Show NEWS r FROM FROM HILLS BILLS LS OF THE DEAD Ancient Ruins Throw Light Upon Mayan l Indian Civilization Old Sculpture Reveals Rare Sense of Humor rr z r 1 k kz n I 1 r ey ht r f Ruins of Buildings In the Nunnery Quadrangle at al Uxmal Yucatan By WILLIAM C C. C UTLEY f 1 I ftH 4 hut he N TIlE THE Hills Hilts of the Dead long-forgotten long slopes of the IN back country in Guatemala the picks and shovels of archeologists archeologists arche- arche from the Carnegie Institution of Washington D D. C. C are discovering new answers to many mysteries of one of the most brilliant of early American civilizations Under the direction of pf Dr A. A V V. Kidder these explorers into the past have come conic upon important new relics left hundreds of years ago by the Maya Indians t 4 The Mayas challenge the best minds of nf science The civilization they achieved received no assistance assist assist- assistance ance the tho Old World It isor Is Isor Isor Is- Is or was was Americas Americas America's own The Mayas were proficient astron astron- omers They perfected writing sculpture and architecture to a high degree They conducted their affairs af af- affairs fairs under an efficiently organized government Science is still at a loss to explain how they reached the high cultural achievements which they did but the patient researches researches re reo searches of archeological groups ma may some lame day find the Ule answer to the riddle Of first importance according to the Carnegie archeologIsts are the findings in Guatemalan hills although they have not yet been completely analyzed It is hoped that they may eventually reveal the whole fascinating story I 1 Find Four Tombs The area now being explored is Js no no more than a mile and a n half hall long but it contains mounds beneath which are the ruins of a large larg Mayan May May- Mayan an community Farmers of the region region re reo re- re gion glon call the site but the Carnegie people intend to name it the Indian for Hills of the Dead Three important tombs of ancient American rulers have already been opened here and a fourth Is to be opened soon From the tho evidences revealed concerning the burial practices practices practices tices of at the Mayas much about their civilization is learned It h nil it ill tale take months to get ge the col collection lection in sh shape H i e says Y Doctor Kid Kid- der or but it will in prove a tremendous addition addition to our edge of 0 Maa Maya life Ii ceremony dress and art arl art Opening one tomb the archeologists archeologists found In its center the figure of a middle-aged middle priest or noble who had been left sitting cross cross- legged there thero many centuries ago Jade beads and pendants handsomely handsomely hand hand- carved car ear plugs and ornaments orna orna- ornaments ments of crystal and shell together with a aa pile of pottery found beside be be- beside side the remains gave evidence of pompous burial Pile rile Up Pyramids At the feet of the skeleton n was found another n a slave girl entombed entombed en en- to wait walt upon her master Inthe Inthe in inthe the world beyond Even the deadmans deadman's dead deadman's deadmans deadmans deadman's mans man's small dog was sent on thelong the thelong thelong long journey with him for in a corner corner corner cor cor- ner of the room its Us skeleton was also found There were vessels for serving food tood and millstones to grind the heavenly corn The Mayas had a peculiar practice practice tice in building their tomb One pyramid was built upon another like a nest of Jars or boxes It is Js believed from the location and formation for mation of the tombs that when one of these priests or rulers died he was placed in a tomb covered by a pyramid pyramid pyramid pyra pyra- mid which had been associated with him indeed one which in all probability proba he had built himself When the next In line died it appears another pyramid was built over the first In the recent Carnegie find Ond findings ings Ingo there are see four tour tombs and four layers of pyramids Guatemala lowland louland jungles where most moil o of othe the ahe preceding Mayan d ducov cov erda hot have ha a br been n made have hava already been putty pretty thoroughly explored But Bui the lae new discoveries are ar in the aha high high- highlands lands land and for lor that thai h. h reason i it it i. a believed they ahry may o open n up entire new fields of 01 discovery Though the aha pyramids were more mort or ten less common in the aha lowlands louland this h is i. the aha just frit to be b. found lound tn in the th hills hUl I Progressive periods period of the Mayan civilization which may help to trace lit it back to its Us mysterious beginnings are revealed in the new findings Dr ladder Kidder has already discovered stratification of buildings From the various levels evel of the earth have come generous quantities of pottery pot pet I tery which definitely represents a Io v telling something of the culture of the people over successive successive sive live eras The pyramids belong to a period known as the Old Empire which is of somewhat later date flourishing during the early centuries of the Christian era This empire Included ed many cities In Guatemala Honduras Hon lion Honduras duras and southern Yucatan The new discoveries bear out the prediction made by Dr Kidder a year ago when he said Apparently the he II highland region was much more of 01 a highway for lor trade rade and migration than the densely jangled lowland country Consequently intensive intensive intensive sive work on the sites ite of 0 the region can be expected to provide extremely valuable information in as to the he chronological chrono logical interrelation of 01 the ahe various ancient ancient anden an an- den cultures particularly as it is probable that stratified remains will willbe be discovered Stone Art Reveals Humor The art of the ancient Mayas is notable not only for its skillful execution exe exe- execution cution but for the evidence it gives of a sophisticated understanding of human nature nature and and above all a delightful delightful de de- de sense of ot humor What some critics declare to be bethe bethe bethe the finest specimen of ot Mayan art Instone in instone instone stone was recently discovered by an expedition sponsored by the University sity museum of the University of at Pennsylvania The stone lintel was the work of an unknown sculptor r re rw w t 1 n e Y rs At Roof Hoof Comb of the House of Pigeons an Ancient Mayan l Ruin RuIn 1 a at Uxmal Yucatan In Mayan hieroglyphics were six dates none of them later than Dec Doc 2 2 7 7 A. A D. D according to Dr J. J Alden Mason of the expedition Particularly amusing is u the old cul ture tare in this a CI political year rear For the scene which i it treats is b apparently some ome tort sort of oJ meeting In the the- council chamber of 0 a governmental body and the he characters character are listening to 10 one of 01 ht then number as he delivers a pe speech h. h That Tho political oratory then ahrn as IU now was VMS flavored favored with witla a CI generous helping hElpin of 0 plain hooey hoory is b evident from Irom the antics an an- tics and end postures of o othe the h. listeners listener while the he I speaker i is waving the thela la flag da M It traditional tra Ira enthusiasm and gusto Busto Expert Reconstructs Original Now it has long lone been the custom of sculptors to present such occasions as full of dignity and always work work- workIng ing smoothly But Dut here was Will a chis chis- wielding el-wielding wag who knew better and did not hesitate to interpret his characters as he knew them eVeen ev eVe en though his work was to decorate the door doorway ay of ot a beautiful and dig tilted ed temple When it was found the sculpture was worn anu nu it itu u u. u attempts have been made to reconstruct reconstruct re reo construct it Broken lines have been extended with the aid old of the many remaining cues to poses and costumes costumes cos cos- by Miss M. M Louise Baker Daker expert on archeological art who is able to visualize the complete scene in its original state In the bulletin of the university museum Miss Baker Daker directs attention attention atten tion to some of the amusing points of the work Tuo Two of 0 the trio Irio she he writes indicating indi indi- eating ing a little lit group in the he picture forgetful of 0 the occasion are entirely absorbed in their own Oln argument while the third indignantly bracing himself upon outspread feet Eel gives gite a vicious licious bump with his hr hip breaking his hi own oum obsequious pose pole for for lor the tIle moment demanding demanding demanding de de- manding attention allen I IThe The seated figures are very human human human hu hu- hu- hu huI I man in manner and detail One dignitary dig I gently pokes the friend in front to ask what it is all aU about The friend willing to accommodate vainly tries to peer over the Intervening intervening inter Inter- mass of at feathers the headdress headdress head head- dress of the man in front of him bracing himself on his foot in his effort to see see see-a a taut neckline giving the cue cue From Miss Bakers Baker's description It seems that even the old Mayan Indians Indians In In- were acquainted with our own present-day present problem of the woman who wears a large hat in the moving picture theater Tire Tile lust last man man and the only one u iose face was teas not no completely cOnJ de de- destroyed has lost interest after alter a o fruitless fruit fruit- fruitless less leu attempt to hear and his llan hand was ivas probably bly dropped from Iron cupping his lIil ear to 10 toying with his lis earplug plug Miss Miu Baker Haker u laites rites The priceless lintel was chiseled from colored butt limestone It is two feet teet high and a little tittle over four feet long Modern Modem knowledge of the ancient Mayan civilization prof its not only from tram the demonstrated d mannerisms mannerism I of at the characters but from the clothing and the objects object held beld by the Indians Replica of Nunnery The original must be seen to b be e appreciated Miss Baker writes It shows in perfect detal detail even the fingernails on oa the hand o o the chief According to Dr Mason the e clothing is Greek in quality American Interest in the ancient t Mayan civilization was millions stimulated in 1933 and 13 1 1 M greatly greaty when n of persons who visited A Century of Progress Chicago exposition in inspected exhibits by Tulane university Reproduced prepared d in exact detail and beautiful brilliant in tt its s coloring was an ancient t nunnery remains of which discovered were s at Uxmal in the country Mayan Maya n 0 e r Union |