Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-25
Ruins of q Muyun City
Atop Peck in Mexico
Spot Sacred to Pilgrims
Found by Archeologist

Partial excavation of the ruins Of an
ancient Maya sacred city on q high
southern Mexican mountaintop has
been announced by the Danish archeol-
ogiSt Franz Blom.
The site now uncovered, DR.. BlOm re-
ports to the Explorers Club which made
grant to aid the work, consists Of Q
main plaz and q sacred ball court. The
summit of lofty Mt. Moxviquil, over
looking the great valley of San CriStobal
Las CaSaS in the state of ChiapaS, had
been transformed in the past by human
hands. DR.. Blom reports, with the con-
Struction of great stairways. terraces
and retention walls. Ascending the
steps and terraces to the very top one
arrives at small plaza which affords
commanding view of the valley. The
plaza is surrounded by mounds, one Of
which was found to contain a small
sanctuary built of worked stones.
Clue Found in Clay Pot.
A single fragment Of clay pot with
Maya inscription in the hands of a
local Mexican attorney was the clue
which led DR.. Blom to the discovery.
There can be no doubt" he says,
that Moxviquil In its time was sane
tuary to which great pilgrimageS were
made. We believe that it flouriShed be-
tween the years $50 and 800 AID. and
we now know for certain that 1t still
had some importance when the first
missionary fathers arrived in 1545. We
have found the remains of a hermitage
which they built in the last quarter Of
the 10th century"
Walls and floors of several ancient
tombs have been cleared and Maya
ceramics Of high artistic value. prob
ably representing the classic period Of
Maya culture, have been found, DR..
Blom says. They will be turned over
to the National Institute Of Anthro-
pology and History Of Mexico for pub
lie exhibition after q thorough study
has been made and reports completed.
To this mountaintop, DR.. Blom be-
lieves, pilgrims came from all over
the Maya area when the greatest Of
all aboriginal New World cultures was
in its best days.
The first permanent research station
on the Antarctic continent will be set
up this year by a group Of Australian
scientists.
camp will be q new type Of plastic hut.
"a by IL feet, which will house radio.
meteorological and survey workrooms,
a surgery and a darkroom for photog-
raphy. The walls have q core Of foamed
plastic, 4 inches thick, made by proc
ess recently developed in England. On
either side there is a f1ve-ply water.
proof plywood and the whole Is
u to- ia In cIohQ
6 by 8 feet. Joints are waterproofed by
rubber gasketS.
The same pattern, according to the
Australian announcement, applies to
walls, floor and roof. The roof Is nat
so that wind will keep it clear OF snow.
A hatch in the roof will serve as door
when the building is buried In snow,
as it probably viii be.
Other Huts In Camp.
Three other huts Of the camp will be
similar to those used in the past. One.
which will serve as living quarters, is
wooden and similar to the type used by
the Norwegian British-Swedish expedi-
ton to Queen Maud Land in 1850. The
second is q pre-cut lumber building
which will contain the engine room and
workshop. The third Is NiSSen hut
of galvanized iron which will be a
StorerOom.
Tracked snow vehicles-the wartime
American weasel with cabin on top
have been purchased from the French
Antarctic expedition and will haul
caravans" in which the, explorers can
work, sleep and eat. Norwegian built
hickory Sledges will carry fuel and other
supplies. Two small planes, suited for
either floats or skis, will accompany the
expedition, flown by Royal Air Force
pilots.
The station will be set up in the
Australian sector of Antarctica, gen.
orally designated on maps as Enderby
Land.