in the footsteps of the ancients
“builded on the ruins of dead thrones
whose temple walls were old when thebes was new;
on altars whose weird sacrificial stones
with ghastly offerings were crimsoned through;
oblivion hides and holds thy secrets fast—
the dust of ages lies upon thy past,
all wonderful, mysterious mexico.”[1]
mexico is a land of ruins and the footprints of former races can be traced all over the southern half of the country. these ruins teach us that it must have taken many centuries to develop the land into the condition in which it was found by the spaniards. it was not only the growth of a long time, but it was the product of the civilization developed by many different races and tribes. otherwise mexico would not be filled to-day with a hundred tribes speaking as many distinct dialects. there are many ruins of cities extending from the valley of mexico to the remotest corner[145] of yucatan, and many of them show evidences of wonderful structures that are the amazement of even the present generation. not buried beneath volcanic lava, like pompeii and herculaneum, yet all are silent cities, for their inhabitants departed hundreds, perhaps, thousands of years ago. a few broken columns now remain where doubtless whole cities once stood.
nothing is known of the history of these cities. the spanish priests, with fanatical frenzy, destroyed all of the picture writings of the aztecs that they could lay their hands upon. so many were destroyed, some chroniclers say, that great bonfires were made. what light these manuscripts might have cast upon the history of these early races cannot even be conjectured. as prescott says, “it is impossible to contemplate these mysterious monuments of a lost civilization without a strong feeling of curiosity as to who were their architects and what is their probable age.” they are undoubtedly very old, and some claim they are as old as the architecture of egypt and hindoostan. they have marked eastern characteristics, as in the hieroglyphical writings at palenque, in yucatan, where are ruins of a palace and supposed holy city, with many[146] sculptured figures of human and animal beings. the same is true of uxmal, also in that same quaint and interesting corner of mexico. these writings never have been and probably never will be deciphered. then at palenque can be traced the outline of the roman cross which has greatly mystified antiquarians. we can only speculate on the origin of these monuments; whence came the people who constructed them; and in what period of the earth’s history they were built; but speculation proves nothing and convinces nobody.
east of the city of mexico about twenty-seven miles lies the village of san juan teotihuacan. near this hamlet are traces of a great city covering more than four square miles, and remains of walls and fortifications, a part of the wall that still stands being more than two hundred feet thick and thirty-two feet high. the most marked features of these ruins are the numerous pyramids, great and small, which lie scattered over the plain. teotihuacan means “city of the gods,” and doubtless these pyramidal structures were a necessary part of a holy city in the eyes of the race that constructed them, and were mounds of worship. otherwise why would a race build[147] such great structures at such an infinite cost of labour?
the largest of these numerous pyramids is called the “pyramid of the sun,” which has a base seven hundred feet square, and a height of one hundred and eight-seven feet. the next largest is the “pyramid of the moon,” which is one hundred and thirty-seven feet high, and has a base four hundred and fifty feet square. at a distance the pyramids seem rather insignificant, and their outlines resemble an ordinary steep-sided hill, but on nearer approach they are better appreciated. the comparison with the noted pyramids of egypt would, at first glance, seem unfavourable, for the vegetation and vines that cover the sides rather hide the pyramidal outline. they were probably higher originally, but the destructive work of man and action of the elements have reduced the size. recent investigation shows that these pyramids are built in layers of volcanic rock, cement, pottery and sun-dried brick. there are five layers—each layer being a complete pyramid in itself.
it is supposed that on the summit of each pyramid was a platform which supported great golden images of the sun and moon respectively, but no vestige of any such image has[148] ever been discovered. if made of gold, and the spaniards set their eyes on it, it would not have remained long. authorities differ as to whether the toltecs, or a race that preceded them, erected these mighty structures. the mexican government has undertaken the work of restoring the two pyramids, and has appropriated a large sum of money to carry on the work. several hundred labourers are now engaged in denuding them of the soil and growth of centuries that covers them.
near puebla, and situated in a rich and beautiful valley, of which mention has been made elsewhere, is the most noted pyramid in mexico—that of cholula. legend says that it was built by a race of giants who intended to raise it to the very heavens themselves, but that the gods became displeased and destroyed them. it is very similar in nature to the hebrew story of the tower of babel. because of its great base, which is more than a thousand feet on each side, and covers twenty acres, and has a height of only one hundred and seventy-seven feet, it looks like a natural elevation that has been squared in places and levelled at the top rather than a pyramid. like the other pyramids the sides are overgrown with trees and bushes. examination shows[149] that it has been constructed of sun-dried brick, clay and limestone. i quote the dimensions of two of the most famous egyptian pyramids in order that the reader may better understand the comparative height and base of those and the mexican structures:
height. base on
each side.
cheops, 448 feet 728 feet
mycerinus, 162 ” 580 ”
cholula, 177 ” 1,000 ”
sun 187 ” 700 ”
moon 137 ” 450 ”
this valley was sacred in early times. cortez says he counted four hundred towers in the city of cholula (a much larger city then than now), and no temple had more than two towers. above the city loomed the great pyramid, on the summit of which stood a sumptuous temple in which was the image of the mystic deity, quetzalcoatl. he had “ebon features, wearing a mitre on his head waving with plumes of fire, with a resplendent collar of gold around his neck, pendants of mosaic turquoise on his ears, a jewelled sceptre in one hand, and a shield curiously painted, the emblem of his rule over the winds, in the other.” this was the god who drew pilgrims and devotees[150] by the thousands from the farthest corners of anahuac.
this god was credited with power over rains, and was appealed to especially in time of drouth. bandelier, who made an exhaustive study of this district, translates an early spanish writer as follows: “to this god they prayed whenever they lacked water, and sacrificed to it children from six to ten years of age, whom they captured or bought for the purpose. when they sacrificed, they carried the children up the hill in procession, whither went some old men singing, and before the idol they cut the child open with a knife, taking out the heart, and they burnt incense to the idol and afterwards buried the baby there before the idol.” thus it is seen that the nahuatl tribe, who occupied this valley, pursued the same bloody rites as the aztecs.
the first act of cortez was to destroy this temple and erect a christian church on the spot, so that spires and crosses have replaced the pagan towers. all over the valley are many great churches so conspicuous in comparison with the humble homes of the natives. the view from the summit of this ancient structure is grand and imposing. john l. stoddard is inspired by this scene and speaks[151] as follows: “whatever else of mexico may be forgotten, i shall remember to my latest breath that wonderfully impressive vision from cholula. before me rose, against the darkening sky, a mighty cross, the sculptured proof that here christianity had proved victorious; and as i lingered, my feet upon the aztec pyramid, my hand upon the symbol of the conqueror’s faith, my eyes turned towards that everlasting pinnacle of snow, i thought the lesson of cholula to be this: that higher, grander, and far more enduring than all the different religions of humanity are the eternal power they imperfectly reveal; and that above the temples, pyramids, and crosses, which mark the blood-stained pathway of our race, rises a lofty mountain peak, whose glory falls alike upon the aztec and the spaniard, and in whose heaven-born radiance all races and all centuries may find their inspiration and their hope.”
the valley of oaxaca seems to have been the favourite dwelling place of one or more of the early races of mexico. all over the vales that centre at oaxaca, and on the surrounding hills, are ruins of former cities and palaces that strongly resemble in outline and decoration the works of the ptolemies and[152] pharaohs. next to mitla, the most noted ruins in this valley are those of monte alban. the site of this ancient city is four miles from oaxaca on the summit of a mountain, about eleven hundred feet above the valley. the ruins extend for a distance of more than a mile along the ridge, and enclose a great rectangular, depressed court nine hundred feet long, and three hundred feet in width. there are some well-preserved, sculptured stones with pictorial inscriptions, and images of gods. because of its situation, which commands a complete view of these valleys in every direction, it is supposed that this place was intended for defence and a place of refuge in troublous times. the view from the summit is magnificent and well repays the traveller for a couple of hours’ ride on the back of that sadly-wise, and much-maligned animal—the mexican mule.
the village of mitla is situated about twenty-five miles southeast of oaxaca. it is best visited from that city by coach or mules. we hired a coach and driver, an unprepossessing looking outfit, and started on the journey.
“how long will it take?” i asked the driver.
“a las doce,” he replied in idiomatic spanish,[153] meaning that we would arrive at twelve o’clock. as we had started at seven o’clock, that made it a five hours’ journey.
about an hour’s ride out of oaxaca is the village of tule, where, in the churchyard, and overshadowing the sacred structure, stands the famous big tree of tule which deserves a passing notice. although not a ruin, it is a relic of prehistoric days long gone by. this venerable giant is one of the largest trees in the world, exceeding in circumference the famous redwoods of california, and equalling the largest reported specimens of the gigantic baobab of africa. this great tree is one hundred and fifty-four feet in circumference six feet above the ground. twenty-eight people with their hands outstretched, and touching their finger tips, can just encircle its great girth. the height is one hundred and sixty feet, and the spread of the branches one hundred and forty feet. it is a species of the cypress called by the aztecs ahuehuete. the great traveller, humboldt, visited this tree about the middle of the last century and affixed a tablet containing his name and an inscription. as a proof that this old cypress is still growing, one sees that this tablet is now almost grown over with bark nearly a foot thick.[154] tule is a quaint village where the thatched huts are enclosed by fences of the prickly cactus, called organo, because of the resemblance of its branches to the pipes of an organ, and the lanes are shaded by trees. underneath the higher trees grow the orange and lemon, while the oleander and other flowering bushes add their brightness to the scene.
after being held up for a road charge of seven cents by the officials of the village, which we paid, the driver is allowed to proceed. we pass through villages with the poetical names of tlacolulu and tlacochahuaya. as the coach bounces along the rough highway, over the road on a hillside are seen caves where human beings live who are literally cliff-dwellers. then the valley opens up, and far ahead is seen san pablo mitla a typical indian village built around the hacienda of don felix quero, who is a sort of feudal lord over the neighbouring peons. good entertainment is furnished for the traveller, and it is delightful to rest within the high walls of this hospitable stopping-place.
the first mention of the ruins at this village is by a spanish writer nearly four centuries ago. his description would not be much amiss to-day. it is as follows: “we passed through[155] a pueblo which is called mictlan, signifying ‘hell’ in the native tongue, where were found some edifices more worth seeing than anything else in new spain. among them was a temple of the demon, and the dwelling of its attendants—very sightly, particularly one hall made of something like lattice work. the fabric was of stone, with many figures and shapes; it had many doorways, each one built of three great stones, two at the sides and one at the top, all very thick and wide. in these quarters there was another hall containing round pillars, each one of a single piece, and so thick that two men could barely embrace them; their height might be five fathoms.”
to what purposes were these truly magnificent structures dedicated? were they palaces, temples, tombs, fortresses, dwelling places, storehouses or places of refuge? neither archeologists nor antiquarians have satisfactorily answered these questions. according to many of the leading archeologists they are the most interesting and best preserved ruins in north america. here was a great city built by a race prior to the aztecs, for that race could tell the spanish conquerors nothing of its builders. the secrets guarded by the huge monoliths of stone, and the high mosaic-covered[156] walls of mitla are safe from prying eyes. not one city alone stood here, for there are many remains of walls, columns and huge monoliths thrown down similar to these, scattered all over this valley. the best authority says that they were used for tombs but this could not have been the only use. they were probably also used for places of worship, public purposes, or cities of refuge, or perhaps for all those purposes.
entrance to the underground chamber, mitla
north temple, mitla
hall of the monoliths, mitla
a close investigation shows that there are five distinct groups of the ruins, but some of them are in badly preserved condition. the village covers the site of a part of them. there is a similarity in the structure of all, as the outer walls are composed of oblong panels of mosaic forming arabesques and grecques. at first sight, or at a distance, it looks like sculptured designs on the walls. closer inspection reveals the fact that this mosaic is formed of pieces of stone accurately cut and fitted into the face of the walls. these pieces are about seven inches in length, one inch in thickness, and two in breadth. the patterns cannot well be described as they are so complicated. all the ornamentation consists of geometrical figures, either rectangular or diagonal, and differs from all other ruins[157] in mexico, in that there are no human or animal figures.
there is an underground chamber beneath one of the temples, built in the shape of a cross with each arm about twelve feet long. the sides are worked into the same mosaic pattern as the rest of the walls. it is generally believed that these chambers were tombs, although some contend that they were the entrance to subterranean passages leading long distances away. if so, the passages were filled up long ago.
the northwestern group is in the best state of preservation. one of the buildings here covers nearly eight thousand square feet, and has all its massive walls intact with scarcely a stone thrown down. the characteristic entrance, consisting of three doors, side by side, is seen here also, fronting the interior of the court. the lintels are immense blocks of stone eighteen feet long, five feet wide and four feet high. how these immense stones were transported to this spot and raised without the aid of machinery, is as great a mystery as similar accomplishments by the egyptians. through these doors the famous hall of monoliths, or columns, is reached. this is a wonderful relic of prehistoric architecture. the six monolithic[158] columns, still standing in this room are each twelve feet in height and almost nine feet in circumference. they are plain stones having neither pedestal nor capital and are unique among the ruins of the world.
torquemada, an old spanish historian, writes of this hall in the following quaint style: “there was in those edifices, or square of the temple, another hall, all framed around pillars of stone; very high and so thick that scarce might two men of good height embrace them so as to touch finger tips the one with the other. and these pillars were all of one piece; and they say that all the pillars and columns, from top to bottom, was four fathoms. the pillars were very like to those of st. mary, the greater, of rome, all very well and smoothly wrought.” this hall is more than a hundred feet long, and twenty feet wide. these great stones may have supported a roof formerly but there is no evidence of it at the present time.
from the hall of the monoliths a dark, stone-covered passage leads into a room called the audience chamber. this is a splendid room with its walls in carved mosaics, or a setting of tiles, after the grecian models. there are four long, narrow rooms, or corridors, on[159] either side of this main chamber without other entrance except the one just mentioned. one of these, the west room, is most beautiful and is nearly perfect, as scarcely a tile is broken or missing from its exquisitely inlaid walls which at first inspection look like stucco work. the tiles are so accurately inlaid that no mortar was used, or needed, to hold them in place. this is the corridor of the mosaics. there are also traces of a lustrous, dark, red paint, used on a hard cement plaster. it is quite probable that all the buildings in the five groups were as carefully constructed and as exquisitely ornamented as this one, but they have been destroyed by succeeding races.
north of this group was another ruin on the walls of which a christian church has been built. most of the materials used in its construction came from this old temple or palace. the sacristy of this church is formed in part of a portion of the old building, and covered with a tile roof. this structure was the largest of all in size, extending over a space nearly three hundred feet long by one hundred feet wide, and with walls from five to six feet in thickness. one room is now used as a stable, and contains some strange hieroglyphics done in a lustrous red paint which have never been[160] deciphered. these are the only semblance to anything like writing, or historical inscriptions, that appear anywhere in the ruins. in the centre of the main court is a hard cement pavement laid out in the form of a square with a cut stone border. this may have been intended for ornament or for human sacrifices. the latter conjecture might not be erroneous, knowing, as we do, the customs of those early mexican races.
there are many other evidences of ruins near mitla. clay idols, or images, made of terracotta are found all over the neighbourhood. children hunt for specimens and bring them to tourists for sale. it is also said that many stone wedges, and copper chisels and axes, have been discovered here but i did not see any of them.
a zapoteco woman
who built these ruins? bancroft, the historian of mexico, says that they were built by the zapotecs at an early period of their civilization. the indians now inhabiting this valley are zapotecs and they are a primitive, simple and harmless race. if these people, who now dwell in thatch hovels and caves, were the once proud race that erected these magnificent structures, then we must say, “how have the mighty fallen.” what must these[161] structures have been in the heyday of their prosperity that they are now so glorious in their mellow decay? the famous palace of the alhambra, glorious monument to the genius of the moor, is scarcely more magnificent than these ruins lying here within the little indian village of mitla. the traveller can give his imagination full play for there is no written history to destroy the scenes he creates. he can in fancy re-create these beautiful structures; people these courts and halls with royalty, priests or warriors; make the air vocal with the chants of priests or shrieks of the victims of human sacrifice; and there is no one or no record to rebuke him.
