The Holly chieftain., 1923-05-17

ten people are slowly coming to light Year by
year expeditions sent out by American scientific In
stitutons are penetrating deeper and deeper into
these virgin fastnesses and are discovering new
ruined cities"
Doctor Morely has just completed an examna-
ton of the Maya ruins Of ChichenItza, in Yucatan
The religious and civic centers Of the ruins cover
an area two miles long and one mile wide. Extend
ing 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 Chichen-Itza 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 colonists from the old em-
pire cities Of northern Guatemala" Doctor Morely
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 centuries, returning to Chichen-Itza
and re-establishing themselves there about 965
Al
"It was then one Of league Of three cities, the
others being Uzmal and Mayapan, which ruled Yu.
catan from the beginning Of the Eleventh to the
Thirteenth century. 1t was a period Of prosper
ity, with renaissance of art, architecture and
sculpture.
New types Of buildings were then erected. the
temples showing columns cut with feathered SER
pents, dedicated to their patron deity, called Ku.
kulcan, or feathered serpent The great ball court
as large as modern football field, was built and
inclosed by massive walls 80 feet high and 25 feet
thick. In this inclosure games were played not
unlike modern basketball the object being to drive
ball through rings fastened in the side walls.
"a new religious cult developed under which
most Of the beautiful young women were hurled to
death into great natural well 180 feet in diam
eter and 70 feet deep, sacrifices to the offended
rain a n
sacred we'll spread far and wide so that pilgrims
came from great distance to make precious offer
lngs of carved Jade, copper. bells pottery and In
cense, which were deposited In this well as sacri-
fees 10 the rain god.
Because Of the extraordinarily spectacular char
acter of her religious rites and ceremonies Chichen
Itza became the mecca Of the whole Mayan world.
ut Ia difficult to make an estimate Of the popula-
ton Of ChichenItza during the period Of her great
est glory, but personally think the whole Itza
nation could not have numbered less than quar-
ter of million, and possibly half Million"
DR.. Marshall II. Sayille, American archeologist,
told the American Archaeological society at WASH
ington recently that under ages Of American dust
In the ruined temples of the lost Maya civilization
In Yucatan, delivers into antiquity may make dis
coveries. in the near future, which will surpass
In Interest the recent revelations at Luxor. r.
He said the lost history Of the Mayas never may
be found but there Is every hope that Its
volumes will be discovered in the tombs of the
ancient priests who spent their lives writing them.
Part Of their chronology the Mayas left engraved
on monuments and on the walls and rooms OF their
temples, palaces and homes.
The more intimate details Of the era were ne
corded in book form, material that closely re-
sembles paper. but is stronger and more durable.
Some few leaves Of such volumes already have been
discovered. The tombs of the Mayan priests, who
also the intellectual leaders Of the race, are
known to be under the floors Of the temples.
The Peabody museum will shortly publish
work on the Mayan civilization by Prof. Herbert
]. Spnden and Prot A. M. Tozzer. It is based
largely on archaeological treasures recovered from
the sacred sacrifcial well referred to by Doctor
Morely. Not much Is known publicly about these
treasures. They were privately removed through
the efforts of Edward a. Thompson, former United
States consul at Merida, and have been jealously
guarded