ANCIENT CIVILISATION

Evening Star, Issue 21636, 3 February 1934, Page 22

ANCIENT CIVILISATION

REVEALED BY PAVING STONES The archeological wealth of the State of Campeche, Mexico,' where scentmcally valuable slabs covered with hieroglyphs have been used as road paving blocks, and where important temples and other structures are being ruined by action of the elements « Jividly told in a report submitted to the Ministry of Education by Senor Alberto Escalona Ramos, who headed a recent inspection party on behalf of the JJepartment of Pre-Hispamc Monuments. During the three weeks trip of the party, which also included natural scientists of the Yucatan Museum, thirty-five ancient structures were visited, among them the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Law. Temple of the Branched Cross, Palace of the Chief, Temple of the Lion, have been objects of study by archeologists of international fame. Little-known ruins on tie extreme eastern portion of the.hle of Carmen were also visited by the party. Urging that immediate measures be taken to protect these valuable structures, whose wealth of knowledge has hardly been scratched by students, Senor Escalona Ramos tells of a vjsit to the ancient city of Xcochac, which he says has not been visited by more than ten persons m recent ,£™ e f s -, T J\ c ?. e ruins, three leagues south of the railroad station of Pomuch, (Roasted Frog), have not hitherto been studied scientifically. The inaterial used on the road from Pomuch to Xcochac included slabs with hieroglyphs and other materials from the. rums. Other •glvphed rocks were being used as fence posts and pillars for small huts Xcochac, according to Senor Escalona Ramos, dates between 400 and .600 a.d., and is part of a group of ancient cities, including Kaastun (Useless Rock) Traces of a Toltcc immigration about 1.200 A.n. were found there by the investigators. . „ The party learned of rums called Bolonchoch; about two kilometres from Xcochac, to which natives continue to take offerings at planting and harvest times, and which they guard from intruders, fearing that harm will come to them if the mounds ajre profaned.