms.
Features Of Militia Ruins.
The original name OF these ruins
was Lyobaa. and they We're later on
called by the Mexicans "AIictlan"
which means the plnce OF the dead"
The place is now in the center of the
Zapotec country, and the Zapotec Ian
guage is spoken by the inhabitants
of the village close to the ruins. One
of the chambers contains six huge
monoliths, each being about IL feet
high and Z feet in circumference,
which have no carvings. The most
beautiful room Is known as the Hall
of Mosalcs. lts four sides are covered
with designs. Paintings were found
on some of the walls. hut these have
mostly disappeared. Close to the
ruins a Dyramidal mound is TO be
seen and about two miles distant is II
fort of great interest.
The grccques or arabesques found
at Militia give ii distinctive charac-
ter. and In no other part of the re-
public are there any ruins like them.
When the Spanlards conquered Mexi-
co, Militia was still mn important place.
The ruins of Monte Alban are sltu-
ated on the outskirts of the city OF
onxaca and seem TO belong TO much
older civilization than those OF Militia.
In fact, Monte Alban was in ruins
when Militia was AT lis height Of pros
perity. The ruins cover an area of
about two miles in length by third
of a mile in width. On every side are
remains OF temples, fonudaIi ions, ter
races walls, and graves. but these
places have not been explored and are
covered with debris. Some line stones
with carvings are still standing and
many have been removed to The Ma
tional Museum of Mexico City. The
sculptures indicate that the Maya civil
part of the country.
Fort at Gui.nauia.
The ruins OF Guiengula on the 18th
mus OF Tehuantepec show the exist
ence of big fort which was used
In the battles between the Mcxicans
and the Zapotecs. This fort was built
on the top of mountain. and contains
two pyramids OF stones, having stair
ways leading up TO the tops. Remnlns
Of temples, chambers, trenches. and
terraces can also he distinguished.
The ruins at Achiutia consist Of
courts. walls, mounds, and terraces.
Achiutla was the sacred city of the
great Mixtec nation. their country he
ing called Mixtecapam before the
spaniards arrived in Mexico. An eN-
Sraordinary number of pieces of pot
.ery Is found everywhere In this vii
age, which is still inhabited by the
Mixtec Indians. or Mixtecos.
In the graves that have been opened
in these different ruins have been
found great variety OF stone and
clay idols. ornaments made OF gold.
copper. Jade, shell. obsldian. and stone.
Beautiful specimens OF painted pot
terry have also been found. and some
of the finest samples Of Mexican ce-
ramic art come from the tombs of
OaHaca.
The Indian tribes Inhabiting the
STATE of Oaxaca are the ZapotecS,
Mixtecs. Miles. Cuicaiecs, Mazatecs.
Maxicans. Amusgos, Triques, Chatlnos.
Chinantecs, Huaves, Zoques and
Chon;ales. OF these the Zapotecs and
Mixtecs were the most important and
they resisted the Spnniards long after
the rest OF the country had been con-
qucred Tie Iiuaves. Amusgos and