The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1921-04-04
ANCIENT CITY
UNCOVERED BY
PSYCHOLOGISTS


pecting for tho habitatlonB OF n lost
raco In virtually tho same manner an
miners dig for gold. federal employees
hero have Just started to uncover
the remains OF u city OF at least 1O0,.
900 inhabitants which flourlshod L.
600 or moro years ago. Here and
there over tho confines OF tho buried
city have boon sunk shafts to find
streets. houses and temples known to
exist below tho level OF the mountain
valley In which lies the little village
OF San Juan do TcotIhuacan, the
name OF which means In tho Aztec
tongue. "Clty OF the Gods"
The Mexican government has np-
propriatod funds for this work OF
excavation which is In charge Of
Manuel GamIo, director OF dnthrop'
ology OF the department OF agriCul'
ture. Tho government hopes cyontd.
ally 10 make the spot one OF tho show
places OF Mexico.
Dominating the area are he two
pyramids. one To the Sun AMI the 9TH
or TO the Moon, which for centuries
have deficd tho efforts OF arcacDlo.
gista and historians TO tract their cr-
igin. The pyramid to the Moon Is
still untouched, retaining an appear
ance to tho lay eye OF huge mound
OF irregular shape, oycrgrown w'th
grass and rubbish
Senior GamlO says the city no" un.
der excavation at ono time covered
an area OF 10 square miles with n
population OF more than 100000. It's
builders nrc unknown to history hut.
Sr Gnmio believes they were p5r-
tIon OF an Indian tribe which wander
cd into Mexico from tho north and.
finding the valley fruitful and the
climate HalubriOus. decided To settle.
Tho presence Of volcanic rock aa
one Of tho top strata covering tho
ruins indicates that one Of tho near
by mountains cruptcd and inundated
the city with lava.
ing the Temple to the Goddess of
tho winds, which was dlscovrE d
less than year ago, when erosion
uncovered we'll defined walls and dec.
oratlons typlcally Indian and Egypt
ian In their conception. This temple
has now been dug out and recon
structcd on the exterior. Thd~inslde
IN reached at present through ser
les OF suhicrrancan passages. inside
the visitor treads over massive stairs
with ornate decorations OF huge ser
pents with obsidian eyes and grotcs-
que conceptions reminiscent OF Egyp-
tIan art. The work OF Interior eScaV-
alton aud rcconstruction In far from
complete.
Between this temple and the pyra-
mid TO the Sun Ii n stretch OF one
quarter OF mile which In nj intcr'
walls pierced by the shafts OF the dig
gers and In some places by the un-
covered remains OF n house or public
building with the paint still bright
and the frescoes as intact as the day
they we're placed there several thous-
ands OF years ago,
between the two pyramids is well
defined plaza on one side OF which
n street has been uncovered known
as the Path OF the Dead" Flanking
the place are hundreds OF mounds
which sr. Gamio assured the cores
pondent contained either houses or
temples.
Immense stores OF valuable arch
Geological material have been taken
from the various excavations. Human
bones. terra Gotta heads. obsidlan
knives, arrowheads. children's toys OF
clay, cooking utensils. incense burn
ers and crude musical instruments
form the bulk OF the find and all are
preserved In museum which hai
lust been erected on the grounds.
The two pyramids, however, arc
tho dominant structures OF the city
The pyramid to the Sun measures
76l 72l feet AT the pase ana ~ 81"
feet high narrowing to a level sum
nit.
Unlike the pyramids of Egypt with
Its huge jutting blocks OF stone form
ing an endless stairs to the top, the
Sun pyramid Is built with smooth
surface In five distinct tiers. Ascent
is made by steps built INTO the side
and to the unlnitiated the undertake
ing IL almost perilous because of tho
steep incline with not supporting bal
ustrades. 1t differs from its Egyptian
counterparts also In the respect that
II contains no interior passages or
rooms.
The pyramid OF tho Moon is small
or with base measuring about bll