The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-08-31
Remains Of Structures Erected
by Aztecs Surrounded by
Latest Type Office Plants.


weather-beaten stone and medieval as
pect erected In the time of the Spanish
conqnsrOrs. palaces reminiscent Of old
Spain. houses constructed In the
quaint and picturesque Mexican style,
modern office buildings, stand together,
crazy quilt fashion, In the City Of Mex
leo.
There is the pyramid of Santa Te-
resa, situated almost In the heart OF
the city. Busy throngs hurry by every
day, few aware OF the fact that II once
constituted worthy architectural
landmark In the ancient Tenoxtitlan.
the wonder city of the Atecs. Merely
a corner of the base remains. sur
rounded by dust-covered ruins Of the
staircase and paved walks leading to
the temple. The exact age Is unknown,
although II was probably erected by
the Aztecs shortly prior to the Spanish
conquest.
Ancient Spanish Cathedral.
scant two blocks away stands the
cathedral, built during the regime Of
the Spanish viceroys and adorned with
tho wealth of the Conquered race to
such an extent that II is probably the
richest church on the North American
continent. Now, however, 1t looks upon
the busy main plaza of the city. l
To complete the picture the Mutual,
one OF Mexico's largest Office buildings.
aises itself above the marks of an
Jther and distant day.
Mexico may well dispute with Egypt
the title Of "the land of ruins" for no
fewer than 800 cities, great and small,
have been uncovered within the terri
tory Of the republic. Here are found
the crude remains of a people emerg-
ing into the first stages of culture at
the same time as the ancient inhabi-
tants of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and
II was here that the native American
race achieved Its highest degree Of de-
vclopment. founding states and cities
which now are but memories, but
whose remains still stand forth to pro-
claim the greatness of their builders.
1t has been proved that culture in
+ America had Its beginnings In the fer
tile valley of Anahuac. Who these
people were and whence they came
seem destined to remain q mystery.
Relics seem to indicate that the native
American races began their migratlons
to this continent during the Neollthic
period.
- PyramiS Of CuicuiIco.
The principal structural relic of the
first Inhabitants of the Valley of Mex
ico is the pyramid of Cuicuilco, recent
ly unearthed by DR.. Byron Cummings
of the University of Arizona. and
which stands as the Oldest architec-
tural monument In the New World.
The pyramid has been preserved to fu-
ture generations In the same manner
ns the ruins of Pompeii, as q layer of
lava from the neighboring volcano of
Xictli completely coated the edifice.
The volcanic eruption has been esti-
mated by geologists as taking place
Jome seven thousand years ago.
The builders Of this curious monu-
'ment evidently wefe in the Initial
stages Of human culture, judging from
the materials used In the construction
Of the pyramid and the crude pottery
and implements found In the immedi.
pte vicinity. About the year 400 b. G.
the Valley of Anahuac was occupied
by the Teotihuacanos, or Toltecs. to be
followed shortly afterward by the
Hayas in Yucatan.
Although little Is known of the his
tory Of the Toltecs, the numerous re.
mains show them to have been a peo-
ple of comparatively high state OF
culture. Their principal home was
situated in the Valley of Teotihuacan,
close to the present City of Mexico.
and It was here that the greatest num-
Der of ruins were found.
The Valley Of Teotihuacan formerly
was more fertile, and in the time of
the Toltecs probably supported popu-
lation Of 100000 or more, or ten times
rs many as the present number of In.
habitants Of the valley. Excavations
ut Teotihuacan show that the principal
portion Of the city was six kilometers
In length and three kilometers In
width, and. including the outlying dis
tricts, the city must have been one OF
great size.
Edifice Dedicated to Sun.
Probably the largest building In the
eity was the Pyramid Of the Sun, meas
uring "a meters In height and 215 me
kers on each side. Close by Is the
pyramid of the Moon, which Is sur
rounded by a more complicated serie,
Of edifices. The Temple of Tlaloc. goo
of rain, consists of series of apart
ments, the top one being especially i'm
portant as containing an altar and tw,
cavities which probably were used Il
some ritual ceremony.
Probably the most interesting struc
ture so far discovered In the ancien
city is the Temple Of Quetzalcoatl. !
: consists Of spacious quadrangula
plaza formed by platforms measurin
400 meters on each side and raise
several meters above the ground. o
each one of these three platforms ar
fouR structures, with the exception O
the platform to the east, which ha
only three buildings.
During the greatest prosperity Q
the ancient city Of Teotihuacan II wa