Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-02-10

III W HUNDREDS OF places through
n out the state of Oaxaca, Next
M co. are to be found what they
call "Pueblos Viejos" Gold vii
FL lages), some close to the site of the
"a new villages and others in the wild
q country, far away from all habitations.
81 In these ruins traces can be seen of
81 houses, temples, fortresses and tombs.
n In some places graves only are seen
81 TO mark the place of a former civili-
81 cation, and these consist of mounds,
II some of which are built to a consider
81 able height, writes a correspondent of
81 the Christian Science Monitor.
81 Among the ruins well known on
q account of their state of preservation
8 and Importance can be mentioned the
q ruins of Militia, those at Monte Alban,
& at Guiengula and at Achiutla.
The famous ruins of Militia are the
4 hest preserved on account of the dry
climate of the country in which they
are situated. They are among the
Il 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 lam
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, but these have |
mostly disappeared. Close to the |
ruins a pyramidal mound is to be
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 Alban are stu
ated on the outskirts of the city of
Oaxaca and seem to belong to a much
older civilization than those of Militia.
In fact, Monte Alban was in ruins
when Militia was at its height of pros
perity. The ruins cover an area of
about two miles in length by a third
of mile in width. On every side are
remains 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 ,
indicate that the Maya civil ,
Iization must have extended to this s
part of the country. 9
Fort at Guiengua. $
The ruins of Guiengula on the 18TH
nus Of Teiluantepec show the exist Y
ance of a big fort which was used +
n the battles between the MeXicans I
md the Zapotecs. This fort was built h
IN the top of mountain, and contains +
wo pyramids of stones, having stair f
Ways leading up to the tops. Remains ID
II temples, chambers, trenches, and il
erraces can also be distinguished.
The ruins at Achiutla consist of
curtis, walls, mounds, and terraces.
Ichiutla was the sacred city of the G.
reat MiNtec nation, their country be- ii
lg called MiXtecapam before the Il
paniards arrived in Mexico. An ex- ii
.aordinary number of pieces of pot tC
cry is found everywhere in this vii di
lge, which is still inhabited by the w
lixtec Indians, or Mixtecos. OF
In the graves that have been opened cl
these different ruins have been III
iund a great variety of stone and 81
ay idols, ornaments made Of gold, pt
PIPER. jade, shell, obsldan. and stone. Fl
eautifu specimens of painted pot in
rs have also been found, and some CT
the finest samples of Mexican ce- RI
mic art come from the tombs of al
axaca. wi
The Indian tribes inhabting the hi
ate of Oaxaca are the Zapotecs,
ixtecs, Miles. Cuicatecs, Mazatecs.
aTicans, Amusgos, Triques, Chatinos.
linantecs. Huaves, Zoques and m'
'ontales. OF these the Zapotecs and
Ytecs were the most important and
ey resisted the Spaniards long liter TIL
e rest Of the country had been con
eyed The Huaves. Amusgos and he