Evening star., 1923-04-02
FIND MAYAS PUT
BEAUTIES IN WELL
Religious Rite Helped Make
Chichenitza Mecca in
Fifth Century.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MERIDA. Yucatan. Mex. April .
Examination of the Maya ruins OF
ChichenitZa, just completed by the
American scientist. DR.. Sylvanus q.
Morley, OF the Carnegie Institute,
Washington. u. c.. has brought to
light evidences of a civilization
dating back to the middle of the
fifth century, A. D., which. DR. Nor
ley says, was the most advanced of
any in the western hemisphere
prior to the discovery OF America
by Columbus.
The research was inaugurated a
decade ago by the Carnegie lnsti-
tute, but was interrupted by the
war. The project again was taken
up last month.
The religious and civic centers OF
the ruins cover an area two miles
long and enc mile wide. Extending
from this center In all directions for
three to five miles are the remains
Of stone buildings. These include
pyramids, platforms, terraces, plazas
and paved roads, all now buried in
thick tropical foliage.
The ruins Of Chichenitza are
those of the largest city OF the new
Maya empire, which was probably
founded about the middle OF the
fifth century after Christ by colo
nists from the old empire cities of
northern Guatemala" DR.. Morley
said. During this first period 1t was
occupied for about two centuries and
abandoned for unknown reasons. In
the middle of the seventh century
the inhabitants moved toward the
coast where they stayed three CEN
turies, returning to Chichenitza and
establishing themselves there
about 800 a. ID.
ut was then one of a league of
three cities, the others being Czmal
and Mayapan, which ruled Yucatan
from the beginning of the eleventh to
the thirteenth century. 1t was pc
riod of prosperity with a renaissance
of art architecture and sculpture
New types OF buildings were then
erected, the temples showing columns
cut with feathered serpents dedicated
to their patron deity called kukulcan
or feathered serpent. The great bali
court, as large az modern foot ball
field, was built and inclosed by walls
80 feet high and 25 feet thick. In
not unlike modern basket ball, the OBJ
ject being to drive ball through
rings fastened in the side walks.
Human Sacrifices.
"A new religious cult deyeloped
under which most of the beautiful
young ladies were hurled to death
in a great natural we'll $50 feet in
diameter and 70 feet deep, as sacri-
fees to the offended rain deities dur.
ing droughts. The fame of this
sacred well spread far and wide. SO
that pilgrims came from a great dis
tance to make precious offerings OF
carved jade, copper, bells, pottery and
incense, which were deposited in this
well as sacrifices to the rain gods.
Because of the extraordinarily
spectacular character of her religious
rites and ceremonies, Chichenitza be.
came the mecca Of the whole Mayan
world.
1T is difficult to make an estimate
of the population of ChichenitZa dur
ing the period of her greatest glory
but personally I think the whole
liza nation could not have numbered
less than quarter of million, ano
possibly half a million"
DR.. Morley is leaving for Mexico
City, where he will stop for two
weeks, travelling thence overland tC
Guatemala, where he will excavate
two temples at the ruins of Quirigua
Irpon the completion of this work he
intends to return to Washington.