The Concordia sentinel., 1920-07-17

TN HUNDREDS of places through
out the s3ate of OaXaca, MeXi-
co, are to be found what they
call "PueblOs Viejos" (Old vii
lages), some close to the site Of the
new villages and others in the wild
country, far away from all habitations.
In these ruins traces can be seen OF
hOuses, temples, fortresses and tombs.
In some places graves only are seen
to mark the place of a former civili-
zatiOn, and these consist of mounds,
some of which are built to a consider
able height, writes a correspondent Of
the Christian Science Monitor.
Among the ruins we'll known on
account of their state of preservation
and Importance can be mentioned the
ruins of Militia, those at 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 deliberately ornamented ruins in
Mexico, and on the walls are found
about fifteen different designs made
with mOsaics known as 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 were later on
called by the MeXicans "AIictlan"
which means "the place 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 II feet
high and feet in circumference,
Which have no carvings. The most
beautiful room is known as the Hall
of MOsaics. Its four sides are covered
with designs. Paintings were found
on some of the walls, bat these have
mostly disappeared. Close to the
ruins a pyramidal mound is to be
seen and about two miles distant is a
fort of great interest.
The grecQues or arabesques found
at Militia give it a distinctive charac-
ter, and in no other part of the re-
public are there any ruins like them.
When the Spaniards conquered Mexi-
CO, Militia was still an important place.
The ruins of Monte AIban are situ-
ated on the outskirts of the city Of
Oaxaca and seem to belong to much
older civilization than those of Militia.
In fact, Monte Alban was in ruins
when Militia was at its height of pros
perfty. The ruins cover an area of
about two miles in length by a third
of mile in width. On every side are
re.nains of temples, foundations, ter
races, walls, and graves, but these
places have not been explored and are
covered with debris. Some fine stones
with carvings are still standing and
many have been removed to the Ma
tional Museum of Mexico City. The
scriptures Indicate that the Maya civil
lization must have extended to this
part of the country.
Fort at Guiengula.
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 Mexicans
and the Zap0tecs. This fort was built
on the top of a mountain, and contains
two pyramids of stones, having stair
ways leading up to the tops. Remains
of temples, chambers, trenches, and
terraces can also be distinguished.
The ruins at Achiutla consist of
courts. walls, mounds, and terraces.
Achiutla. was the sacred city of the
great Mixtec nation. their country be-
ing called Mlxtecapam before the
Spaniaris arrived in Mexico. An ex-
traordinary number of pieces of pot
terry is found everywhere in this vii
lage. which is still inhabited by the
Mixtec Indians, or Mixtecos.
In the graves that have been opened
in these different ruins have been
found a great variety of stone and
clay idols. ornaments made of gold,