The Washington herald., 1921-08-04
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THURsDAY, AuGueT q Inz1.


that once were the center Of Amer
ica's civilization. and after having
begun to recover the ancient learn
Ing Of the Maya people from their
Indian descendants. the Carnegie
institution Central American expe-
dition for 1891. which penetrated
the region OF Guatemala In the de-
partment Of Peten at the base of
the Yucatan Peninsula, has returned
TO this city.
The expedition under the direc-
tion Of DR.. Sylvanus @. Morley, as
sociate in American archaeology Of
the institution. left washington
early in January. The other inves-
tigators were DR.. c. z. Guthe ana
William Gates. both research as
sociates OF the institution, the for
mer in charge Of excavations and
the latter especially interested In
the linguistic problems, not only
the language spoken by the ancient
Maya but also the dialects spoken
by their descendants living in some
parts Of the same region today.
o. @. Ricketson. jr.. field assist
ant, and 4. X Rutherford. photog-
rapher, completed the scientific per-
sonnel OF the expedition which as
sembled at the little frontier town
Of FL Cayo. British Honduras. at
the edge Of the Peten bush on Feb
ruary 1.
DR.. Morley's party discovered sew
eral new cities while exploring the
forests Of Peten. Maps were made.
the hieroglyphic inscriptions on
the sides OF their monuments were
drawn to scale, and a complete
Photographic record was secured.
Many new important dates were de-
ciphered, and these indicated that
that region was the very heart OF
the Old Maya empire. Or. Guthe's
excavations at Tayaszl. the last liza
capital located on q lake island
proved equally fruitful. The princi-
pal plaza of that city was located,
and the work Of clearing away the
earth and fallen masonry from the
principal structures was commenced.
The tomb OF one important indi-
vidusl was located, a number OF
pottery vessels were recovered. and
the nucleus Of a local museum estab-
lished at the nearby village Of
Flores, the capital OF the Depart
ment of Peten. Mr.. Gates by coming
in direct contact with the modern
Maya. opened up lines OF communi-
cation which he hopes may pave
the way TO the eventual recovery OF
what is left OF their ancient learn
4 ing.
The Peninsula Of Yucatan juts up
into the Gulf OF Mexico like the
great thumb OF a giant hand, point
inc ~ Hg ON vv.fnn9 xn-E.1.
and before IL finally takes root in
the continental land mass far 60
the south. gradually merging into
the foothills Of the CordiIlierra, IL is
400 miles long.
This region, a limestone formation
Of recent geological age, has gradu-
ally emerged from the floor of the
Caribbean Sea. and is now over
grown with a dense subtropical jun
gle II supports, in fact, an almost
continuous forest Of mahogany.
rubber, Santa Maria, ceiba. chico
sapote Uhe 'chewing-gum" treeD,
and many other subtropicaI trees,
which so completely covers the
country that one may travel in this
bush for days without seeing an
open space large enough TO accom-
modste a modern bungalow com
fortably.
In this now desolate and forgot
ten region there developed during
the first fifteen centuries OF the
Christian era the greatest native
civilization which America produced.
/ that of the ancient Maya OF South
crn Mexico and Northern Central
America. Here great cites grew up,
filled with finely carved limestone
temples. pyramids. palaces ard mon
asteries. which were grouped around
paved squares and courts.
In these spacious plazas bcauti-
fully sculptured monuments were
erected, their sides inscribed with
elaborate hieroglyphic writings set
ting forth important historical and
astronomical facts. A dense popu-
lation, highly organized unc.-
strongly centralized governments.
! flourished in the region. the van
! guard Of civilization in the New
World.
But in the course OF centuries
pestilence. drought, civil war and
/ famine overlook the Maya. so that
1 when the Spaniards landed on the
east coast of Yucatsn in l54l, under
/ ehNAc@O dt 4hOhAN.NE NAN AdcL ANlH-
nant Of this once brilliant people
| fell an easy prey 20 the shock Of
foreign conquest. and they were
! speedily reduced to dependence and
slavery. Their once magnificent
cities were abandoned. vast sections
being actually depopulated. and the
tropical jungle again crept over the
region. until today these former
centers of life and human activity
lie buried in the grip of a dense
! forest. and crumbling walls and
piles OF fallen masonry overgrown
( with giant trees alone bear melan-
choly witness to former pomp and
/ glory.
Investigations in this remote and
Inaccessible region may only be car
/ ried on under enormous difficulties.
| The climate is hot, humid and en-
/ erVatInE, the water supply impure
and unsanitary, the insect plaques
| numerous. most annoying. and, in
the case Of the msIarial mosquito,
! highly dangerous. The tranSporta-
! ton facilities are of the most prim-
/ itive. nothing moro than mule
/ trains which average less than Is
miles a day through the bush. Fi-
nally labor is scarce, inadequate
and inefficient. In short all factors
( combine to discourage the scientific
1 Investigator in this field. d is only
very slowly, with infinite pains ana
at a high cost that this region IS
beng made TO yield it's archeoloGt-
I cal secrets and the truth about our
/ foremost native American civiliza-
ton is gradually being made
known.