The Dolores star., 1923-08-24
Remains of Structures Erected
by Aztecs Surrounded by
Latest Type Office Plants.


which once were great temples and
buildings Of the Aztecs. churches of
weather beaten stone and medieval as
beet erected In the time of the Spanish
ronguerors. palaces reminiscent of old
Spain houses constructed in the
uuaiut and picturesque Mexican style.
modern office buildings, stand together,
rrazy-qullt fashion. in the City of Mex
leo.
There is the pyramid of Santa Te-
tesa situated almost in the heart of
the city. Busy thronss hurry by every
day, few aware of the fact that II once
constituted worthy architectural
bandmLrk in the ancient Tenoxtitlan
the wonder city of the Atecs. Merely
IA corner OF the base remains. sur
bounded by dust-covered ruins OF the
Staircase and paved walks leading to
the temple. The exact age is unknown,
hlthough it was probably erected by
the Aztecs shortly prior to the Spanish
#cOnquest.
Ancient Spanish Cathedral.
A sCant two blocks away stands the
cathedral, built during the regime of
The Spanish viceroys and adorned with
the wealth of the conquered race to
such an extent that it is probably the
riChcst church on the North American
continent. Now. however. 1t looks upon
the busy main plaza of the city.
To complete the picture the Mutual,
pne of MeXico's largest office buildings,
faisas itself above the marks of an
other and distant day.
q Mexico may well dispute with Egypt
fhc title Of 'the land of ruins" for no
Fewcr than 500 cities, great and small,
have been uncovered within the terri.
tory of the republic. Here are found
ne crude remains of people emerg-
ng into the first stages of culture at
fhe same time as the ancient inhabl.
ants of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and
was here that the native American
PACE achieved its highest degree of de-
Eelopment, founding states and cities
(which now are but memories. but
whose remains still stand forth to pro-
claim the greatness of their builders.
II has been proved that culture In
America had its beginnings in the fer
t!Ie valley of Anahuuc. Who these
people were and whence they came
seem destined TO remain mystery.
hellcs seem to Indicate that the native
Ainerican races began their migra tions
20 this continent during the Neolithlc
period
pyramic' Of Cuicullco.
The principal structural relic of the
lrSt inhabitants of the Valley of Mex.
GO Is the pyramid of Cuicuilco, recent
Uaearthed by DR.. Byron Cummings
the University of Arizona, and
"hlch stands us the oldest architec-
uFal monument in the New World.
he pyramid has been preserved to fu-
ture generations In the same manner
as the ruins Of Pompeii, as n layer of
ava from the neIghborlng volcano of
nic'h completely coated the edifice.
ne volcanic eruption has been esti-
ha'ed by geologists as taking place
'olle seven thousand years ago.
Inc builders of this curious mopu-
'neht evidently were In the inltia,
Stages Of human culture, Judging from
ne materials used In the construction
'he pyramid and the crude pottery
ahu implements found In the immedi
'e vicinity. About the year 400 b, c.
NE valley of Anahuac was occupied
me leOtihuacanos, or Toltecs. to be
1'o"en shortly afterwnrd by the
0iayas in Yucatan.
A''hough little is known of the his
ofy OF the Toltecs, the numerous re-
MAINS snow them to have been n peo-
vi comparatively high state of
'uie' Their principal home was
,'u"'eu IN the Valley of Teotihuacan
VSe 10 the present City of Mexico,
1u 1t was here that the greatest num-
OF ruins We're found.
Inc Valley of Teotihuacan formerly
vas more fertile, and in the time of
~. "v io''ecS probably supported popu-
a''oh OF 100000 or more, or ten fines
'n"hy rs the present number of in
r'"ntS ~. OF the valley. Excavations
''iluacan show that the principal
'ioh OF the city was six kilometers
teheih and three kilometers in
iulh' and, including the OUTLYING dis.
great size. '"' u
soIfIce Dedicated to Sun,
,,, 'o'ooIy the largest building In the
H was the Pyramid of tie Sun. meas
tar. VI meters in height and 215 me-
prr o' each side. Close by is the
s'ailiId Of the Moon, which ia sur
sunued by more complicated series
eaihces. The Temple of Tlnloc god
no aln, consists of series of apart
,or,oa. 'l'e top one being especially i'm.
,an,.I ,an' "s containing an altar and two
oma which probably were used in
e ns ritual ceremony.
tura V""oly the most interesting struc-
rl,n 50 lar discovered in the ancient
cons,s. 20 'ne Temple of Quetzalcoatl. 1t
plaza Oh spacious quadrangular
doo formed by platforms measuring
evora, ers on each side and raised