Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-18
MEXICAN ARCHAEOLOGY OFFERS
REAL PROBLEM TO SCIENTISTS

their native gods. In the National
Museum at Mexico City there are a
number OF wooden "huehuetlg," ancient
drums used by the Indians, carved in
numerous figures Of gods and priests.
also with their faces scratched out.
The fact that these two stones, the
doorstep and the slab on the floor inst
inside, were singled out for the most
stepped-on position in the church, sIa-
gests that they we're important symbols
In the prehistoric religion whose in
nuence the early missionaries attempted
TO destroy.
The church itself is built near the
largest OF a number OF prehistoric
mounos which were probably the suA-
structures Of old Zapotec or Mixtec
temples, no relics OF which nov re-
main. The sites are stripped Of even
the stones which once faced the sides
Of the mounds and formed the stair
ways. and ancient Zaachila was prob
ably used as building material FOX CO.
lonial zaachila. High up in the un-
even masonry Of the old church a
broken stone with carved syrabols
stands out.
The village has about 1000 inhabi-
tants. 1t Is out of the beaten track
and visitors are rare. and the hamlet
has probably changed very little in
many generations. The church is a
few steps from the market plaza, and
the Indian in trouble comes in between
barterings for pigs and turkeys or chill,
to wall his prayer before the Black
Christ on the crucifix or TO the print
lively carved and painted saints and
madonnas. He kisses the floor in front
Of the statues. and as ne passes on.
to go back to his fields or to MS
stNHVfn e. fVn ~
curiOusly, but very hurriedly, at the
carved stone slab he no longer UNDER
stands. which was once perhaps MS
Bible, and which strangers are now
going to carry away.
Stones to BE Removed.
The village is not a friendly place
to tactieSs stranger and the modern
Zapotecs and Mixtecs do not like
strange things they do not understand
to be done in their church. just as
four centuries ago they resented hav-
ing their original native Indian religion
tempered with.
In a church in the town of Oaxaca.
not many miles away, there is a his
torical painting OF the conversion in
Zaachila in 1921, of Cosijoeza, the last
native ruler in the Valley Of Oaxaca,
who was afterward known as Don
CdTlOS COSlJOeZa, according 70 the Label
OF the picture. This suggests that
Zaachila might have been an important
center Of precolonial civilization.
There are other archaeological relics
In this village besides the ones In the
town church. On another side Of the
plaza an old colonial house has as part
Of the street pavement by its door
step large fiat stone that bears what
is probably a date, according to the
Maya system of writing down time.
The symbols consist of the conven-
tional Maya bars, dots. and heads.
In the back yard of another house
nearby Is another monolith covered
with carvings on two sides, which
also appear to be dates. This stone.
1t Is said in the village. once formed
the cover OF a sepulcher IN one of
the great earth mounds outside Of
the village. which formed the sub
structures OF temples in ancient times.
Very few outsiders have seen these
stones. They we're first reported 10
the Mexican government by Senior
Martin Bazan. federal inspector Of
archaeology for the State OF Oaxaca.
They are about to be removed to the
museum at the city of Oaxaca.