As we go down into Central Mexico, the remains assume another character,
and become more important; but the antiquities in this part of the
country have not been very completely explored and described, the
attention of explorers having been drawn more to the south. Some of them
are well known, and it can be seen that to a large extent they are much
older than the time of the Aztecs whom Cortez found in power.
In the northern part of the Mexican Valley was the city of Tulha, the
ancient capital of the Toltecs. At the time of the conquest its site was
an extensive field of ruins. At Xochicalco, in the State of Mexico, is a
remarkable pyramid, with a still more remarkable base. It was
constructed with five stages or stories, and stands on a hill consisting
chiefly of rock, which was excavated and hollowed for the construction
of galleries and chambers. The opening serves as an entrance to several
galleries, which are six feet high and paved with cement, their sides
and ceilings seeming to have been covered with some very durable
preparation which made them smooth and glistening. Captain Dupaix found
the main gallery sixty yards, or one hundred and eighty feet long,
terminating at two chambers which are separated only by two massive
square pillars carefully fashioned of portions of the rock left for the
purpose by the excavators. Over a part of the inner chamber, toward one
corner, is a dome or cupola six feet in diameter at the base, and rather
more in height. It has a regular slope, and was faced with square stones
well prepared and admirably laid in cement. From the top went up a tube
or circular aperture nine inches in diameter, which probably reached the
open air or some point in the pyramid.
In this part of Mexico can be seen, among other things, the great
pyramid or mound of Cholulu, the very ancient and remarkable pyramidal
structures at Teotihuacan, and an uncounted number of _teocallis_ or
pyramids of smaller size. The pyramid of Cholulu covers an area of
forty-five acres. It was terraced and built with four stages. When
measured by Humboldt it was 1400 feet square at the base, and 160 feet
high. At present it is a ruin, and, to superficial observers, seems
little more than a huge artificial mound of earth. Its condition of
decay indicates that it is much older than even the Toltec period. The
largest structure at Teotihuacan covers eleven acres. These structures,
and the Mexican _teocallis_ generally, were made of earth, and faced
with brick or stone.
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."
The civilization of the Aztecs who built the old city of Mexico will be
made a separate topic; but it may be said here that when they came into
the Valley of Mexico they were much less advanced in civilization than
their predecessors. There is no reason whatever to doubt that they had
always resided in the country as an obscure branch of the aboriginal
people. Some have assumed, without much warrant, that they came to
Mexico from the North. Mr. Squier shows, with much probability, that
they came from the southern part of the country, where communities are
still found speaking the Aztec language. When they rose to supremacy
they adopted, so far as their condition allowed, the superior knowledge
of their predecessors, and continued, in a certain way, and with a lower
standard, the civilization of the Toltecs. It has been said, not without
reason, that the civilization found in Mexico by the Spanish conquerors
consisted, to a large extent, of "fragments from the wreck that befell
the American civilization of antiquity."