The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-15
EXPL ORERS find
TRACES OF old
MAYAN CULTURE.
Expedition in Mexico Sends
Report of important
Discoveries.
BY EMMA REH. STEVENSON
Science Service Correspondent

MEXICO CITY, June 15.-The
Tulane University Expedition,
headed by DR.. Frans Blom, is
cutting its way through much I'M
known Maya regions Of southern
Mexico and Central America, find
ing living and dead evidence of
ancient civilization.
A report received by the Mexican
Direction of Archaeology, the second
word from the scientists in four
months, enumerates discoveries and
hardshirs between Comitan and
Ocosingo.
The distance between these two
points is only $50 miles but it took
two months to make the trip, be-
cause path had to be cut through
the heavy woods. Food gave out,
and the party had a continuous
fight with mosquitoes, garrapatas
that burrow in the flesh and other
insect pests. Deep rivers were
crossed and five temporary bridges
we're constructed. The party made
an average speed of two and one
half miles day.
Find Dykes
Ten new archaeological sites have
been discovered, and in five of them
are ball courts Of "pelota," curl
Gus ancient game.
There are "juegos de pelota" at
Chicheri TIA and in Yucatan, but
it was never suspected that the
game existed in the area of the old
Maya empire, which had declined
long before it was boom-time in
Yucatan.
Another thing that surprised the
explorers was the finding of two
"chultunes." These are great I'M
foreground stone water bottles"
such as are found in Yucatan ruins
today. They we're the answer to
the water problem when there we're
no natural wells around. They were
used to collect rain water against
the dry season and sometimes when
their owner died his body was bur-
led within.
One of the most important dis
coveries of all has been the finding
of bit Of prehistoric cotton goods
in a pot that had been buried in
ashes in cave many hundreds of
years ago.
In the area between Juncana and
the Guatemalan frontier many an
cient artificial dykes were found
that once protected the farmlands
from floods caused by the torrential
rains of the wet season.
The party found numerous caves
with bones and broken pottery. and
one Of the most interesting is at
HuexhaL Here in assures in the
rock were found old pots and Jars,
skulls and human bones.
Movies Taken
The explorers believe that this
was poor mans" burial ground,
judging from the inferior grade of
pottery used.
At TzaJolob, a ranch in the Valley
Of Tzaconeja, two tombs were
found each built in the shape of
cross. They contained pots filled
with ashes of wood carbon and
burned human bones, and several
skeletons well preserved.
The party has already taken
about 1000 feet of moving picture
films depicting the lives and habits
of the Indian races that have been
encountered, as well as pictures of
the various ruins, the scenery in the
woods and mountains and rivers.
Pictures have been taken show
ing the conditions under which
the Indians live, and sociological
and chronological data have been
gathered that will aid the Mexican
department of education in its
project of incorporating the native,
uncivilized Indian in the white
mans civilization.