Evening star., 1951-08-31
Mecca Of Mayo Empire
Now Is q Monkey City
Tiger Roors' Greet Explorers
From Ruins Within Jungle
By Thomos R. Henry

Tikal, Mecca Of the old Maya Empire.
which once was an area OF several
square miles covered with magnificent
stone temples, has become monkey
city.
Howler monkeys of the Guatemalan
jungle seem to have made a favorite
habitat Of the great vegetation-covered
ruins which probably constituted the
largest city in the New World before
the white settlements.
When one approaches within about
five miles Of Tikal today, according to
the report Of DR.. Nelson S. Knaggs Of
the Cincinnati Museum Of Natural His
tory, leader Of the latest expedition to
the ghostly metropolis. the bowling Of
the monkeys becomes tiger-like roar
and the innumerable animals keep up
their terrifying chorus constantly night
and day.
Although the site of several extensive
archaeological expeditions in the past,
Tikal today is once more an abandoned
city, DR.. Knaggs says. Approach is diff
flcult from the nearest human settle
ment, the little village Of Uaxactun, a
community Of chicle gatherers. The
ruins are reached through heavy jungles
which in rainy weather become a deep
morass. The mules of DR.. Knaggs'
party were knee deep and sometimes
belly deep in mud most Of the way.
Perpetual Twilight.
Around Tikal the jungle now is so
dense that there is perpetual twilight.
The ruins are overgrown with great
trees covered with creepers and orchids.
The major ruins are those Of five great
temples. The largest rises 229 feet from
the jungle floor. DR.. Knaggs and his
party were the first to climb to the sum-
at a time with the help Of ropes.
The ruins stretched out for three miles
in every direction below them. Buildings
hidden by jungle on the ground stood
out in relief. Working on the jungle
floor they found many magnificent stone
columns which were so covered that 1t
was necessary to use machetes to cut
away the vegetation before they could
be photographed.
Tikal never was a "city," in the
present sense Of the word. 1t never had
industry or, probably, any permanent
dwellings. 1t was entirely a great re-
ligious center and place Of pilgrimage
from all over the old Maya Empire in
which pre- Columbian civilization reached
its greatest heights. The buildings were
all religious edifices connected with the
four great temples.
The ruins have stood up against the
jungle for well over 1000 years. No res
toration ever has been attempted. But.
according to report by DR.. Knaggs to
the Explorers Club whose flag he carried.
the end now is in sight unless something
is done. Great trees covering the ruins
are sending their roots into the masonry
and causing the edifices to crumble.
First Discovered In 1916.
Tikal first was discovered by DR.. Syl-
vanuS Morley of the Carnegie Institu-
ton of Washington in 1916 and was the
site of some of his most notable Mayan
researches. It now can be approached
quite closely by plane because Of an air
strip hacked out of the jungle near the
chicle village of Uaxactun.
DR.. Knaggs and his party also did
considerable work at the ruins of Copan
in Honduras which have been partly re-
stored. Now it is possible to land at
Copan by plane, although the landing is
very rough, because of small air strip
hacked out near the ruins. The only
other way to get there is by mule train,
which requires many days from Guate-
mala City.
Copan also was an Old Empire re-
ligiouS city, although never Of the same
significance as Tikal. It first was dis
covered in 1889 and the discovery was
a major factor in opening up the whole
field of Maya archaeology. The ruins
contain several temples and beautifully
carved stone pillars
In one of the temples was discovered
a weird caterpillar which experts have
not yet been able to identify. It is bright
green with long spines on its body. con-
stituting perfect camoufage. 1t ap.
peared like a piece Of green moss grow
ing on the rocks.