Ancient America, in Notes on American ArchaeologyBaldwin, John D. (John Denison)
History
Ancient America, in Notes on American Archaeology
Baldwin, John D. (John Denison)
America -- Antiquities; America -- Discovery and exploration -- Pre-Columbian; Indians -- Antiquities
Captain Dupaix saw, not far from Antequera, two truncated pyramids which
were penetrated by two carefully constructed galleries. A gallery lined
with hewn stone, bearing sculptured decorations, went through one of
them. A similar gallery went partly through the other, and two branches
were extended at right angles still farther, but terminating within. He
mentions also the ruins of elaborately decorated edifices which had
stood on elevated terraces. At one place he excavated a terraced mound,
and discovered burnt brick; and he describes two ancient bridges of the
Tlascalans, both built of hewn stone laid in cement, one of them being
200 feet long and 36 wide. Obelisks or pillars 42 feet high stood at the
corners of these bridges. Important remains of the ancient people exist
in many other places; and “thousands of other monuments unrecorded by
the antiquaries invest every sierra and valley of Mexico with profound
interest.”
At Papantla, in the State of Vera Cruz, there is a very ancient
pyramidal structure somewhat peculiar in style and character. It is
known that important ruins exist in the forests of Papantla and Mesantla
which have never been described. The remarkable pyramid at Papantla was
examined and described by Humboldt. The only material employed in
constructing it was hewn stone. The stone was prepared in immense
blocks, which were laid in mortar. The pyramid was an exact square at
the base, each side being 82 feet in length, and the height about 60
feet. The stones were admirably cut and polished, and the structure was
remarkably symmetrical. Six stages could be discerned by Humboldt, and
his account of it says, “A seventh appears to be concealed by the
vegetation which covers the sides of the pyramid.” A great flight of
steps leads to the level summit, by the sides of which are smaller
nights. “The facing of the stones is decorated with hieroglyphics, in
which serpents and crocodiles carved in relievo are visible. Each story
contains a great number of square niches symmetrically distributed. In
the first story there are 24 on each side, in the second 20, and in the
third 16. There are 366 of these niches on the whole pyramid, and 12 in
the stairs toward the east.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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