^0< A °* ** \ i « *.° •**. Jll % ^ J* * k o *«. * a , \ > % m ~ ~~ . A >' IC m \\ \j T' HB7P Oj^c FoiiikAmiI iuipoiii fife .7'./-/ A' 1 J u Ait Viiv d tht 'Xbmgiw k Afli flie People of TT^y 1 AMI Q3lRa\1a.a ,i me MniwMdt0ud €hthdimiiip fey 'i ^T\l HIE AIP@OTILI ^flHKOMASo BY w A^ v THE kR€ n 3 1 - \.\ Q) p of CANTE R 3 1 I'm MisIumI I >\ LoiiMimh, I irowmu i avui & L©M^]0 LSLM1S, Lai iaa BJ ' I ■ .ViFRiCA THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT AMERICA, ANTERIOR TO THE TIME OF COLUMBUS ; PROVING THE IDENTITY OF THE ABORIGINES WITH THE TYRIANS AND ISRAELITES ; AND THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY INTO THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE BY THE APOSTLE ST. THOMAS. V BY GEORGE JONES, M.R.S.I., F.S.V. THE TYRIAN /ERA- PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS, LONDON HARPER AND BROTHERS, NEW-YORK ; ALEXANDER DUNCKER, BERLIN ; AND FREDERICK KLINCKSIECK, PARIS. 1843. C. WHITING, BEAUFORT HOUSE. .31^ it/ sBrttcatton* ►**< TO HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. &c. &c. &c. Your Grace, Upon the completion of the Tyrian iEra of this Work, I submitted the outline to an Illustrious Prince, whose urbanity and amiability are not the least of his high qualities claiming admiration ; and in reference to my desire of Dedication, replied : " * * * With respect to the request preferred, His Eoyal Highness thinks, — especially with reference to the subject- matter of the present historic Work, that it would be far better to select for the Dedication, some Theologian of high rank in the Sacred Profession, and eminent for his Learning and Piety, under whose auspices would more appropriately be placed, than DEDICATION. under his own, the Original History of Ancient Ame- rica. * * *" The suggestion and description thus expressed by His Royal Highness — and from one in such an august station, — evidently contemplate The Primate. The answer of Your Grace to my letter upon the subject, — my sense of obedience to the suggestion of His Eoyal Highness (who has honoured me as his visitor and guest) — and my own feelings of profound veneration for Your Grace ; — together with the im- portance of historically establishing the fulfilment of additional prophecies by Isaiah, — the Introduction of Christianity into the Western Hemisphere by one of The Twelve Apostles — in person ; — the Founding of Ancient America more than three centuries previous to that Sacred event, — with the Identity of the Abo- rigines, and thus unfolding additional Truths of The Bible, — being of that Character to call forth attention from every part of the Globe, where Civilization is known, or the Divine Blessings of Religion are received and appreciated; — these considerations all assure me that in Dedicating to Your Grace the Original His- tory of Ancient America, I but follow the dictates of an imperative duty ; — and shall cherish the hope that my literary labours upon this novel subject, will receive DEDICATION. the fostering protection of one, whose Life, Learning, and Piety, are alike conspicuous, — and who, by their triple power, — has been enabled to dare fearless com- parisons with the past, — to continue blessings to the present, — and to create examples of faith and charity, that may be imitated, but cannot be excelled, by those of a future age. With the fervent prayer that The Almighty Father may long preserve the life and faculties of Your Grace, that they may continue to cast their benevolent and protecting influence around the Divine Institution of Christianity; — I thus express my devotional duty, — And remain, Your Grace, In Eeligious Filiality Most faithfully, GEORGE JONES. London, June, 1843. " for inquire i pray thee of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers, — shall they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart ? " Holy- Writ. W* VOLUME THE FIEST, OR THE TYRIAN J1RA, IN TWO BOOKS. "»-»***$&«« BOOK I. THE RUINS OF ANTIQUITY IN DESCRIBED AND ANALYZED; THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTS IDENTIFIED, 8cc. BOOK II. SCRIPTURAL, POLITICAL, & COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF TYRTJS, THE DESTRUCTION OF THAT KINGDOM BY ALEXANDER OF MACEDON ; AND THE TYRIAN MIGRATION TO THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, IN THE YEAR 332 BEFORE CHRIST, Sfc. INSCRIPTION OF THE FIRST VOLUME. TO HIS MAJESTY dfttiKricft anflKam tf)e rjfmirtf), mm of ^YuMa, &c. &c. &c. &c. Your Majesty, With feelings of enthusiasm, founded on the con- templation of a peaceful and a patriotic King, do I inscribe to Your Majesty, the first Volume of an effort to delineate the History of Ancient America. If, in the following pages, Your Majesty should re- cognise Your own portraiture in that of Hiram the Great, it is such as truth and history have designed and coloured; — fawning flattery and false adulation have not added even a thought to embellish, where Patriotism has so nobly consolidated. The Building of Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem, by Hiram of Tyrus, was not more generous, and liberal in Religious sentiments, than were your own, — INSCRIPTION. as Protestant King of Prussia, — in laying the corner- stone of the Catholic Cathedral of Cologne, — the fervent words at which ceremony, Time will hallow within his Archives: nor was your own branch of Christianity forgotten or neglected ; for the Sacred City of Jerusalem previously recorded your Majesty's munificence in promulgating the Divine Faith of Salvation! For the peace of Europe, and for the prosperity of Prussia, — for the advancement of Religious and Civil Liberty, — Education, Literature, the Arts and Sci- ences, — may the Disposer of Events prolong the life, and intellectual vigour of Your Majesty, to the utmost verge of venerable age ; and when the monument shall enclose Your earthly remains, may Your subjects feel, that Your Royal Ancestor, — Frederick of Prussia, — was not the only Monarch of their father-land deserv- ing the time-honoured, and historic surname of " The Great." I am flattered in the occasion which per- mits me to render this tributary offering, — And to subscribe myself, Your Majesty's Obedient and Obliged, GEORGE JONES. London, June, 1843. THE ORIGINAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT AMERICA, PREFACE. To the deep historic interest expressed by his Eoyal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, concerning the Abo- rigines of America, may be traced the production of this Work : — it led the Author originally to write the Israel-Indian Tragedy of " Tecumseh," — illustrative of the patriotic race of the North, and which composition has received the honour of being dedicated to the Illus- trious Prince by Special permission. The publication has been delayed only from the fact, that it would anticipate this branch of the present Work, and might consequently be injurious. The investigations necessary for writing of North America, called into action the study and observation of years in relation to South America: and in con- templating the newly-discovered Ruined Cities and Temples upon that moiety of the Western Continent, PREFACE. the very spirit of the Eomance of Truth, seemed to find a voice in every Sculptured altar, column, stone, or pyramid : and when upon the enthusiastic pursuit of hidden knowledge, the sudden discovery of early Christianity and its Sacred Promulgator, were iden- tified with the Western Hemisphere, — sanctioned as is the discovery by Holy- Writ, — History, — Tradition, — Customs, — and the oracular Sculptures of antiquity, — Language has no power to express the bounding feel- ings of the heart, when that original vision of the mind, became apparent, as the stern reality of historic truth. Knowing from experience, that Works upon Anti- quities, described in language cold as the marbles they illustrate, are not of deep interest to the general reader, the Author has, therefore, avoided the usual frigid style, and has consequently placed around them such fervent, and glowing words, as their novel characters have authorized and demanded. In delineating, also, the History of Tyrus, the chief events only are given ; and being rendered, with the artistical pages, — con amove, — the Poetry of History, — and not its dry pro- saic qualities will be received by the reader. This will be seen in the descriptions of the classic Remains, — Battles, — and Voyages, — and especially for instance, in resuscitating the Ruins of Rome, and in the celebrated PREFACE. Tyrian Siege by Alexander of Macedon, — but in this style of writing (it is submitted) the Author has not lost sight of that high solemnity demanded by the Phi- losophy of History ; without which, memorials of past ages, or of our Fathers, would be useless. To give a list of works consulted during fifteen years in America, and more immediately for the last two years in England, while writing the Tyrian iEra, would be pedantic: but no Author, sacred or profane, from the first Lawgiver to the present time, having even a remote reference to the Western Hemisphere, has been knowingly omitted ; yet being professedly an Original Work, the volume of the brain has been more largely extracted from, than any writer whose works are already before that Public, — to whose final judg- ment (upon its merits or demerits) the present Author submits the first History of Ancient America with all humility; but he will yield to none in the con- scientious belief in the truth of the startling propo- sitions, and the consequent historic conclusions : and that the reader may not imagine that any undue motive dictated to the writer the publication of this Work, the following extract from the Messrs. Longman's letter upon their own, and their Eeader's investigation of this Volume will justify him. " * * * We have fully PREFACE. considered the publication of your Work on America, It is undoubtedly a Work of great ingenuity and originality; and should it be considered that your conclusions are correct, it will be a work to confer on its Author a high rank in Literature. * * * We shall be happy to be your Publishers. * * * * " The usual " Table of Contents" has been avoided, in order to prevent anticipation of the subject-matter and secrets of the History; but, at the same time, for after-reference, a copious Index has been placed at the end of the Volume. THE AUTHOR. London, June, 1843. NOTICE BOOKSELLERS, PROPRIETORS OF CIRCULATING LIBRARIES, AND THE PUBLIC. This is to give notice that the " Original History of Ancient America" (of which this is the first volume) is copyright, and legally secured by the proprietor, both in England and America. The Penalties, therefore, for any infringement will be enforced by the Publishers, according to the New Act of Parliament and the Acts of Congress of the United States. By the former, especially as applied to England and her colonies, any person having in his possession, for sale or hire, any foreign edition of an English copyright, is liable to a heavy penalty ; and any copy found in the possession of a traveller from abroad will be forfeited. London, Jitne, 1843. THE TYRIAN >ERA, ORIGINAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT AMERICA. aSoofe tit JFtrst. CHAPTEE I. Introduction from the Preface to the Author's Historical Work upon the Life of Tecumseh — Name to be used foF South or Central America — The Fundamental Error of the Historians of America — Essential Opposites in Character — Rules of Argument for illus- trating the Theory — A sufficient Identity of the North to prove two Distinct People — The Aborigines wrongfully named " Indians" by Columbus — The Cause of his Error and its Effects. In the prefatory remarks to the forthcoming work upon the chieftain, Tecumseh, the following language is used; and we avail ourselves of the privilege of extracting from our own storehouse, materials for the commencement of this new historical campaign. " The courteous reader in tracing the fate of Te- cumseh, as depicted in the pages of his life, will not VOL. I. B 2 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. i. fail to observe the strong analogy between the reli- gious sentiments of the chief of the forest, and those of the ancient Hebrews. The language as uttered by Tecumseh is not written by the pen of fiction, merely to uphold a theory of the brain, but gathered from the archives of a people's history, to support a theory of apparent truth. The present writer will not yield to any man in the firm belief, that the Abo- rigines of North America {but North America only), and the ancient Israelites are identical, unless contro- verted by the stern authority of superior historical deductions. We, therefore, have formed an original theory in reference to the natives of the North, and those of South and Central America, together with the newly-discovered ruined Cities in and around Guata- mala; and by that theory, have separated into two dis- tinct races, or people, the Aborigines of the Western Hemisphere. " The lately recovered Euins, Cities, and Temples in Central America, and of which no ancient record is to be found, have shattered the chain of acknowledged History to atoms ; and until that chain is again united by a firmly established theory,— Education herself must pause, ere she can with the wand of truth, point to her rising children the History of the World, or its inhabitants. " Suspicion has asserted that all the natives of the continent of Columbus, might probably have been originally of Hebrew extraction; the assertion has been made in doubt and trembling; for writers have book i., ch. i. ] ANCIENT AMERICA. 3 been confounded by essential contrasts in the Religious customs of North and South America; there were no analogies between them; which circumstance should have compelled Historians to pursue another path of inquiry, and so attain a conclusive truth; but they found a Gordian knot which they could not unravel, and assuming the impatient weapon of Alexander, they destroyed it. The Architecture, however, of the Ruins of Copan, Palenque, Uxmal, and their time-honoured associates, has furnished a 4 rosetta-stone,' to aid the new translation of the hieroglyphical history of (now) ancient America ; and if our theory is true, not only have the Israelites walked the land where the Sun bestows his last smile, but another nation (in which was retained the primitive language of the Diluvian world) previously trod that soil as Aborigines ; and beyond all this, if our thread of Ariadne lead us faith- fully, if not, the Almighty Father who gave the thought will pardon its application; yes, beyond all the bounding feelings leaping at events, at once classic and venerated, do we contemplate another branch of our theory ; for, if we do not write in error, — and our perfect faith assures us that we do not, — then the trembling hand which sought in doubt The Saviour's wounds, has been outstretched in sacred oratory even in those southern wilds: the bold, yet conquered voice, which uttered in hallowed and confirmed faith, ' My Lord and my God!' has given forth its missioned eloquence even in the Western Hemisphere, and there, the sainted ashes of that Apostle may yet repose I" b2 4 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. i. The preceding extract may be viewed as the ex- ordium of an original history to follow; wherein, " if we fail," it will be " the boldness of the attempt, and not the deed confounds us." Taking as a basis for our illustration the rules of argument, we will first identify one race, and then prove that the existence of another is not only ap- parent, but absolute. For the convenience of the general reader, the word "Mexican," until the true name is established, will be applied throughout the following pages to all Central and South America ; — for the word " south" may be confounded with that portion of the Kepublic of North America so deno- minated, and especially with the American reader. The fundamental error with all writers upon the Aborigines of America is, that they have viewed them as one people. Authors have, therefore, been eonfounded by the different customs and ceremonies of religion as practised in the two great divisions of the continent ; they have seen that the natives were, to a certain extent, in one part of the vast domain, idol- aters, and not in the other; that the North was essen- tially republican in every aspect of its political existence, while that of Mexican America was as essentially composed of kingdoms and empires, and governed by despotic monarchs, and that republics were interwoven with them; that each man in the North was a warrior, and an equal, acknowledging no superior but their leader in time of battle, and should he fall in action, there was not a member of the book l, ch. i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 5 Tribe in which they politically lived, but could have taken his place, and filled it with similar courage and ability. In Mexican America they were not equal but from the emperor they descended by degrees to the serf and slave ; in that country, stone and stuc- coed Temples and Palaces were, and still continue to be found, erected with costly magnificence, and in which were jewelled idols, to which they bent the knee ; their rich dwellings were splendid mansions, adorned with sculptured and beaten gold, and graced with the works of art, and as a people, enjoying all the refined elegancies of life ; — but in the North their Temple was the azure canopy of Jehovah, adorned with its myriads of golden stars, and when beneath that sublime dome, they bent the knee, it was to the Almighty God alone ! Their palaces were the gorgeous vistas of the forest; the columns were the gigantic trees, each year increasing in their state- liness; their shadowy and painted roofs were the far- spreading branches, and nature's tinted foliage ; their mansions were those of independent wanderers, even the simple tents of Israel; and as for jewelled idols and figures of beaten gold, — they presented the diamonds of the human eye, radiant with intellectual beams, and glancing from the living emblem of the first and priceless image, placed in Eden's garden by the Archi- tect of the Universe! Notwithstanding these essential opposites in cha- racter and policy, to which may be added that of physiognomy, writers have glanced at them as one 6 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. i. race, sprung from the same branch of the human family, and without defining which ; and when they could not reconcile such apparently unaccountable distinctions and diversities, they have thrown upon the shoulders of the Mexican, the mantle of manly virtue belonging to the North ; and upon this race they have thrust the idolatrous vices and the festering robes of luxury justly claimed by the former people ; and by this easy manner of disposing of a question, have seemingly satisfied themselves that by blending the crimes of both, to the exclusion of the virtues of either, that they were all " savages" and no matter from whence they came. Thus have they formed their conclusions concerning fifty millions of human beings, although directly in opposition to evidences of fact, to deductions by relative reasoning, and to all Christian feeling, which alone should have rejected so cruel a decision, founded as it is, not only on slight, but care- less investigation. A sufficient identity of the Northern native is now required, in order to establish the national distinction between the Aborigines of the two Americas. In all civilized countries when the lex scripta fails to develope, or protect, the historical events and rights of a nation or of an individual, then the lex non scripta is not only not rejected, but it is actually brought forward to establish, and support the customs and privileges of a by-gone day. This traditionary evidence, handed down from sire to son, is received in proof of " a fore- gone conclusion:" it gives an insight into the times, of book i., ch. i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 7 which no written record is left for the investigation of Argus-eyed posterity ; it carries us back to customs, civil, military, and religious, that otherwise might be lost to the archives of history. Admitting, therefore, this train of reasoning, we bring it to bear upon the pre- sent important subject ; — important in the highest degree, for the time is now past when the Western Hemisphere is to be dated from the re- discovery by Columbus. His giant, but over- applauded name, like the ruins of Palenque, is but the lettering of a volume to indicate in the library of the universe that such a work was written — the work itself {i. e. the great con- tinent) has yet to be read, and the historical authors identified; nor will the well-grounded supposition that the Welsh prince, Madoc, colonised in America two centuries before the Genoese; or that the Norwegian landed three centuries anterior to the Welsh, enable us even to unclasp the volume ; — to accomplish this, and its translation, an historic (Eiliad must be cast over a period of more than two thousand annual changes, of nature's revolving but faithful time-glass ! Granting then, that when the lex scripta will not cover a sub- ject, the lex non scripta must be investigated to esta- blish a position; — the first, then, will not apply to the Aborigines of the north, for it does not exist; the latter only, or the unwritten history of their race must be had recourse to, to prove their originality and identity ; traceable back to time immemorial, from their present customs and traditions. We think that it will instantly be admitted, that all 8 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. i. religious ceremonies are the strongest proofs of the characteristics of a people or race, of which no written history exists; for there is something so indescribably sacred in the conscientious actions of man with the Supreme God, that none but the maniac-atheist could doubt, that those actions should be received as the living features of a nation, when seen to be recog" nised and acknowledged, with as much certainty of identity, as when a mother gazes upon her fondly- cherished child ! The customs forming the analogy between the Northern natives and the ancient Israelites, will now be reviewed with as much brevity as the subject will permit, in order to establish an essential point of the present theory — viz., the separation of the Aborigines into two distinct people. The reader, perhaps, will meet us at the threshold of argument by the question, " How can an Indian be of Israel ?" We will answer this, and refute the misnomer before the analogies are investigated. The name Indian, as applied to the original inhabitants of either, or both the Americas, Canada, the islands in, or adjacent to, the Gulf of Mexico, has no authority founded upon truth. The name was given in error, and has been so continued from the time of the Genoese to the present day. Throughout this work no position will be advanced that cannot be defended. The wrongful appellation originated with Columbus ; and for proof of the asser- tion the following is presented. The shadow of the Earth upon the Moon during an u book l, ch. i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 9 eclipse, plainly testified that the planet upon which we live was round. The travels of Marco Paulo by land to the East Indies (about 1269), related that those lands stretched far towards the east About two cen- turies after this, it occurred to Columbus, upon perusing those travels ; but more especially from having obtained intelligence from the final conquest of the Canary islands in 1483 ; and information while resident in England (which circumstances will be investigated hereafter), that by a voyage towards the west — thus travelling, as it were, around the globe — he should meet the extremities of those lands ; and as the dis- covery of a sea-passage to the East Indies was the great object of navigation in the fifteenth century, Columbus made the bold attempt (founded upon pre- vious knowledge of migration), and discovered the island of St. Salvador and those adjacent, and think- ing that he had reached the eastern extremity of the Indies according to his theory, he then named those isles the West Indies, because they were discovered by sailing west. The discovery of the Continent fol- lowed during his third voyage, and believing all the land to be of the Indies, the inhabitants of the isles and of the mainland were, as a natural consequence, called by Columbus under one general appellation, viz., Indians. Subsequent geographical discoveries have proved the great error of the Genoese; but the name of Indian was given at that time, and it has been continued although at variance with the truth; and it has had a material effect in checking inquiry 10 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. i. concerning the Aborigines, who having been called Indians, the name seemed at once to specify their origin : but, it would have been equally as just, if he had determined to sail for Britain, and an unforeseen gale having cast him upon the island of Sardinia, and then from believing that he had reached the intended object of his voyage, he should have called the latter inhabitants British. We, therefore, discard the name of Indian as applied to the natives of the Western con- tinent (it will be retained in the Tragedy of " Tecumseh" for local purposes), and write of them as the Abori- gines, until, as we advance in this History, they can be identified by a national name, founded upon facts and conclusions. book i, ch. ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 11 CHAPTER II. Hebrew Analogies with the Tribes of the North — Contrasted with the Natives of Mexican America — Circumcision — Scalping — Its great Antiquity — The Crucifixion not known to the Natives of the North — Their Traditional Knowledge of the Deluge — Their Practice of the Laws of Moses — The conclusive Proofs of the two Races — The Formation of a new Epochian Table for the History of Ancient America — The announcement of the Historical Theory, and the First Epoch. The Hebrew analogies now claim investigation ; and as Woman is first in the affections and in memory, she claims by right upon this, as upon all occasions, the natural precedence. The Northern mother, after childbirth, is secluded for a given number of days, varying according to the sex of the new-bom infant. By the law of Moses, the mother's purification was to last 40 days for a male, and 80 days for a female child. All other seclusions are as strict as when the wife becomes a mother. When a wife becomes a widow, and is childless, her husband's brother marries her, — these were essential laws of the Hebrew, and especially the latter, — that a name should not be lost in Israel. As a mother she considers it a religious duty, that 12 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. ii. the child should receive its nourishment from the breast that gave it life : and such is the feeling in the performance of this maternal duty, that she often nurses her offspring until it attains three or four years of age. From this fact an important problem is solved, viz., the apparent tardiness in the ratio increase of the Aborigines of the North : — for it is the rule in Nature's female code (and should there be an exception, it only proves the rule), that while that affection con- tinues from the fond practice of the mother, no other shall arise to destroy that which already exists : but, as that ceases and the first-born is put away, Nature jealous of her supremacy, again bestows upon the mo- ther a second joy, and so continues in her undeviating course. There is, also, a direct physical analogy be- tween the Northern mothers and those of ancient Israel ; if there were not, the negative might be brought against this theory: we therefore take advantage of the affirmative. The only cause of Pharaoh's political action against the Hebrews was, that from the rapid ratio in which they multiplied, they would eventually rebel, and with, or without the assistance of any other nation entirely subdue Egypt. The ease of child- birth by the Hebrew mother is distinctly stated in Holy- Writ, in contrast to the dangerous sufferings of the Egyptian parent; from which fact may be gathered the cause of the gradual, but certain in- crease of the Israelites over the Egyptian population. The same peculiar facility of childbirth is one of the chief characteristics of the Northern female, for in ihe book i., ch. ii] ANCIENT AMERICA. 13 Kocky Mountains, while journeying in cavalcade, and being taken in travail, the mother will leave her com- panions alone, and within an hour, will remount her horse, and overtake her associates, with the new-born infant in her arms! The cause why the population of the Aborigines of the North is not in ratio with the ancient Hebrews, has already been alluded to, in re- ference to the mother's belief and practice of extended maternal duty and fondness. If, as we believe, the great ancestresses of these Northern women were Leah and Rachel — the " tender- eyed," the " beautiful and well-favoured," — then have their daughters on the Western continent lost no features of the mothers of Israel ; — for they might hang their harps upon the willows of their fate, as emblems of Jerusalem's children in captivity, and feel no shame in comparison of sorrow, grace, or beauty! The Northern Aborigines have a traditional know- ledge of the Deluge and the Dove of peace, which to them under the name of the " medicine," or " mystery bird," is sacred from the arrow of the hunter. They have their Ark of Covenant, in which is deposited some mystery, seen only by the priests of the Tribe, — it is said to be a shell, and supposed to give out oracular sounds : this is in analogy to the Book of the Laws placed in the Ark of Covenant by Moses, preceding his death on Mount Nebo, — the oracular wisdom of which has guided civilization to this day. The ark is never suf- fered to touch the earth, but is always raised on a stand of wood or stone ; it is invariably carried by a 14 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. ii. Tribe when they march to battle, — a similitude is here to Joshua at the siege of Jericho, When it is in their peaceful encampment, it is surrounded by twelve stones, indicative of the original number of the Tribes of their ancestors; — this is strictly in analogy with the twelve statues (probably rude blocks of stone) erected by Moses around the Altar of the Covenant to personify the twelve tribes of Israel. Joshua, also, after the pas- sage of the Jordan, erected twelve stones in his encamp- ment at Gilgal, and the same number in the river at the place of the passage. They select their " medicine men" (i. e. priests or prophets) from among a portion of the tribe not warriors; here is the custom of the Le- vites, or descendants of Aaron being in the sacred office of priesthood, for with the Israelites they were not to be taken from the ranks of the soldiery. These Aborigines " dwell in booths," as when " brought out of the land of Egypt," for they are still wanderers. [Lev. xxiii.] They offer a flesh, or burnt-offering from the chase, which is first cast into the flames, before even a starving family may eat. They have their corn and harvest feasts ; also, one in observance of every new moon, — another in festivity of the first-fruits, — and the great feast in direct analogy with the Hebrew Passover, even to the blood being stained upon the posts and lintels, and the mingling of the most bitter herbs ! Then their fastings and purifications are prac- tised with the greatest severity. The breastplate, or ornament worn by their religious prophets, containing twelve shells, or stones of value, is in direct imitation book i., ch. ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 15 of the ancient Pectoral worn by the Hebrew high- priest, and which contained twelve precious stones, in- scribed with the names of all the twelve original tribes of Israel. They have their cities of refuge, or huts of safety, where the most deadly foe dare not enter for his victim. They never violate a female captive, and upon the Hebrew principle, that their blood shall not be contaminated by interunion • — this has been strictly followed in all their wars with the Europeans. They also reject the savage practice of civilization upon the lofty principle of manly virtue 1 The " medicine-bag" or pouch is carried by every member of the Tribe ; — it is suspended to a bead-belt, which crosses the breast by passing over the left shoulder, and hangs on the right side ; it contains, as they say and believe, preservatives to keep them from sickness or defeat. These are essentially the phylac- teries referred to by the SAVIOUR, and previously condemned by Moses ; for the word phylactery is de- rived from the Greek tongue, and denotes a preser- vative; and in the time of Moses they were worn by his people in great excess ; and so by the Northern native. Moses checked the excessive use of the " pre- servatives" and changed the custom ; for by his com- mand the priesthood alone wore the phylactery, which was at last a frontlet of parchment for the forehead, upon which was written an extract from the laws, that " those that run might read." Then the absence of all idols or symbolical devices, and the worship of the One God (i. e. Great Spirit) ; 16 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. ii. their never pronouncing the name, Jehovah, but in syllables, and those separated by long ceremonies, thus truly fulfilling the Hebrew law, " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." The name with them sounds as if written, Ye-hoh-vah, and is only pronounced by the Aaron of the tribe. In their hymns of rejoicing, the word Hal-le-lu-yah is distinctly uttered. To the foregone analogies is to be added the general' and firm belief in the Immortality of the soul! But beyond all this as proof of their origin, is the practice of the great covenant between the Almighty Father and the Patriarch Abraham — viz., Circumcision! And it does not exist, as in parts of Egypt and the Asiatic nations, for the purpose of supposed health, (in which belief it was practised in ancient Egypt by both sexes,) but as a religious custom, handed down from time immemorial! The custom now is not general, but it does exist ; and we must be understood as referring back at least two hundred years in our review, to the period of the Pilgrim Fathers, when the Northern Aborigines num- bered fifteen millions, — now they scarcely number two and a half ! All the customs, however, noticed, are practised at the present period by the uncontrolled Aboriginal. If all other evidences were not received, that of Circumcision, as a religious ceremony, must be viewed by the most sceptical, as direct proof of identity between the Northern Aborigines and the ancient Hebrews. The custom we have written is not general, it is only found in the more settled tribes; this even book l, ch. ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 17 supports our belief, for in this very fact is traced again the precedent ordained by Moses ; for circumcision was discontinued by the great Lawgiver for forty years, during his journeying with his followers through the wilderness ; the custom was re-established by Joshua. May not this innovation by Moses in the covenanted custom be imitated by these descendants ? Are they not still wanderers in the wilderness in the western, as their ancestors were in the eastern hemisphere ? The affirmative has existed for ages, and it even now con- tinues. They have not yet returned to Jerusalem ! One fact is of great importance in proof of their great antiquity — viz., they have no knowledge or tra- dition in the North of the Life or Crucifixion of Christ, yet they have a knowledge of the Deluge, and actually practise the laws of Moses. Again we must repeat, that we are writing of these Aborigines as they were at the time of European colonization. The above singular fact enables us at once to place them in a chronological position. It must be after Moses but before The Saviour; but another fact brings their circle of time still narrower — viz., they have no tradition of the destruction of the first Temple of Jerusalem. This event occurred 588 years before Christ, it must, therefore, be anterior to that national calamity, that they trace their origin. Of this, here- after, when in the next volume the history of the Israelites will be given; but, even now, justice to this race compels us to offer a few words in their defence as a people, for being already sufficiently shewn that VOL. I. C 18 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch, ii. they are of the great Hebrew family, they may fall in the estimation of some readers upon religious prin- ciples. It has been shewn that they have no tradition of the Crucifixion, or of the desolation of the Temple. Is there no sentiment in the mind of the Christian reader as the first fact is unfolded, other than that of historical data? Upon a moment's thought it must be apparent that, the blood of Christ cannot be upon them or their children ! Their ancestors never shouted in the streets of Jerusalem, " Crucify him ! crucify him!" The Aborigines of the North are Israelites, and of the house of Jeroboam, not Jews, i. e., of the House of Judah ; a distinction of all importance, as the pages of the subsequent volume will prove. The custom of Scalping cannot be said with truth to be original with the Northern native : it has, how- ever, been so asserted, as proof that they are more modern as a people than this theory would establish ; but the declaration "melts into air, into thin air," from the fact, that both Herodotus and Polybius men- tion scalping as being practised among the most ancient nations of the world. The assertion, therefore, has only brought forward its refutation. Scalping was introduced originally by the ancients for the express purpose of counting and recording the number of the foe slain in battle : and especially was this custom practised by the Scythians : this is established upon the authority of the accurate Herodotus. For the same reason is the custom followed by the Aborigines of the North — viz., to number the slain of the enemy. Again, Scythia book i., ch. ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 19 was the ancient name of the country now known by the modern name of Tartary. This is important, as will be shewn in the next volume, in tracing the en- campments of the Israelites after their escape from captivity ; for in the Scythian Tartary they will be found ; and consequently the custom may have been derived from their own remote ancestors, who obtained it from the Scythians. The custom with both was (and in the North still is), only for a trophy of the dead, and, therefore the scalp is never taken from a living enemy. Polybius, however, has a Draconian record — viz., that upon the occasion of Gisco the Car- thaginian being made prisoner, together with 700 of his soldiers, they were all scalped alive by the rebel mercenaries under Spondius. The ancients, also, wore the long scalp-locks as the flowing hair to their rude helmets and weapons : the natives of the North do the same as records of their personal victories. This subject has been dwelt upon, in order to prove its great antiquity. We may here remark that the mutilation of the dead for the purpose of numbering, was nearly a general practice among all the ancients. The Scythian, it has been shewn, took the scalp and the hair-lock; but the Assyrian and the Egyptian had another me- thod — viz., by the number of ears sent to the king or general. This is glanced at in Ezekiel xxiii. 25; but when imposition was practised by the soldiers of the latter nation (after a general rapine and massacre), by sending home the ears of their female victims in order c2 20 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. ii. to increase their reward upon the supposition that they had been taken from men, — an original custom of recording the slain warriors, was then introduced (to check the imposition) for proving the sex of the fallen. The latter proof of victory was a condition from David to Saul, for obtaining the daughter of the latter in marriage. [1 Samuel xviii. 25 — 27.] The Hebrew, therefore, followed the custom from the Egyptian, who practised it previous to David's victory over the Philistines, which was in the year of his mar- riage, 1063, b. c. ; it is, therefore, probable that a knowledge of this Egyptian custom may have been ob- tained by the Hebrews during their bondage in that country — the Exodus took place 1491, b. c. The re- mote antiquity of these repulsive customs are, there- fore, firmly established. Scalping is one of them, and is, and ever has been, practised in Northern America. While upon the subject of War, and its worst horror — viz., Rapine — it may be here mentioned again, and to the eternal honour of the Northern Aborigines, and as a stern reproof to the wars of civilization (?) that they have never been known to violate a female cap- tive among their own race, upon the principle that it placed shame upon the warrior's glory. This noble manhood has also extended the same mercy to the white female prisoner, as to those of their own colour. Is there not the ancient Hebrew even in this ? And is not their national abhorrence of interunion with any people but their own traceable in this custom ? They, also, upon the same principle, will not marry or coha- book i., ch. il] ANCIENT AMERICA, 21 bit with the pale-face race, or with any not of their own blood. We write of the Aborigines as they were, and of the mass. There may be on the frontiers some solitary exceptions after their acquaintance with the Anglo-Saxon race ; -but oftener among the women than the men. This arises not from less virtue than in the opposite sex ; but, and with shame be it written, from the seduction, treachery, and desertion by the European. Most truly might a chieftain reply to a missionary who endeavoured to convert a tribe. " Teach us f What ? My son has been murdered — my daughter ravished by the white -man ! Learn first yourselves to obey the mandates of humanity, and prove that we do not practise them ; then come among us to preach, or teach, and we will re- ceive you with open arms ! When shall we meet again upon this condition ? On Earth, white man, never !" The marriage of the Virginian Aboriginal, Pocha" hontas, was, after her baptism in the Christian faith, and consequently cannot be brought to bear against the preceding remarks. Many other religious customs and ceremonies exist of a minor character, yet strictly in analogy with the race of Abraham ; but enough has been brought forward in this volume to propose these (as we believe) unanswerable questions: " If they are not of the Lost Tribes of Israel, who are they ?" " What nation of ancient history can claim and iden- tify those customs and observances as their own, if not the Hebrew ?" 22 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. n. Then in regard to the physique of the race, they possess the essential characteristics of the ancient He- brew in regard to physiognomy — viz., the broad and elevated forehead, the acquiline nose, the high cheek- bone, brilliant red countenance, and teeth pnre as ivory ; black hair, the dark and heavy eyebrow, the sunken but brilliant eye, like a diamond within a ring of pearl, and both deep-set beneath a brow of ebony. Their figures in youth (from their mother's care), are models for the Apollo ; and should the Statue be lost (and with it all casts and engravings), it could be re- stored from a living archer ; for the attitude of the Sun- God is daily assumed by them from the impulse of Nature, when they wing their arrows at the Pythons of the chase ! The reader must not imagine that our enthusiasm upon the subject has betrayed us into the language of poetic rhapsody ; for we have the authority (apart from our own experience) of Benjamin West, who, when he first arrived at Rome to commence his studies, was regarded as " a Savage from the New World." In order to surprise him, the statue of Apollo was shewn to him with great ceremony by the Savans, who ex- pected that he would be overwhelmed with wonder. His simple remark was, " Why, it is a model from a young North American Indian /" It was the highest compliment that could have been given to the grace and dignity of the statue. The colour of the ancient Israelite must not be judged by that of the modern Jew— for various climates, book i., ch. il] ANCIENT AMERICA. 23 local circumstances, and confined habitations, have given the latter a dark, heavy, swarthy countenance, and even in middle age they are bent in figure ; but the ancient light-red tint may be but the original of the sunburnt features of the Aborigines, and they, from their forest life, reach at least three score years before old age compels them to see their shadows as they walk ! The words of " the good friend" William Penn, may be given as a peculiar and powerful authority. After his first and celebrated interview with the Northern natives, he wrote to England the following sentences in reference to them : " 1 found them with like coun- tenances to the Hebrew race, and their children of so lively a resemblance to them" §c. At this, and no other time did the thought of their being of the Lost Tribes of Israel enter his imagination. The sentences, therefore, are of great importance, from the fact that they were not originally written by him to support any theory in reference to the Aborigines ; but merely asserted in his letter from a strong impression of apparent truth, and which fact, to the Founder of Pensylvania, was a sub- ject of astonishment, and there it rested ; for to him, were they Hebrew or Gentile, his kind and philan- thropic heart, taught him to view them as a branch of the human family, and that to him was sufficient for forming a bond of amity ! His memory is cherished by the Aborigines to this day — as " the good friend." The reader may remember the historical painting by West, of this celebrated interview, it is worthy of the subject represented, 24 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i.; ch. ii. The bold style and metaphorical character of their Oratory, is essentially Hebrew, — an attempt to illus- trate their eloquence will be found in the historical tragedy of " Tecumseh." Their undaunted and chivalric personal courage, is the very counterpart of that evinced upon the plains of Jericho, or in aftertimes before the walls of Jeru- salem. Then their god-like love of perfect freedom, — the spirit of Jeroboam, did not die in the first rebel- lion and victory against tyranny, — it lives in his na- tions descendants in the North ; at invasions or en- croachment, they rise as one man, to crush their oppressor, and which fact, every record from the Pil- grim Fathers to the present day, will testify. In all their battles (and their name is legion) they have dis- puted the ground, inch by inch, and even their women have fought and fallen in their ranks. Every chief was a Judas Maccabaeus, or an Eleazer Savaran ! Now in every physical characteristic of the North- ern, did the Mexican differ ; they bore no analogy as being of the same race, either in feature, courage, en- durance, or general religion. In Mexican America, Cortez, with only 500 Spanish soldiers, and those worn and dispirited, drove 50,000 Mexicans from the field of Otumba, — they fled like snow-flakes before the wind, when their standard was seized by a Spaniard ; but, in the North, the fight was man to man, and no retreat — death or victory — Jerusalem or the grave ! Every chieftain of the North, even upon a supposition of flight from a superior foe (either in number or prowess), may be imagined to have uttered the last book i., ch. il] ANCIENT AMERICA. 25 words of Judas Maccabasus, when in his final battle he was opposed by twenty times his own force : "God forbid that I should do this thing, and flee from them ; if our time be come, let us die manfully for our brethren, and not stain our honour !" Some of the Mexican nations worshipped idols, and knew not God ! — for they sacrificed human beings to propitiate their savage Deities ; not so the noble Northerns, they worship The One God, who declared to the first Lawgiver, " Thou shalt have no other Gods before me," and their only human sacrifice is the invader of their lands and birthright. The only two analogies that existed between the North and Mexican America, and which might appa- rently destroy or prevent the proof of this theory, are, first, Circumcision ; and second, the similitude of Lan- guage. In the North, circumcision, as we have shewn, is a religious custom only ; in the Mexican territories, it was both optional and religious. This strange and apparent stumbling-block in the way of proving that they are of a different race, will be removed as we pro- ceed ; for so far from injuring the proofs of the theory, it absolutely supports them, as does also the analogy in language. These important points — viz., Circum- cision and Language, will be met in their respective places, and in an original manner of application ; for they form two of the most substantial evidences, and were the primitive causes for our belief in the subject contemplated by this work, and especially in reference to that portion having Christianity for its basis. 26 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. ii. As an essential contrast between the Aborigines, is the fact that in the North they have (as already- stated) no tradition of the Crucifixion, while in the other portion of the Continent (and for centuries before the rediscovery by Columbus) they had a per- fect knowledge of every particular of the Life and Death of Christ. Again ; — in this part of the Conti- nent there are Stone architectural Ruins :— in the North there are none ; they possess there but em- bankments, Marathonian mounds or tumuli. These undeniable and characteristic opposites in North- ern and Mexican America, increased by the late discovery of the Ruined Cities in Guatamala and the adjacent provinces, together with fifteen years of personal observation in America ; to which may be added a practical knowledge of the Fine Arts, enthusiasm in research, and mature reflection upon the entire subject, have authorized the formation of (as we believe) an Original Theory, concerning the His- tory of the Aborigines of the two great divisions of the Western Hemisphere ; and for the unfolding of the present volume, we state, 1. That they consist of two distinct races, or people. This will be, without doubt, admitted, from the facts in the previous pages. 2. That South America (nationally speaking) in- cluded what is at present called Central America ; and, as a consequence, the Ancient Cities, now in Ruins , belonged to the same general Empire. book l, ch. ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 27 3. That South, or (as we have termed it in the pre- ceding pages) Mexican America, was inhabited ante- rior to that of the North. 4. That the Aborigines of Mexican America, and the West India Islands, were the ancient Tyrians of Phoenicia, and that they landed on the Western Con- tinent, from their native country, more than two thou- sand years ago ! This is confirmed by Tradition, Analogies, History, and Prophecy 1 Seasoning upon the causes that have led to the new Historical Theory, and the conclusions arising therefrom, a new Chronological or Epochian Table, as a necessity, is required for the History of the Western Hemisphere and its Inhabitants, at least to the time of Columbus. Not desiring, however, to anticipate any interest derivable from the investigation of this work, the progressive Epochs will be given in the volumes devoted to their illustration. The present volume contemplates the first Epoch only, and is announced in the following page, and the reader will do himself but justice (apart from the author) by not rejecting the startling Theory until (at least) the proofs and ar- guments have been received and analyzed. Upon which investigation the writer will submit with all humility to the decision of the public, and of their all-powerful champion — the Press. 28 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. hi. CHAPTER in. FIRST EPOCH. THE TYRIAN MBAi BEFORE CHRIST 332 YEARS. THE LANDING IN MEXICAN (l. e. Central) AMERICA OF THE ANCIENT TYRIANS OF PHOENICIA, AND THE BUILDING OF THE CITIES, TEMPLES, AND PYRAMIDS, THE RUINS OF WHICH HAVE LATELY BEEN DISCOVERED. "»■$!*«« Arrangement of Facts and Arguments FOR THE PRESENT VOLUME. In the endeavour to establish this important Epoch recourse must be had to the same train of argument as that used in the preceding pages — viz., that where the written law does not exist, that which is unwritten must be brought forward as evidence to support and sustain conclusions, and to this must be added the powerful witness of strong and perfect analogy, for the essential purposes of identity. Believing that the reader is convinced that the natives of North Ame- rica are of a distinct race to those inhabiting the other portion of the Continent, as already illustrated by the contrasts in their Religious and Political policies, book l, ch. in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 29 and even by their physical analogies, the necessity now arises of completely identifying those of Mexican America, as we have slightly those of the North, — suffi- cient however for the division of the races. In the preceding title of the First Epoch of this History, is not only stated the Nation from whence they came, but even the Year in which they landed ! To support these startling assertions, to make their truth apparent to the reader, — to convince his understanding and crush all doubts, — that even History may place the Volume within her archives, requires a basis of argu- ment which shall be rock-built, that the superstructure about to be raised, while it invites, may yet resist (no^ defy) the storms and shafts of criticism ; but, as a strong cemented edifice requires the warm influence of the Sun to secure the component parts, — so do we look for the sun-smile from the just and mild eye of the true critic, which will not glance upon only one part of the composition, but view each as required to form the consistency of the entire building ; and when the edifice is finished, whether the entablature will re- main blank, or bear our humble name, is not for us to determine or command ; yet in reference to the latter and natural hope, the sentiment of the Senator of Utica will direct us, — that if we cannot " command success," at least we will endeavour to " deserve it." The following investigation and arrangements of ar- gument are required for the elucidation of this Epoch, and then from the summary of evidence and from that only, the reader, as a jury, will form his verdict : viz. — 30 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. hi. 1. Are the Fine Arts of sufficient authority to be received as evidence for establishing historical records or events ? 2. The fact of the Discovery of the Kuined Cities in Mexican America — their description, locality, and character, established. 3. The Eeligious and National Analogies and Tra- ditions, between the ancient Tyrians and the Mexican Aborigines will be investigated, and their Identity established. 4. The Mexican innovations upon the customs of the Tyrians will be explained. 5. The general History of Phoenicia, but especially the political and commercial History of the Kingdom of Tyrus : — its Kise and Fall analyzed. 6. The cause of the Tyrian migration to the Western Hemisphere — the means whereby, and the date wherein it was accomplished, — the means of con" cealing the secret of their Discovery of the Western Continent from the Asiatics and Europeans. 7. The building of their first Altars, Temples, Pyramids, and Palaces, and which have remained as unknown in the History of the World, for full two thousand one hundred and fifty years ! 8. The new Discovery of the Fulfilment of Jive additional Prophecies, by Isaiah, identified and esta- blished by the proofs of the Tyrian Epoch of this History of Ancient America. 9. A Eecapitulation of the entire subject, and summary of the various evidences of the truth of the book i., ch. in. J ANCIENT AMERICA. 31 Tyrian Theory, founded upon Analogies, Traditions, History, and Prophecy ! And lastly. The fulfilment of the Tyrian Prophe- cies of Isaiah in the Western Hemisphere, also esta- blishes (with the division of the Aborigines into two races, Tyrian and Israelitish, and their conquerors) the actual accomplishment of Noah's Malediction, and his Prophecy of the Human Family ! These astounding and new-discovered facts will form a concluding chap- ter for the complete annihilation of atheistical denial of Prophetic truths. These prophetic facts are not essential to the support of this History, — they are but the seals to the document. 32 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. iv., § i. CHAPTEE IV. THE FINE ARTS, AS AUTHORITIES EOR HISTORICAL RE- CORDS, INVESTIGATED AND ESTABLISHED. SECTION I. ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE. If it were possible to place within an Ephesian Temple, every historic book, manuscript, and engrav- ing in the world, and then the sacrilegious torch of a modern Erostratus should entirely consume them, whereby the only apparent knowledge to be obtained would be from tradition, — yet the marble and stone quarries of the earth have issued those volumes com- posed and fashioned by the hands of man, that would restore the progressive history of the arts and civiliza- tion. Architecture has erected his lofty temples, palaces, and mansions ; and Sculpture has, with her magic wand, charmed and adorned them with historic facts, legends, and romance: the former planned the porticoes, co- lumns, and proportions ; but the latter was the power book i. ch. iv., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 33 whereby they were fashioned and embellished. Archi- tecture by his peculiar characteristic gives intelligence as we wander amid his works, that we are on the land of Egypt, or the plains of Pgestum : on the Acropolis of Athens, or the land of Eomulus and the Coliseum : and whether we gaze upon the sky-pointing Pyramid, the stern or the graceful Doric, the Ionic of the Uissus, or the acanthus-crowned Corinthian, — they one and all have voices of oracular power, proclaiming to the classic scholar the Nation from whence they arose tc life and beauty. Even the horizontal and curved lines of Archi- tecture have their especial records ; for they state the time in the history of the Arts, when they were erected, even without a sculptured cipher; — for the level lines of the Cyclopean and Egyptian walls, with their attendant apertures, give certain knowledge that they were erected before the principle of the Grecian arch was known or practised. Sculpture has a more harmonious voice than that of her stern consort ; — the graceful bride, whose rock- ribbed cradle amid the Parian hills — whose virgin youth reposed upon the halcyon marble of Pentelicus, has a voice of warm, yet chaste simplicity, — her tones are as sweet, as from lips first nourished on Hymettus' Hill; yet at times they speak with all the solemnity of her consort, around whom she fondly clings, as the ivy around the oak ; and like that plant and tree, the sculpture-vine preserves for ages the character of the marble monarch of the Arts, even after his broad- VOL. I. D 34 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. iv., § i. spreading authority has been broken and humbled to the earth by Time and Desolation; or these two de- stroying powers may be viewed as the Eegan and the Goneril, while Architecture is the Lear, and Sculpture the Cordelia of the Arts ! Even as a note of music struck from a chord of Nature vibrates to the heart, in like manner does the voice of Sculpture reach and echo around the walls of Life: it is Poetry's diapason — it speaks of God and His works — of Man in his intellect and glory — of Woman in her charity and beauty: it speaks a lan- guage which the unlettered may translate, while to her more subdued or secret tones, the disciples of her heavenly power have but to listen, or behold her action of utterance, as developed in her free or dra- pered limbs, to give the history of her thoughts ; nor have those thoughts or attitudes, chaste as the marble they inhabit, ever been conquered by lust or luxury, — that unworthy conquest was reserved for the false disciples of her faith, yet not over herself, but her fair handmaid — Painting. But Architecture and Sculp- ture have lived on — severe and chaste, stern and grace- ful, majestic and beautiful — as when they were first created from the Eden of the mind ! No sword of wrath has driven them forth to wander as outcasts; but as Messengers of Peace they have visited every clime ; they have raised their temples and cities in every land, subjected to one power only — the insatiate monster of the earth, Time — the twin-born with Creation, and who will be the last mourner of Nature book l, ch. iv., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 35 and her name ! Yet even when their children have been struck down — like Niobe's, by the shafts of fate — still how beautiful in Ruins ! Although prostrate upon the earth, yet even in death, they have voices as speaking from the tomb : — but the Parents still live on, ever young and immortal, and can point to the proud remains of their fallen Children, and with the voice of historic truth proclaim their fadeless epitaph and character. Egypt ! My first-born and consort of the Nile ! — ■ while thy Pyramids and Temples shall remain — and they will even to the final tempest of the World — thou shalt be identified from among all the nations of the Earth! Athens !— My favourite daughter ! Until the Kock of the Acropolis shall fall, — thy classic beauties, — ■ around which have gleamed the meridian splendour of the mind, will proclaim that Minerva, Plato, Pe- ricles, and Phidias, were thy own ! Palmyra ! — My third joy ! Although the wild Arab sleeps within thy roofless dwelling, with the whirling sands for his nightly mantle — yet, while thy Porticoes, Arches, and Colonnades shall be seen, the City of the Desert will live in Memory; for the Spirits of Longinus and Zenobia will be there ! Eome ! — My Warrior Son ! Thy ancient glory lives in the recorded evidences of thy Parent's Art; for amid the ruined columns of thy Forum glide the spectral forms of Romulus, Junius, Virginius, Brutus, d 2 36 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [bock i., ch. iv., § r. Cato, and of Cicero! Through thy Arches move those of Septimus, Yespasian, Titus, and of Constan- tine ! — And dost thou not speak to all the world from the solemn historic voice of thy giant Coliseum? But beyond all this, from the ashes of thy former magnifi- cence — like the Phoenix upon the spot of Martyrdom, thou hast risen in double splendour to the Glory of the Saviour and the Faith of an Apostle ; and to the triple-fame of Bramante, Raphael, and Angelo ! These are the still-living metropolitan records of by- gone days — from the Heathen to the Christian — they cannot be rejected — from them we trace and prove the asras of the world. Sculpture has also her own prerogative, apart and separate from her Lord, as a dower-right, a jointure power of instruction; and what immortal pupils has she not produced ? They stand as the models of art and intellect — each unapproached — solitary and beau- tiful, — the human eye contemplates them with the chaste wonder of Creation's daughter — Eve, when from the banks of Eden's limpid waters, she first gazed upon the mirrored image of herself! The Jupiter of Elias, — the Minerva and the Triple-Fates of the Par- thenon, — the Medicean Venus and her sister of the Bath, — the gentle Antinous, — the Athenian Phocian, — The Pythonian Victor — Sun-clad Apollo, — the Ser- pent-strangled Priest and Sons of Troy, all speak the intellectual power of their mistress: and even the poor Roman captive — the death-struck Gladiator — has book l, ch. iv., § l] ANCIENT AMERICA. 37 been raised by her magic wand from the sandy death- bed of the Coliseum, to live on, unconquered to all posterity ! Sculpture is a title not only applicable to statuary, but to every kind of architectural stone-ornament, and in every stage towards its completion — from the rough- quarried block to the polished marbles of the frieze and pediment: this being admitted, how vast and almost unlimited is the field for historic contemplation! The Antiquary when he removes the trodden earth from the mouldering tomb to trace the deeds of heroes : or from an antique Gem or Medal, raises to light from beneath the dark dust of ages, the bold outline of an im- perial head : or, when within the lava-coloured city, a hidden statue from beneath the veil of centuries bursts upon his bewildered sight, he still remembers that Sculpture was the creative power. The traveller who pauses in silent wonder as he views the Egyptian Pyramids (blocks of stone raised to perpetuate a name- less king), turns with redoubled pleasure to contemplate the sculptured marble of Tentyra — in the sight of whose shrines the followers of Napoleon felt amply repaid " for the dangers they had passed." Although the Assyrian Kings have for ages been covered with the sands of their desert, and the wandering Arab sleeps unmolested in the shade of Palmyra's columns, unconscious of his mighty mansion, yet her temples and porticoes speak loudly for the living truth of his- toric marble. Greece ! — the wonder of the classic age, — the key- 38 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch.iv., § i. stone in the arch of intellect, — owes her glory to Marathon and Salamis, but her living name breathes from the Sculpture of the Acropolis. The proportion given by Ictinus to the body of the Parthenon is fast falling to decay, while the sculptured mantle of Phidias which adorns it adds regality to splendour, and every stone that falls produces but another graceful fold to the gorgeous drapery! Sculpture still preserves Syra- cuse amid the wreck of time, as when Marcellus wept tears of joy at beholding his mighty conquest : it still points out Carthage, the fatherland of Hanni- bal, as when Marius upon a prostrate column mourned her desolation. Mysterious Psestum has no other monument, for her deeds have perished with her re- cords. From Istria to Dalmatia may be traced the historic progress of the art, — the gate of the Sergii, Theatre of Pola, and the Palace of Dioclesian, whose columned wall is mirrored in the Adriatic, all bear convincing testimony. And for ancient Some ! — it is her living history! The Statorian columns of the Forum, lifting high their leafy brows, proclaim the spot where Eomulus checked the bold advance of the Sabine Tatius : the solitary shaft of Corinthian form and grace, gives fame to Phocas : the Ionic columns of Concordia's Temple, proudly point the place where Cicero impeached the blood-stained Catiline ; while the triumvirate columns of the Tonans-Jupiter preserve the imperial name that witnessed the Eedeemek's Birth! The arch of Titus (where the Composite first shone forth) heralds the Conquest of Jerusalem, book i., ch. iv., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 39 — its sculpture, a Jewish basilisk, for none of that nation dare pass beneath its gateway. The arch of Constantine, robed in Sculptured history, records the battle with Maxentius, the first victory beneath the Banner of the Cross, and gained by the Christian Prince after his conversion by the vision of the Holy-sign ! The column of Antoninus still preserves the deeds of the philosophic Marcus ; and while the equestrian statue of the Capitoline Hill presents the figure of Aurelius, the grouped trophies of Marius make known the conquest of the Cimbri ! The column of Tra- janus blazons forth the wars of the Dacii, thereby transmitting to all ages the costume and weapons of the captives, and of the imperial victors. The circular and columned edifice speaks of Yesta, — her Virgins, and the heathen's perpetual altar-flame : the giant arches near the Forum, of a Temple to the God of Peace, while the earth-buried palace of the Esquiline contained the moving form of that Son of War, who fell beneath the patriot blow of Brutus ! The Pan- theon, — the Pyramid, — and the Tower, — perpetuate Agrippa, Cestius, and Mgetella's fame ! The triple- monument of the Appian-Way, tells the historic tale of the first victory that consolidated Borne in early freedom, — it speaks of the Curiatian Brothers who fell for Alba, — of the Horatii that fell for Borne : — the classic eye in viewing those time-honoured tombs looks through a vista of near three thousand years, — it gazes upon the Horatian triumph and his spoils, — it sees a widowed sister's upraised hands in malediction, 40 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. iv. 5 § r. — it beholds that sister's death from a brother's patriot sword ! A sculptured frieze and cornice upon a lone pilastered house, in the most humble street of Eome, speak to the passer-by that within those shattered walls once dwelt the "Last of the Tribunes," Petrarch's friend — renowned Eienzi ! Then the blood-ce- mented Coliseum ! It is an history within itself! Commencing with its founders, Yespasian and Titus, and its builders, the poor captives from Jerusalem, — it encloses all the savage and succeeding emperors whose mantles of coronation were there dyed in human gore ! Domitian, Commodus, Valerian, and the long line of insatiate murderers of the early Christians ! And even Trajan suffered the sands of that arena to receive the mangled body of an Apostle's Minister, — Ignatius of Antioch, — who died like Polycarp of Smyrna, for that Faith which claimed death in cruel torments rather than Apostacy, — from whose lips may have passed the same sentiment as from his successor in martyrdom : " Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no injury : how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour ?" Architec- ture erected the Coliseum, but Sculpture like a funeral pall, mantles this human slaughterhouse of Eome; — not a stone of which, from the base to the ruined cornice, but has an historic voice that speaks, as from the Arimathean Sepulchre of our Eeligion, of the final Eesurrection of those early martyrs to the Faith of Christ J The humble gravestone of the village churchyard book i., ch. iv., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 41 is received as legal evidence of death, — it speaks a name, a date, and burial, — the Acropolis, as the tomb of Athens, can do no more, save that it is the record of a nation's downfall, and not a peasant's. Sculpture can speak even of the Keligious mind of the deceased, — bring it to memory, and instruct us as to the means whereby the departed attained his hope of Salvation, —it presents the transparent medium through which he gazed upon futurity, and believed in his approach to God : for the Cross or Crescent upon a tombstone, needs no other language to inform the passer-by, that the departed was a follower of Christ or Mahomet ! If then the mind of a solitary corpse can, as it were again be vivified, by merely contemplating the sculptured emblem of the dead, and that from a single gravestone, may not entire nations be historically resuscitated, when the human eye and mind are brought to gaze upon, and investigate whole Cities of Euins, with their sculptured Temples, Tombs, and Palaces ? Yes ! though they should be found amid the darkened forests of the Western Continent, where the panther and beasts of prey were thought alone to dwell. Yes ! Palenque, Copan, Chiapas, and their muraled sisters, have historic voices for posterity from their " cities of the dead," the Pompeii and the Herculaneii of the Western Hemisphere, — yet more aged and venerable than even those victims of Vesu- vius ! Architecture and Sculpture then claim the right to 42 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. iv., § n. be received as undeniable evidences of historical re- cord ; and, as such, those two branches of the Fine Arts will be admitted by the reader in support, and in illustration of the Epoch now under investigation. Ictinus, Phidias, and Praxiteles, — Bramante, Jones, and Wren, — Canova, Chantrey, and Greenough, may justly be regarded as historians ; for from the volumes of their art, events and geras can be traced and esta- blished. SECTION II. PAINTING. Painting, — the most beautiful in the triumvirate of the Arts, proudly follows Sculpture in her classic path, — the precedence only yielded as to one of elder birth, who attired in her snow-white raiment marches for- ward with majestic step, casting her shadow to the confines of History; while her graceful follower, clad in the rainbow-tinted garments, and having no shadow of herself, receives her coloured brilliancy from the glowing Sun of Genius, and thence in gratitude reflects back her pictorial light to illuminate the mind ! This delightful art may be defined to be a species of poetic and historic writing, and subservient to the same ends — the expression of ideas and events — of Nature and her children. It bears resemblance to the diamond in the dark recesses of the earth, which by its own innate quality emits sparkling rays of light, thereby not only book i., ch. iv., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 43 discovering its own splendour, but giving a lustre to obscurity. Painting has her direct claims to be received as authority for past events and records, and in illustra- tion may be cited the Life and History of the Saviour. The pictorial art alone was for centuries the only re- cord whereby the mass of the people could read that Sacred Life. The cross upon the banners, shields, and pennons of the Crusaders, spoke to the Christian heart, even above the din of arms or the yell of battle. When the Latin was the general tongue of prayer and preach- ing, the pictorial art sprung into life with redoubled power; and from the painting above the altar, repre- senting the Crucifixion, the people learned that Christ suffered, — it alone reached the heart and understand- ing, while the Latin language reached only the ears of the unlettered. Has not the Life of the Redeemer been traced through every event by the painter's magic art ? The Annunciation, Nativity, Disputation in the Temple, Healing the Sick and the Blind, Last Supper and Sacrament, Rejection by Pilate, Crucifixion, and the Resurrection and Transfiguration, are the pictorial Volumes of our religion. Angelo, De Yinci, Raphael, Murillo, Rubens, and West, were as essentially histo- rians of sacred events, — as Plutarch, Livy, Tacitus, Gibbon, Hume, and Robertson, were those of a na- tional and political character. Painting has traced upon the galleries of Versailles the chief events of the French kingdom — of the Em- 44 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. iv., § in. pire and its glory. And in the present day, the new walls of England's Parliament are to be decorated with her deeds of chivalry — sacred to her historic and un- dying fame ! The walls of the American capital contain the im- perishable history of Washington, and the Freedom of the Western Hemisphere ! Paintings then will not be rejected as evidences of events, or of religious and na- tional records. SECTION III. COINS AND MEDALS. These are admitted species of historic evidence, and as lasting ones, perhaps, beyond all others. A series of them is the most certain method of arranging a chronological tablet, and thereby preserving the data of history, mythology, portraits, customs, and art. The reader will excuse the relation of an anecdote, to which may be traced the production of the present work. At the early age of nine years, a small ancient coin came into the accidental possession of the writer ; its stamp and character were enveloped in mystery, and recourse was had to an antiquary to decipher them. The obverse of the coin contained a profile head, and around it the letters AVGVSTVS : on the reverse, a Temple with the doors closed, surmounted by the word PROVIDENTIA. The explanation was as follows : viz. — A coin of Augustus Caesar — the book i., ch. iv., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 45 Temple was that of Janus, the doors of which had been open for nearly two centuries, as emblematical of the continuance of Koman warfare with foreign coun- tries ; but on the coin the doors were closed, and with the word of thanksgiving, were symbolical of univer- sal peace, thus proving that the coin was struck the very year in which the Saviour was born! Thus upon one coin were illustrated the features of the second Roman Emperor, — Mythology, Cessation of War, — the downfall of Brutus and Cassius, — the defeat of Anthony, — and the Birth of Christianity ! This simple incident made so powerful an impression upon the boyhood of the relator, that to it he has always traced the foundation of his Scriptural, Historical, and Poetical studies, together with an enthusiastic devotion to the Fine Arts. The description of the above coin will illustrate the historical intelligence to be derived from their perusal. A medal is an especial mode of recording tributary ho- nour to individuals — literary, civil, or military ; — they become heirlooms in family possessions, and are trans- mitted from sire to son, as absolute records of their ancestors' fame. They are also struck in celebration of national events, and thence become records of a peo- ple. So assured was Napoleon of this, that a series of his medals are a complete history of his victories, from his Consulate to his loss of the Empire ; and that event at Waterloo was recorded by Great Britain upon her medals, for even the soldiers as well as officers. Denon of France, and Wyon of England, are names as ar- 46 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. iv., § iv. tists worthy to record the victories of Napoleon and Wellington. Architecture, Sculpture, Paintings, Coins, and Medals, from the investigation contained in the previous pages (we submit to the judgment of the reader), are esta- blished as authorities for historical records. SECTION IV. ENGRAVED GEMS. This is a branch of the Fine Arts, the most ancient in practice — or that is mentioned in history, sacred or profane ; and although gems are not received like coins or medals, as conclusive proofs of events, yet they cannot be rejected on the score of doubtful antiquity. Seals and signet-rings are of course included in the term " engraved gems," and they bear the heraldic arms of family honours, their names and actions are traceable, and thus they illustrate the chivalric digni- ties of the original owners. The style of ancient art (even without a date to the gem) will carry the in- quiring mind to the sera of the artist, and thence es- tablish at least the century in which they were en- graved. Of the antiquity of gem engraving, the Bible bears conclusive evidence. In the graphic description of the priestly garments of Aaron, [Exodus xxviii.] it states that the shoulder ornaments of the Ephod are to be engraved stones, each containing six of the book i., ch. iv., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 47 names of the Tribes of Israel. " And thou shalt take two onyx stones and grave on them the names of the Children of Israel : six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone? according to their birth. With the work of an en- graver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the Children of Israel," &c. (verses 9, 10, and 11.) Aaron's " breastplate of judgment" was to contain twelve precious stones or gems, each stone to have en- graved upon it the name of a Tribe of Israel. " And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius (£. e. ruby), a topaz, and a carbuncle : this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a figure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jaspar : they shall be set in gold in their enclosings. And the stones shall be with the names of the Children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet : every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes." ( v . 17—21.) The gold mitre for the High Priest is thus described : " And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet — Holiness to the Lord" — (v. 36). From the triplicated sentence in the above quotations — viz., " like the engravings of a signet," it is proved that gem engraving was practised anterior to the time of Aaron, who officiated 1491 48 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i , ch. iv , § iv. years before Christ. The great antiquity, therefore, of sculptured gems, will not be questioned ; and their mottoes, ciphers, or style of art, may speak of a peo- ple, their epochs, or their progress in civilization. In the development of the present work, every branch of the Fine Arts will be brought forward to up- hold and substantiate this Tyrian iEra — they having all obtained in the Western hemisphere previous to the time of Columbus, — which period (anterior to the Genoese, 1492, a. d.) is contemplated by the new his- toric term — Ancient America. book l, ch. v., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 49 CHAPTER V. THE DISCOVERIES OF THE RUINED CITIES IN MEXICAN AME- RICA — THEIR GENERAL CHARACTER AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCALITIES — THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RUINS ANA- LYZED, &C. SECTION I. THE DISCOVERERS AND EXPLORERS OP THE RUINS DATE AND LOCALITY — PAINTINGS MAPS AND CHARTS, &C. In the preceding chapter, it is stated that the Fine Arts will be used as strong evidences towards the de- velopment of this epoch, and that they will be re- ceived as records. They represent what will be wanted in illustrating the Aborigines of the North — viz., the lex scripta — for Sculpture and Paintings must be regarded only as a more concise and impressive man- ner of writing. Since, therefore, Sculpture is one of the powers conjoined with Architecture to enable us to raise our historical edifice, it is necessary to prove the existence of our strength in the country illustrated — to prove that Ancient Cities have been discovered — that temples and palaces have been recovered from the depths of the forest, and that, too, in that part of VOL. I. E 50 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i , ch. v., § i. America now under consideration, having reference to the Aborigines not of the North. These investigations are required for the reader who may not have read " The Incidents of Travel in Central America," and even those that have, will expect an analysis or review of the discovered Ruins ; it is also demanded by the character of this work, for it is essential to establish their existence before they can be produced as wit- nesses to support an historic argument ; and like a legal document, parole evidence will not be received if the document itself can be produced. Paintings also are a portion of the evidence to sus- tain our novel history. The paintings of Mexican America, though rude, contain proofs of progressive ages, whereby facts may be gathered, supported by traditions, to authorize the formation of a chronolo- gical arrangement of events. These pictorial efforts of art are on cloth of unusual thickness, in order to secure stability — for the Mexicans had no other writ- ten records — but, to which may now be added from the late discoveries — Sculpture. The paintings, it has been stated, were rude, and not unlike those of ancient Egypt; and like those of the Nile, a symbol stood for whole sentences, or parts of history, — and does not the same method exist with European art ? A cross re- presents the Crucifixion ! It is in this manner that the paintings of ancient Mexico must be translated. The colouring was far beyond the Egyptian in regard to brilliancy and variety — an important point in prov- ing a Tyrian analogy. book l, ch. v., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 51 The Spaniards, at their conquest of Mexico, burnt in the public market-place, pyramids of paintings, the designs of which are even lost to history; yet many others were subsequently preserved, and now adorn the royal libraries of Bologna, Madrid, and the Vati- can. The National Library of England contains a vellum folio copy of the splendid work by Lord Kings- borough upon these paintings, forming, in the seven volumes, a collection of all the pictorial relics of an- cient Mexico. The skill of the Mexican painters was extended to another branch of writing, in which nautical science claimed a share — viz., Maps and Charts. This import- ant fact will be enlarged upon in the analogies. These few remarks are only inserted in order to sustain a consecutive arrangement of evidence, for the reader must already have known of the existence of these paintings, though not of their novel application. The several discoveries of the ruined cities will now be reviewed and established. In the ancient capital of the Mexican Empire, it has been stated, that the Spaniards acted the character of incendiaries. In 1520, every available specimen of Mexican art was consumed by Cortez and the priests. Paintings, the only manuscripts of the Mexican nation, were de- stroyed, and became a bonfire for the soldiery — every palace and temple of the capital was levelled to the earth, and the foundation of the first cathedral of the invaders was laid with thousands of statues — the idols of the Aborigines. Every vestige of the Mexican re- e 2 52 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § i. cords was supposed to have been consumed, broken, or buried. After a lapse of 270 years, two statues were dug up in the grand plaza of the modern city of Mexico ; but from the interest felt for these religious relics by the poor descendants of the Aborigines, the Spaniards se- cretly buried them, it was said, in the garden-court of a Convent. At the same time (1790) was exhumed a circular piece of sculpture, having reference to the astronomical calendar of the ancient inhabitants. This is still preserved in Mexico, and is quoted, and a draw- ing given by the illustrious Humboldt in his work upon that country : it will be referred to in the ana- logies. A brief review of the discovery of the Euins and their locality will now be required. From a record by Huarros of Guatimala, and that on the authority of Fuentes, the ruins of Copan were known in 1700. Palenque was visited by Del Rio ; and by Dupaix about 1805. In the beginning of the nineteenth century, the scientific Humboldt visited Mexico ; he obtained draw- ings of the ruins of Mitla, in the Province of Oaxaca, and others of a similar character, but especially the terraced-pyramid of Cholula, which he visited. The investigations were published by the same scholastic traveller. At a later period, Uxmal (Yucatan) was explored under a commission of the Spanish Govern- ment by Waldeck ; his work (folio) is most beau- tifully illustrated. In compliment to the nobleman who published the great work on the Ancient Mexican Paintings, he called one of the ruins, The Pyramid of book i., ch. v., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 53 Kingsborough — an anachronism, perhaps, allowable when the motive is considered. Copan was visited by Galindo in 1836; but he lacked the perseverance ne- cessary for a perfect exploration. This latter deside- ratum was fully evinced by Stephens and Catherwood who, in 1839-40, visited and explored all of the above (excepting those seen by Baron Humboldt), and several cities before unknown in general history. As a geographi- calposition, the localities of these dead cities are between the capital of Mexico and the Isthmus of Darien, but chiefly in Guatimala ; on the borders of Yucatan, and on that Peninsula; they therefore occupy the narrow part of the Continent between the two great oceans. A reference to the map of Central America, will aid the following remarks : The river Montagua empties itself into the Bay o Honduras, at or near, Omoa; approaching the source of this river, it branches off to the South, which branch is called Copan Eiver; above the rapids of this branch- river, is situated on the banks the now celebrated ruined City of Copan, over two miles in extant, parel- lel with the stream. Palenque is nearer Mexico. The ruins of Uxmal are in Yucatan. From the Architec- tural characteristics of the edifices, we find no difficulty in arranging the order of their being built, which, with all due respect for the opinion of others', we submit to be as follows : viz.- — first, the city of Copan, then Cho- lula, followed by Quirigua, Tecpan-Guatimala, Quiche , Gueguetinango, Ocosingo, Mitla, Palenque, and lastly, Uxmal: and about the same period of building, the cities of Chi-Chen, Zayi, Kabah, Espita, and Ticol, 54 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § i. — these last being in the Peninsula of Yucatan. Compared with these relics of past centuries, we con- sider the City of Mexico to be of comparatively mo- dern date, at the time of the Spanish conquest (a. r>. 1520). The Kuins necessary to be described for the illustra- tion of our present subject, will be those of Copan, Palenque, and Uxmal; and for this purpose extracts will be quoted from the lately-published work on Cen- tral America, by Mr. Stephens. These extracts will be given as unquestionable authority, and the engrav- ings in the work will be received as accurate represent- ation of the Kuins, and upon which many of our re- sults have been founded. On the subject of their accuracy, the fascinating traveller writes as follows : " I will only remark, that from the beginning our great object and effort was to procure true copies of the originals, adding nothing for effect as pictures. Mr. Catherwood made the outline of all the drawings with the camera lucida and divided his paper into sections, so as to preserve the utmost accuracy of pro- portion. The engravings were made with the same regard to truth, from drawings reduced by Mr. C. him- self — the originals being also in the hands of the en- graver. Proofs of every plate were given to Mr. C, who made such corrections as were necessary: and in my opinion they are as true copies as can be pre- sented; and except the stones themselves the reader cannot have better materials for speculation and study' 1 Though this candid traveller acknowledges not to book i., ch. v., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 55 know the principles of Architecture, or the rules of Art, and when in Egypt amused himself by mutilating a statue of bis,* yet when he came in sight of buried cities in his own country, before unknown to the his- tory of the world, the Sculpture of which is " as fine as that of Egypt," — feelings he must have had of which no man would rob him, — reputation by being the explorer, of which an enemy would not attempt to deprive him,,— and although we are not selfish enough to covet his reputation, yet we are candid enough to admit that we have, from the heart, envied him his feelings ! He has given indeed by his pen, and the artist by his pencil, a reflection of the Euins, but it is from a mirror of polished ebony, simply a facsimile resem- blance, — light and shade only, — a specimen of Da- guerreotype ! No one can mistake the rapid manner in which the true copy is impressed upon the mind, and that by the most easy and agreeable means — viz., the fascination of his style ; but the colouring of life is not there, — the Soul of History is wanting! The Promethean spark by which the flame of historic truth should illuminate his work, and be viewed as a gleaming beacon from afar, to direct wanderers through the dark night of wonders, has found no spot to rest upon and to vivify ! But this he has done, — he has brought the timbers of the historic bark to view : — research must build, and science place the rudder ; the pilot, constant as the northern star ; en- * Vide J. L. Stephens's Travels in Egypt, &c. 56 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. v., § r. thusiasm must drive her before the wind, every sail set, fore and aft, aloft, abroad and full, and it will be strange indeed if that spark will not be found upon Truth's phosphoric sea ! If these Kuins can be identified with a nation of the ancient world, — ancient world ? — the first word is superfluous now, for these discoveries have destroyed the opposite phrase, — new world ; — that expression will belong hereafter to England and parts of Europe, not America ; for the former date from the first Csesar, — the latter, if we err not, from an older and a greater conqueror ! If, we say, these Euins can be identified with a country of Asia, and of " the olden time," we shall have no regret for having turned shipwright to aid the discovery of that nation ; and if our classic galley should founder ere we reach " the point proposed," we shall at least struggle in the buoyant waves of hope and pleasure, our light heart floating above the waters of disappointment ; and with joyous pride will we hail those who in passing by have found and steered a truer track ! First will be given a description of such parts of the great Euins as may be necessary in the author's own words, with such commentaries as may be required by the narration : then will follow Mr. Stephens's reflec- tions upon all the Euins ; his arguments will be met, his errors detected, his contradictions investigated, and thereupon we shall endeavour (at least) to completely refute his deductions and conclusions. book i., ch. v., § II.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 57 SECTION II. THE RUINS OF COPAN. " They are in the district of country now known as the state of Honduras, one of the most fertile valleys of Central America." Their precise locality was stated in the last section, with the exception that their distance from the sea is about " three hundred miles." - ■ The Copan river is not navigable, even for canoes, except for a short distance in the rainy season." This is a description of the Eiver now (1843), and not as it may have appeared at the time of erecting the edifices. " Falls intercept its course before it empties into the Montagua." As a principle of military defence the site was well chosen, for the barrier of the falls would prevent the approach of an enemy to the city by the river from the Atlantic. " The extent of the Euins along the river, as ascer- tained by monuments still found, is more than two miles. There is one monument (or ruin) on the oppo- site side of the river, at the distance of a mile, on the top of a mountain two thousand feet high. "Whether the city ever crossed the river, and extended to that monument it is impossible to say ; I believe not." So do we, — and that belief instructs us in the seem- ing fact of another means of military defence ; for from the locality and height of the mountain it is almost evident that the " monument" was used as a watch- 58 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. v., § n. tower, and consequently from that elevated point a complete view was obtained of all the approaches to the city. These facts illustrate (seemingly at least) that the Aborigines had a knowledge of military secu- rity as well as that of architecture ; and as we believe that Copan was the first city built in the Western Hemisphere, these considerations will be of importance in identifying. The reader will understand (" once for all") that no hint, even the most remote, is de- rived from Mr. Stephens's work (or any other) towards the formation of our Theory, or the establishing of this Epoch, — on the contrary, he distinctly asserts (vol. ii., p. 442), " I shall not attempt to inquire into the origin of this people, from what country they came, or when, or how ; I shall confine myself to their works and their ruins." Our artistical or historical comments, good, bad, or indifferent, are our own, and accompany the quotations for the purpose of supporting the Analogies in a sub- sequent chapter. The italicised and bracketed words the reader will give especial attention to ; — as we have so expressed them for facility in illustrating. " There are no remains in Copan of palaces or pri- vate dwellings, and the principal part (of the ruins) is that which stands on the bank of the river, and may perhaps with propriety be called the Temple. The Temple is an oblong enclosure. The front or river- wall (' stone and nearly one hundred feet high, vol. i., p. 95) extends on a right line, North and South, six hundred and twenty -four feet, and it is from sixty to book i. } ch. v., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 59 ninety feet in height." The difference in height arising from several parts having fallen. "It (the river- wall) is made of cut stone, from three to six feet in length, and a foot and a half in breadth. In many- places the stones have been thrown down by bushes growing out of the crevices. The other three sides consist of ranges of steps and pyramidal structures, rising from thirty, to one hundred and forty feet on a slope. The whole line of survey (of this Temple) is two thousand eight hundred and sixty -six feet, which though gigantic and extraordinary for a ruined struc- ture of the Aborigines, that the reader's imagination may not mislead him, I consider it necessary to say, is not so large as the great (Egyptian) Pyramid of Ghizeh." We certainly do not desire to be misled, or our readers either, — therefore, at once, will be compared the measurements of the pyro-temple of Copan, and the Pyramid of Egypt. Lee Bruyn gives the base side of the great edifice of the Nile at 750 feet. Greaves states it to be 693 feet ; the difference be- tween these computations is fifty-seven feet, which divided for an average, and added to the lesser sum, will shew one side to be 721 feet (and a fraction), which multiplied by four, the sum total of the entire square base will be 2884 feet, — that of Copan — viz., 2866 feet, will leave only a difference between the great Pyramidal Edifices in Egypt and Copan of eighteen feet ! but from diversity in measurement they may be viewed as the fac-similes of each other 60 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § n. in regard to the base. This cannot be accidental. Taking Greaves's numbers, each side 693x4 = 2772 feet. Stephens's sum total of Copan is 2866, leaving an increase in size over that of the Egyptian of ninety-four feet ! Mr. Stephens may, perhaps, have forgotten the measurements in Egypt, although he has travelled there ; but we shall have occasion to refer to the ingenious manner in which he endeavours to stay the " imagination" of his readers upon the subject of all the Ruins. The comparative measurements have been brought forward, that the reader may not be misled in reading this work. Another singular coincidence (we may remark) oc- curs in the measurement of the terraced-pyramid at Mexican Cholula; the base of that is 5760 feet! — now the base of the Egyptian, as shewn above, is 2884 feet only ; this sum multiplied by two, produces a sum total of 5768 ; a difference only of eight feet, would make the Pyramid of Cholula exactly twice as large as that of Egypt. An error may have occurred in reference to the eight feet — for in so large a measurement, and by different authors, it is but natural that an error might arise, and consequently these bases., as to size, cannot be viewed as accidental. " Near the South-west corner of the river- wall, and the South-wall, is a recess, which was probably once occupied by a colossal monument fronting the water — -■ no part of which is now visible. Beyond are the re- mains of two small pyramidal structures, to the book l, ch. v., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 61 largest of which is attached a wall running along the west bank of the river. This appears to have been one of the principal walls of the city, and between the two pyramids there seems to have been a gateway or principal entrance from the water. The South wall runs at right angles to the river, beginning with a range of steps about thirty feet high, and each step about eighteen inches square. At the South-east cor- ner is a massive pyramidal structure one hundred and twenty feet high on the slope. On the right are other remains of terraces and pyramidal buildings ■, and here, also, was probably a gateway, by a passage about twenty feet wide, into a quadrangular area two hun- dred and fifty feet square, two sides of which are mas- sive pyramids one hundred and twenty feet on the slope. At the foot of these structures, and at different parts of the quadrangular area, are numerous remains of sculpture, especially a colossal monument, richly sculptured, fallen and ruined. Behind it fragments of sculpture, thrown down from their places by trees, are strewed and lying loose on the side of the pyramid, from the base to the top. ' Idols' give a peculiar cha- racter to the ruins of Copan. One stands with its face to the East [i. e. to the Eising Sun] about six feet from the base of the pyramidal wall. It is thirteen feet high, four feet in front and back, and three feet on the sides [i. e. four-sided column] sculptured on all four of its sides, from the base to the top, and one of the richest and most elaborate specimens in the whole extent of ruins. Originally, it was painted, the marks 62 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. v., § ir. of red colour being distinctly visible. Before it at the distance of about eight feet, is a large block of sculp- tured stone, which the Indians call an altar. The subject of the front [t. e. of the Idol-obelisk] is a full- length figure, the face wanting beard, and of a femi- nine cast, though the dress seems that of a man. On the two sides are rows of hieroglyphics \i. e. the sa- cred or religious language] which probably recite the history of this mysterious personage. Following the wall, is another monument or idol of the same size, and in many respects similar. The character of this image as it stands at the foot of the pyramidal struc- ture, with masses of fallen stone [ruins] resting against its base, is grand, and it would be difficult to exceed the richness of the ornament and sharpness of the sculpture. This, too, was painted, and the red is still distinctly visible. The whole quadrangle is overgrown with trees, and interspersed with fragments of fine sculpture, particularly on the East side \i. e. to the Rising Sun.] At the North-east corner is a narrow passage, which was probably a third gateway. On the right is a confused range of terraces running off into the forest. Turning Northward, the range to the left-hand continues a high massive pyramidal struc- ture, with trees growing out of it to the very top. At a short distance is a detached pyramid about fifty feet square, and thirty feet high. The range of structures turns at right angles to the left, and runs to the river, joining the other extremity of the wall, at which we began our survey. The bank was elevated about thirty book t, ch. v., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 63 feet above the river, and had been protected by a wall of stone, most of which had fallen down." The city-wall on the river-side, with its raised bank, and making allowances for what had fallen from the top of the great wall, must then have ranged from one hundred and thirty, to one hundred and fifty feet in height ! " There was no entire pyramid, but at most two or three pyramidal sides, and then joined on to terraces or other structures of the same kind." The first line of this last quotation is distinctly con- tradicted a few lines before it — for he says, " At a short distance is a detached pyramid about fifty feet square? Therefore this is an " entire pyramid." That of Cholula stands " solitary and alone" in a large plain, and there, at least, is an " entire pyramid," so far as its base and sides are considered. " Beyond the wall of enclosure were walls, terraces, and pyramidal elevations running off into the forest, which sometimes confused us. Probably the whole was not erected at the same time, but additions were made, and statues erected by different kings, or perhaps in commemoration of important events in the history of the city. Along the whole line were ranges of steps with pyramidal elevations, probably crowned on the top with buildings or altars, now in ruins. All these steps and the pyramidal sides were painted [red], and the reader may imagine the effect when the whole country was clear of forest, and priests and people 64 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch., v. § n. were ascending from the outside of the terraces, and thence to the holy places within to pay their adoration in the Temple. " Within this enclosure are two rectangular court- yards, having ranges of steps ascending to terraces. The area of each is about forty feet from the river. On one side at the foot of the pyramidal wall is an- other monument or idol. [i. e. sculptured obelisk]. It is about the same height as the others (in all four- teen), but differs in shape, being larger at top than below. Its appearance and character are tasteful and pleasing." We desire to call the particular attention of the reader to the following piece of sculpture, as it will hold a conspicuous position as we advance in this volume. "Near this [idol last mentioned] is a remarkable altar j which perhaps presents as curious a subject for speculation as any monument at Copan. The altars, like the idols, are all of a single block of stone. In general, they are not so richly ornamented, and are more faded and worn, or covered with moss. All differed in fashion, and doubtless had some distinct and peculiar reference to the idols before which they stood." Each of the idols, therefore, had an altar before it, and each of the altars had its relative idol, except the one about to be described. " This altar stands on four globes (?) cut out of the book i., ch. v., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 65 same stone : the sculpture is in bas-relief, and it is the only specimen of that kind of sculpture found at Co- pan, all the rest being in bold alto-relievo." By a reference to the map for its locality, we find that it is situated nearly in the very centre of the vast Temple. This, together with its being alone, unasso- ciated with an Idol — the sculpture being entirely different, and " the only specimen" found there, all the others being in alto, but this in basso — (a proof of its greater antiquity) — the very stone seems to find a voice to proclaim that it was the Chief Altar of Co- pan. It may be " a curious subject," but certainly does not require much " speculation" to form a conclusion. The description of the detail of the sculpture seems to furnish another reason for believing it to be the prin- cipal Altar. "It is six feet square, and four feet high; and the top is divided into thirty-six tablets [or squares] of hieroglyphics, which beyond doubt record some event in the history of the mysterious people who once in- habited the city." This we distinctly believe ; and that the sculpture about to be described, translates the hieroglyphics, and those being translated, the " event in the history" is then arrived at. Whether we have accomplished this or not, the reader will judge as he proceeds, — for we have looked upon this Chief Altar as the " Rosetta- stone" of the ruins — the Key-stone in the arch of mys- tery. " Each side of the altar represents four individuals. VOL. I. F 66 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book, l, ch. v., § n. On the West-side are the two principal personages, chiefs, or warriors, with their faces opposite to each other, and apparently engaged in argument or negotia- tion. The other fourteen (figures) are divided into two equal parties, and seem to be following their lea- ders. Each of the two principal figures is seated cross- legged, in the Oriental fashion, on an hieroglyphic, which probably designated his name and office, or cha- racter ; and on two of which the Serpent forms part." The description reads " three," the engraving shews only two Serpents ; the later will be received as cor- rect, from the accuracy ascribed to the drawings by Mr. Stephens, and already quoted. " Between the two principal personages, is a remark- able cartouche, containing two hieroglyphics, well pre- served, which reminded us strongly of the Egyptian method of giving the names of the kings and heroes in whose honour monuments were erected. The head- dresses are remarkable for their curious and compli- cated form. The figures have all breastplates, and one of the two principal characters holds in his hand an instrument, which perhaps may be considered a sceptre, — each of the others holds an object, which can be only (?) a subject for speculation and conjecture." We believe them to be (judging from the engrav- ings) spiral shells ; the application will be found in the important chapter devoted to the Analogies. " It [the " object"] may be a weapon of war, and if so, it is the only thing of the kind found at Copan. In boo* I., ch. v., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 67 other countries, battle scenes, warriors, and weapons of war are among the most prominent subjects of sculpture ; and from the entire absence of them here, there is reason to believe, that the people were not warlike, but peaceable and easily subdued." Are not the Sculptures, the Idols, and Altars, the ornaments of a Temple? — and as a consequence, should be devoid of the weapons of war. A false conclusion is arrived at by Mr. Stephens, when, from the absence of battle-axes, shields, and helms, in a Religious Temple, it must follow as a necessity, that those worshipping there, must be devoid of courage. Our own Altars might be so regarded if his reasoning was admitted, yet few persons would have the temerity to say, because the Christian Altars are devoid of war- like weapons, that the Anglo-Saxon race are " easily subdued." The hands that built those Temples on the Western Continent, could also defend them. The military po- sition and strength of Copan, prove the builders to be of a race far from cowards, and not easily to be con- quered. In these remarks we would not confound the previous distinction drawn between the courage of these Aborigines and those of the North. The Mex- icans were courageous in quick assault, but had not the indomitable endurance and persevering fortitude of the Northerns. Enough has been quoted concerning the ruins of Copan ; yet it should be stated, that among those f 2 6S ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. v., § n. ruins was found a sculptured Tortoise, — this will be referred to in the Analogies. As a summary of the ruins of Copan, they are of sculptured stone, with the absence of stucco ; but py- ramidal structures and bases; no circular columns, but square or four-sided obelisks, or Idols ; Sculptured Altars ; flights of steps forming pyramidal slopes, but only on three sides, excepting in one instance, and all these bearing distinct testimony of having been painted or dyed with " a red colour ;" a perpendicular wall nearly one hundred feet in height ; and the sculpture is not only rich in detail, but finely executed. At Copan there is no vestige of wooden beams or lintels in or about the ruins, and no appearance of a roof of any description. The arch is no where found, or any thing indicating that its principle was known to the Copanians. The absence of all metal is another singular feature. The quarry from whence the stone was taken, is about two miles distant from the Temple; and the suppo- sition of Mr. Stephens seems probable — viz., that from the discovery of Jlint-stoTie, and of the hardest descrip- tion, the softer stone composing the Altars and Idols, was cut with this flint in lieu of metal. Every thing seems to denote the great antiquity of these ruins over those of any of the other Cities ; for it will be shewn that they had a knowledge of the use of metal, and that they had found it. At Ocosingo there is a wooden beam, and at Palenque; and at Uxmal, all the lintels book l, ch. v., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 69 of the doors are of wood, and so hard is its character that a sharp knife will turn its edge upon it, as if drawn vertically upon a bar of rough steel or iron. There- fore from the facts contained in this summary, together with the " event in the history" of the Chief Altar, and yet to be given, — we have placed Copan as the most ancient, and, as far as discovered, the first architectural City built on the Western Continent. There is one description at Copan which will be reserved for the purpose of refuting (in the subsequent pages) one of Mr. Stephens's conclusions, as expressed in his Reflections upon the collective Ruins of these Cities, " whose antiquity," in the language of the Pro- phet, " is of ancient days." SECTION III. THE RUINS OF PAEENQUE. Palenque is situated in the Province of Tzendales, Mexican America. At the distance of about eight miles from the modern village of Palenque, the now celebrated Ruins are located. They are called the Ruins of Palenque from the name of the nearest vil- lage, and not from any history of their own : — like the field of Waterloo — it has given renown to an humble village adjacent. The name, therefore, of "Palen- que," can be of no assistance in unfolding the history of these Ruins, — for the original name of the now de- solate Temples and Palaces, has been for centuries lost and buried with its fate. Mr. Stephens writes— 70 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § in. " At half-past seven we left the village. For a short distance the road was open, but very soon we entered a forest, which continued unbroken to the Euins, and probably many miles beyond. All the wreck of Em- pires, — nothing ever spoke so forcibly the world's mutations, as this immense forest shrouding what was once a great city. Once it had been a great highway, thronging with people who were stimulated by the same passions that give impulse to human action now; and they are all gone, their habitation buried, and no traces of them left. Fording this (river Otula) very soon we saw masses of stones, and then a round sculptured stone. We spurred up a sharp ascent of fragments, so steep that the mules could barely climb it, to a terrace, so covered, like the whole road, with trees, that it was impossible to make out the form. Con- tinuing on this terrace, we stopped at the foot of the second, and through openings in the trees we saw the front of a large building, richly ornamented with stuc- coed figures on the pilasters, curious and elegant ; trees growing close against them, and their branches entering the doors ; in style and effect unique, extraor- dinary and mournfully beautiful. We tied our mules to the trees, and ascended a flight of stone steps, forced apart, and thrown down by trees, and entered the Palace, ranged for a few moments along the corridor, and into the courtyard ; and after the first gaze of eager curiosity was over, went back to the entrance, and standing in the doorway, fired a feu de joie of four rounds each, being the last charge of our fire-arms- book i., ch. v., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 71 But for this way of giving vent to our satisfaction, we should have made the roof of the old Palace ring with a hurrah ! We had reached the end of our long and toilsome journey, and the first glance indemnified us for our toil. For the time, we were in a building erected by the Aboriginal inhabitants ; standing before the ^Europeans knew of the existence of this Conti- nent ; and we prepared to take up our abode under its roof — the sole tenants of the Palace of unknown Kings." The reader will excuse the preceding introduction — its graphic style will find its own apology; and though not descriptive of the Ruins, yet the approach to them seems to form a part of this historical Romance of the Wilderness. " As at Copan, it was my business to prepare the different objects for Mr. Gather wood to draw. Many of the stones had to be scrubbed and cleansed; and as it was our object to have the utmost possible accuracy in the drawings, in many places scaffolds were to be erected, on which to set up the earner a-lucida. That the reader may know the character of the objects we had to interest us, I proceed to give a description of the building in which we lived, called the Palace. It stands on an artificial elevation of an oblong form forty feet high, three hundred and ten in front and rear, and two hundred and sixty feet on each side." Here, then, is distinctly stated — a"pyramidal elevation having four sides, and detached from any other struc- ture. Its measurement around the base is 1140 feet I 72 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § in. " This elevation was formerly faced with stone, which lias been thrown down by the growth of trees, and its form is hardly distinguishable. The building [we say Temple — not Palace,] stands (on this pyra- midal elevation) with its face to the East, and mea- sures two hundred feet front, by one hundred and eighty feet deep. Its height is not more than twenty- five feet, and all around it had a broad projecting cornice of stone. The front contained fourteen door- ways, about nine feet wide each, and the intervening piers [i. e. square columns] are between six and seven feet wide. On the left (in approaching the palace) eight piers have fallen down, and as also the corner on the right, and the terrace underneath is cumbered with ruins. But six piers remain entire, and the rest of the front is open. The building was constructed of stone, with a mortar of lime and sand, and the whole front was covered with stucco and painted." We believe this last manner (stuccoing) to have been ages after the original structure was erected, and for the purpose of promulgating a new Keligion. This im- portant point will be investigated in a subsequent vo- lume. It is only remarked here, that the reader may not be perplexed at stone being covered with stuccoi since in building, ancient or modern, it was only usual to cover bricks with plaister or stucco. " The piers were ornamented with spirited figures [in stucco] in bas-relief. On the top of one are three hieroglyphics sunk in the stucco. It is enclosed by a richly ornamented border, about ten feet high and six book i., ch. v., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 73 wide, of which only a part remains. The stucco is of admirable consistency, and hard as stone. It was painted, [stained ?] and in different places about, we discovered the remains of red, blue, yellow, black, and white' 1 "We have already called this edifice the Temple, believing it not to have been originally a palace. This distinction is nearly defined from the fact that hiero- glyphics are found upon the edifice : for hieroglyphics (i. e., sacred and symbolical writing) constitute the Eeligious language of nearly all the ancient nations, — but of Egypt especially. The language of Eehgion and the Hieratic (that of the priests) were placed upon the sacred edifices, and being so placed, proved them to be Temples. Those languages were, also, painted upon mummy-cloths and coffins, or sculptured upon the outward granite Sarcophagii, — the Egyptians holding the rights of Sepulture in the most sacred estimation ; for those rights were only granted upon a public in- vestigation of the character of the deceased, and a general verdict in his favour. This post-mortem examination of character even the king was not ex- empt from, and the poorest subject of Egypt could bring his accusation against the deceased monarch, with the privilege of sustaining his charges by facts and argument, — for by the laws of Egypt every Egyptian was considered equal and noble with his countrymen, — Character and Talent being the only distinctions to entitle the deceased to sepulture, and 74 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § m. the hieroglyphical inscriptions to perpetuate a name. The King of Egypt might (and it was a custom) build his own monument and Sarcophagus, inscribe them with his victories and virtues ; but his body (after death) would not be placed within, unless at the public ordeal upon his life and character the People should grant permission. If such a custom obtained at the present day, how many lying tombstones and monumental effigies would escape the charge of falsehood ; and how many unre- corded possessors of talent and character, would breathe in marble for the imitation of their posterity ! The Enchorial language (i. e. the common or spoken) was not placed (alone) on sacred edifices : therefore its absence on a building almost demonstrates that building to have been erected and adorned for sacred purposes. t Upon this consideration we shall view the great edifice of Palenque, — as the Temple, and not the Palace. And, it might naturally be asked if this is a Palace, where is the Temple ? — for in all ancient nations the Temple of worship was always the grandest edifice of a metropolis : the same custom is still continued in more modern times, — Eome has its St. Peter's, and London its St. Paul's. The hieroglyphics on the Altar and Idols of Copan (vide last Section) in a similar manner demonstrate those sculptures to be of a Religious character, but that fact does not preclude the association of Historical events, — they were so introduced and incorporated by book i., ch. v., § m.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 75 the Egyptians and the ancients, in order to deify those events ; — and by thus rendering a sacristy of cha- racter to the hero, or the glory, to give them both (in their belief) an earthly, or rather a celestial immorta- lity ! Herodotus states (ii. §. 36) that the hieratic (priests) and the demotic (common) were the two written languages of Egypt, — these two were apart from the hieroglyphical or symbolical language. Diodorus Si- culus (iii., § 3) supports his predecessor, and says that the former (hieratic) was used only by the priests, — while the latter (i e. the Enchorial or demotic) was used in common by all the Egyptians, — i. e., that it was the spoken language of the country, and, as already shewn, not used upon sacred edifices. From these facts, derived from ancient custom, may be gathered why the ciphers of the common language of the Mexican Aborigines are not found upon their Temples ; and as a consequence, the absence of the spoken lan- guage upon those Temples proves them (from the ancient custom) to have been erected at a period when that peculiar custom was practised ; and therefore, (apart from other considerations) the time of their erection must be viewed at a remote antiquity. " It (the stucco) was painted, and in different places about we discovered the remains of red, blue, yellow, black, and white." In the language of the Fine Arts " black and white" are not received as colours — they are merely accesso- 76 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [booki., ch. v., § in. ries. Bed, Blue, and Yellow, are the three ; and the only primitive earth-colours, and by their amalgama- tion in certain proportions (aided by the subordinates, black and white) all secondary colours — or tints strictly speaking — are produced. The Rainbow pos- sesses but three primitive colours ; but by their juxta- position and refractions, the purple, orange, green, and violet are produced. Titian painted a picture in which he used only the three primitives ; but taking the Eainbow for his mis- tress in colouring, he so arranged the juxtapositions of the original and " divine three," that the cloud-created Iris might well be jealous of the triple tints of Titian! No greater proof could be given of antiquity, than the discovery that the Mexican Aborigines were ignorant of the art of mixing colours — for the three pri- mitives only, and not the secondary colours — are found upon the Temples. The " Tyrian dye" or purple, was not extracted from the earth, but from the Sea, from a shell-fish, since called the purple mures. For ages it was believed that the Eainbow pos- sessed seven colours. Science has proved that it con- tains but three. Nature has no more: and without even alluding to other religious opinions — the Trinity is even figured in the Eainbow : and the Divine Arch viewed in this figurative manner, has indeed the Eye of the Almighty upon it — the Three in One — it is not only the " Covenant " but the Type of Salvation from the Father to his children! book Li ch. v., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 77 The reader will pardon this slight digression, and the writer makes the following assertion for the inves- tigation of the curious, without any fear of a negative being produced. The conclusion is from many years of observation ; viz., That every thing in Nature of the Animal or the Vegetable kingdom ; the Rainbow and the Elements ; that all the works of Art embraced in the comprehensive term, Architecture (Edificial or Naval) : in the Arch itself and even in Mechanics ; that in all these productions of Nature or Art there are only three grand parts ! And many of those parts contain within themselves three subdivisions. Those subdivisions are only accessories, holding the same relation to the whole, that the secondary colours do to the primitives of the Rainbow. We will give a few illustrations from Nature and Art. For instance, — the Fruit-tree, — the three primitive parts are the roots, trunk, and branches, these are composed of fibrum, sap, and bark; the accessories are the leaves and fruit; the leaf consists of the stalk, fibres, and the web; the . fruit, of the rind, the apple, and the core. The Human form will bear the same test; viz., head, trunk, and limbs — nay/ the very principles of life, brain — lungs, and heart; and also the great combinations in Che- mistry ! The sublime science of Astronomy also supports the conclusion. For the illustration from Art — a Temple. The three grand divisions are the foun- dation, body, and roof; the front of the edifice is in three parts — viz., columns, entablature, and pediment; 78 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book, l, ch. v., § m. these being subdivided, and three parts again appear: 1st a Column, — the shaft, capital, and abacus; 2d, the Entablature, — the architrave, frieze, and cornice; 3d, the Pediment, — the apex, and the two corners, forming a triangle. The triangle is, also, the facial character- istic of a square Pyramid, and its square base contains two triangles; but the true Pyramid contains only three sides, each, with the base, present triangles. If man's efforts in Art have produced by accident the TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO, — we must feel that nothing in Nature can be accidental, and investigation will prove that the Divine " three" pervade all ! We are not aware that the above assertion has ever been made by any author, but we are convinced from years of observation, that although original and startling, it is no less the truth — for being founded in Nature it could not be otherwise. In the third volume this subject will be enlarged upon; for the present we claim the discovery of this great philo- sophical principle — the true active one of Nature and of Art, with the possession of which a man has the key to the arcana of both. The Mexican Aborigines then had, apparently, no knowledge of the art of mixing colours, from which fact a strong proof is gained of their great antiquity. " The piers (i. e. the square columns of the Temple) which are still standing, contained other figures of the same general character, but which unfortunately are book i„ ch. v. 5 § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 79 more mutilated, and from the declivity of the terrace it was difficult to set up the camera lucida in such a position as to draw them. The piers which are fallen were no doubt enriched with the same ornaments. Each one had a specific meaning, and the whole probably presented some allegory or history, and when entire and painted, the effect in ascending the terrace must have been imposing and beautiful." This " allegory or history" we have endeavoured to decipher in the Analogies. The sculpture of this Temple, like the metopes of the Parthenon, should not be viewed in separate parts, but as a whole ; for the parts, like single letters, are useless in themselves, but when placed together in proper and consecutive loca- lities, they instantly express a word, or sentences, and thence convey to the mind the full intelligence of the subject. " The tops of the doorways are all broken. They had evidently been square, and over one were large niches in the wall on each side, in which the lintels had been laid. The lintels had been all fallen, and the stones above formed broken natural arches [angles ?]. Underneath were heaps of rubbish, but there were no remains of lintels. If they had been single slabs of stone, some of them must have been visible and pro- minent, and we made up our minds that the lintels had been of wood, and perhaps we should not have ventured the conclusion, but for the ivooden lintel which we had seen over the doorway at Ocosingo, and by what we saw afterwards in Yucatan (Uxmal), we BO ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § in, were confirmed beyond all doubt in our opinion. I do not conceive, however, that this gives any conclusive data in regard to the age of the buildings. The wood (lintels) if such as we saw in the other places {i. e. Ocosingo and Uxmal) would be very- lasting, its decay must have been extremely slow, and centuries may have elapsed since it perished altoge- ther." The decaying of the lintels at Ocosingo and Pa- lenque, and their existence and preservation at Uxmal enables a data to be formed in reference to the order of their erection; for the non-appearance of any wooden lintels at Copan authorizes the placing of that city first in chronological order, followed by the cities of Ocosingo and Palenque, and from the argument, and the preservation of the wood, Uxmal was built after the foregone. u The building has two parallel corridors running lengthwise on all four of its sides. In front these corridors are about nine feet wide, and extend the whole length of the building, upwards of two hun- dred feet. In the long wall that divides them there is but one door, which is opposite the principal door of entrance, and has a corresponding one on the other side, leading to a courtyard in the rear. The floors are of cement, as hard as the best seen in the remains of Eoman baths and cisterns. -The walls are about ten feet high, — plastered, — and on each side of the principal entrance ornamented with medallions, of which the borders only remain, — these book l, ch. v., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 81 perhaps contained the busts of the Koyal family. The separating-wall had apertures of about a foot, probably intended for purposes of ventilation. The builders were evidently ignorant of the principle of the arch, and the support (ceiling) was made by stones (blocks) lapping over as they rose, as at Ocosingo, and as among the Cyclopean remains in Greece and Italy." * * * * " From the centre door of this corridor a range of stone steps, thirty feet long, leads to a rectangular courtyard, eighty feet long by seventy broad. On each side of the steps are grim and gigantic figures carved on stone in basso relievo, nine or ten feet high, and in a position slightly inclined backward, from the end of the steps to the floor of the corridor. They are adorned with head-dresses and necklaces, but their attitude is that of pain and trouble. The design and anatomical proportion of the figures are faulty, but there is a force of expression about them which shews the skill and conceptive power of the artist. On each side of the courtyard of the Palace (Temple) are divided apartments, probably for sleeping. (?) On the right, the piers have all fallen down. On the left they are still standing and ornamented with stucco figures. In the centre apart- ment, in one of the holes, are the remains of a wooden pole, about a foot long, which once stretched across, but the rest had decayed. It was the only piece of wood (worked) we found at Palenque, and we did not discover this until some time after we had made up our minds in regard to the wooden lintels over the vol. I. G 82 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § in. doors. It was much worm-eaten, and probably in a few years not a vestige will be left. At the farther side of the courtyard was another flight of stone steps, corresponding with those in front, on each side of which are carved figures, and on the flat surface be- tween are single cartouches of hieroglyphics." * * * # * * " In the further corridor the wall was in some places broken, and had sevekal separate coats of plaister and paint. [Proofs of different periods] In one place we counted six layers, each of which had the remains of colours. This corridor opened to a second courtyard, eighty feet long, and but thirty across. The floor of the corridor was ten feet above that of the courtyard, and on the wall underneath were square stones with hieroglyphics sculptured upon them. On the piers were stuccoed figures, but in a ruined con- dition. On the other side of the courtyard were two ranges of corridors, which terminated the building in this direction. The first of them is divided into three apartments, with doors opening from the extremities upon the western corridor. All the piers are standing ex- cepting that on the north-west corner. All are covered with stucco ornaments, and one with hieroglyphics. The rest contain figures in has relief * * * " There are several distinct and independent buildings. [Within the confines of the Temple] The principal of these is the Tower, on the south side of the second court. This Tower is conspicuous by its height and propor- tions : the base is thirty feet square, and it has three stories. Entering over a heap of rubbish at the base, we found within another Tower, distinct from the book i., ch. v., § in.] , ANCIENT AMERICA. 83 outer one, and a stone staircase, so narrow that a large man could not ascend it. The staircase terminates against a dead stone ceiling, closing all further passage. The whole Tower was a substantial stone structure, and in its arrangements and purposes about as incom- prehensible as the sculptured tablets. East of the Tower is another building, with two corridors, one richly decorated with pictures in stucco, and having in the centre an elliptical tablet. It is four feet lone and three wide, of hard stone, set in the wall, and the sculpture is in bas relief. Around it are the re- mains of a rich stucco border. The principal figure sits cross-legged (i. e. orientally) on a couch, orna- mented with two leopards' heads : the attitude is easy, the physiognomy the same as that of the other person- ages, and the expression calm and benevolent. The figure wears around its neck a necklace of pearls [beads of gold ?] to which is suspended a small medal- lion containing a face, perhaps for an image of the Sun." From the positive radii around the medallion (as presented by the artist) there can be no hesi- tation in distinctly stating that it was intended for an " image of the Sun." This is essential in identify- ing the analogy of Religious worship : it also gives further authority for the belief that this edifice was a Temple, and not a Palace. The Tower of Palenque also aids this belief, for from its locality it would seem to have been used as a modern oriental minaret, from which the priests summoned the people to prayer. g2 84 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. v., § hi. " Like every subject of sculpture we had seen in this country, the personage had earrings, bracelets on the wrists, and a girdle round the loins. The head- dress differs from most of the others at Palenque in that it wants the plume of feathers. Near the head are three hieroglyphics. The other figure, which seems that of a woman is sitting cross-legged [kneel- ing ?] on the ground, richly dressed, and apparently in the act of making an offering. In this supposed offer- ing is seen a plume of feathers, in which the head- dress of the principal personage is deficient. Over the head of the sitting personage are four hieroglyphics. This is the only piece of Sculptured Stone about the the Palace (Temple) except those in the courtyard. Under it formerly stood a table [altar ?] of which the impression against the wall is still visible." It will be observed that the above Sculpture is the only one in Stone in the interior of the Temple ; and from the image of the Sun suspended from the neck of the principal figure, whose countenance is " calm and benevolent," and the richly-attired kneeling figure making an offering, the Sculpture seems to represent the Apollo of the Aborigines receiving a tributary gift. The " Table" underneath and in front, is in the very position of an Altar-table, upon which may have been placed the votive offerings of the living, in imita- tion of the Sculpture above the Altar. In a similar manner the more modern altar of the Christians is placed, for it is stationed beneath the artistical object of worship or the tables of the Decalogue. A painting book l, ch. v., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 85 over a Christian altar, of the Magii adoring the Infant Saviour, and thereby calling for similar worship from the living, will completely illustrate the sculptured altar-piece of Palenque. We think that this will be admitted, and being so it establishes that this great edifice was one of the chief Temples of the Abori- gines, erected by them for the worship of their God of light and heat — viz., the Sun. This may then have been the Mecca-shrine of the Kingdom, to which all the nation made their annual pilgrimage; and especially do we believe this to have been the case, from the fact of the stucco being placed upon the stone, and the former illustrating a later Re- ligion than that proved by the stone-sculpture; and the Religion being partially changed (as will be shewn hereafter), still it was the chief Temple for the assem- blage of the people, and from which, perhaps, from the Tower of the Temple, was promulgated not only any change in the form of Religious worship, but also in the Laws of the country. Every thing indicates that this edifice was the Aboriginal Temple of the Sun : if it was the Palace, again would we ask, where is the Temple ? for in all ancient nations, the edifice in which was performed the Religion of the country, was of more importance than any earthly residence. Jerusa- lem, Athens, and Rome, possessed the Temple, the Parthenon, the Capitol, and the Pantheon ; Tyrus, Carthage, and Palmyra, their gorgeous Temple to Apollo (i. e. the Sun); Italy, England, and France, justly boast of their Churches sacred to St. Peter, 86 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § iv. St. Paul, and the Mother of the Saviour ! — and the great Mahommedan family point with religious joy to the Shrine at Mecca ; and why then should the Abori- gines of the Western Hemisphere be an exception ? The jewelled Temples of the Sun (t. e. of Apollo), that in Mexico and Peru tempted the blood-stained feet of Cortez and Pizzaro, were but the types of the original at Palenque ; for the latter was in ruins when the Spanish pirates landed, and none of their histo- rians even allude to the desolation of past ages, so en- grossed were they with that of their own ! Another description of a piece of Sculpture (in stucco) upon a building near the Temple of Palen- que, will be reserved for illustrating a powerful simili- tude to a Tyrian branch of worship. This will re- ceive a full investigation in the chapter devoted to the national Analogies. On the map of the Euins of Palenque, and in the descriptions (as furnished in Mr. Stephens's work), the Temple, and Jive other edifices, all rise from a pyrami- dal base, having four sides ; this fact will again be brought forward in refutation of one of his architec- tural conclusions. SECTION IV. THE RUINS Or UXMAL. These monuments of antiquity are situated in Yu- catan, the great Peninsula of Mexican America. book i., en. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 87 " Emerging suddenly from the woods, to my asto- nishment, we came at once upon a large open field strewed with mounds of ruins, and vast buildings on terraces, and pyramidal structures, grand, and in good preservation, richly ornamented, without a bush to ob- struct the view ; and in picturesque effect, almost equal to the Euins of Thebes. [Egypt] Such was my re- port I made to Mr. Catherwood on my return, who, lying in his hammock unwell, and out of spirits, told me I was romancing ; but early the next morning we were on the ground, and his comment was, that the reality exceeded the description /" It should be remembered that the above distin- guished artist (Catherwood) had visited and copied the Ruins of Thebes and Egypt generally, and conse- quently his testimony is of more than common autho- rity. " The place of which I am now speaking (Uxmal) was, beyond all doubt, once a large, populous, and highly civilized city, and the reader can nowhere find one word of it on any page of history. Who built it ? — why it was located on that spot, away from water, or any of those natural advantages which have determined the sites of cities whose histories are known, what led to its abandonment, no man can tell. The only name by which it is known, is that of the Hacienda [i. e. farm-plantation] on which it stands. In the oldest deed, belonging to the Peon family [i. e. the owners], which goes back a hundred and forty years, the buildings are referred to in the boundaries of the 88 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § iv. estate as Las Casas de Piedra [i. e. the stone-houses]. This is the only ancient document or record in exist- ence, in which the place is mentioned at all. The Euins were all exhumed : within the last year the trees had been cut down and burned, and the whole field of Euins was in view." * * * * " In attempting a description of the Euins, so vast a work rises up before me, that I am at a loss where to begin." * * * * " Drawn off by mounds of ruins and piles of gigantic buildings, the eye returns, and again fastens upon a lofty structure. It was the first building I entered. From its front doorway I counted sixteen elevations [buildings], with broken walls and mounds of stones, and vast magnificent edifices, which at that distance seemed untouched by time and defying ruin. I stood in the doorway when the Sun went down, throwing from the buildings a prodigious breadth of shadow, darkening the terraces on which they stood, and pre- senting a scene strange enough for a work of enchant- ment. This building \i. e. in which he viewed the scene] is sixty-eight feet long. The elevation on which it stands, is built up solid from the plain, en- tirely artificial. Its form is not pyramidal, but oblong, and rounding, being two hundred and forty feet long at the base, and one hundred and twenty feet broad, and it is protected all around, to the very top, by a wall of square stones. v The terms of the last sentence are in direct opposi- tion to the description, — for the elevation is distinctly pyramidal It does not require a square base only book l, ch. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 89 rising from their corners to a central apex, to be es- sentially pyramidal, — for a cone is pyramidal, or an " oblong" rising and diminishing from a broad base ; all walls on an inclined plane — no matter at what de- gree of elevation or declivity, possess the chief essen- tial of a pyramid. The cone, oblong, and square,— even a triple-sided or octagonal pyramid, would be, one and all, correct phrases in the language of Architecture, to express the character of the pyramid ; and are so used in contra- distinction to walls (one or more) of a perpendicular description, — and the instant such walls lose the facial of the plumb-line, they become pyramidal, from the principle of the wall rising from its base, and falling to a centre, which, we repeat, is the chief essential of the pyramid. The number of sides, or none at all (i. e. a cone), has no part in the pyramidal principle; as the key-stone is to the Arch, so the apex is to the Pyramid; but if the latter is only half reared, yet ap- proaching by the inclined walls towards an apex, it is as much a pyramidal structure as if the sides had reached the apex itself. It is to be regretted that Mr. Stephens should have been ignorant of the Fine Arts and their rules — (we make this remark on his own ho- nest confession* ) — because by the confusion of terms he not only often contradicts himself, but misleads the general reader in forming conclusions from his graphic descriptions. * Vide J. L. Stephens's Travels in Egypt. 90 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. v., § iv. It will, however, be our duty not to pass any such contradiction, but by the rules of art endeavour to translate the language of the Euins. Mr. Stephens has, however, a motive in destroying all resemblance between these edifices and those of Egypt, or their neighbours. In the next chapter that motive will be unfolded in his own words. " On the East side of the structure is a broad range of stone steps, between eight and nine inches high, and so steep, that the greatest care is required in ascending and descending : of these we counted one hundred and one in their places. Nine were wanting at the top, and perhaps twenty were covered with rubbish at the bottom. At the summit of the steps is a stone plat- form four feet and a half wide, running along the rear of the building. There is no door in the centre, but at each end a door opens into an apartment eighteen feet long and nine wide, and between the two is a third apartment of the same width, and thirty-four feet long. The whole building is of stone ; inside the walls are of polished smoothness ; outside, up to the height of the door, the stones are plain and square ; above this line there is a rich cornice or moulding, and from this to the top of the building, all the sides are covered with rich and elaborate sculptured ornaments, forming a sort of arabesque. The style and character of these ornaments were entirely different from those of any we had seen before, either in that country or any other ; they bore no resemblance whatever to those of Copan or Pa- lenque, and were quite as unique and peculiar. The de- book i., ch. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 91 signs were strange and incomprehensible, very elabo- rate, sometimes grotesque, but often simple, tasteful, and beautiful. Among the intelligible subjects, are squares and diamonds (i. e. forms), with busts of human beings, heads of leopards, and compositions of leaves and flowers, and the ornaments known every where as grecques. The ornaments which succeed each other are all different; the whole form an extra- ordinary mass of richness and complexity, and the effect is both grand and curious; and the construction of these ornaments is not less peculiar and striking than the general effect. There were no tablets or single stones, each representing separately, or by itself, an entire subject ; but every ornament or combination is made up of separate stones, on each of which part of the subject was carved [sculptured], and was then set in its place in the wall, (f ) Each stone by itself was an unmeaning fractional part; but placed by the side of others helped to make a whole, which, without it would be incomplete. Perhaps it may, with pro- priety, be called a species of sculptured mosaic? This last sentence cannot be entertained, — for mo- saic is an arrangement of coloured stones, to repre- sent a painted floor, wall, or ceiling, — their shape is not material, but they must be possessed of different colours. Now this does not appear upon the walls of Uxmal \i. e. of the edifice now in review], and the absence of coloured stones gives the negative to their being even " a species of mosaic." Nor were the stones first sculptured, " and then set in their places in the 92 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § iv. wall;" that is entirely a modern custom; but by ap- plying the history of ancient sculpture to the preceding description, the means whereby the accuracy of facial sculpture of the wall was obtained, is at once defined and established. The Greeks placed the stones of their friezes and pediments upon their Temples in their rough state, — they were sculptured afterwards, and consequently the greatest accuracy in the connecting lines from one stone to another was obtained, and could be by that manner only. The fluting of a column (of one or more blocks of marble) was always sculptured after it had been erected in its rough state. This was the only practice in that branch of art, and without doubt it was (it must have been) so practised upon the beautiful and unique walls of Uxmal. In perusing the foregone descriptions, the reader may almost ask himself if his perceptive powers are not be- traying him ? — whether he is reading of an Athenian display of Sculpture, or really of an ancient edifice on the Western Continent! Well might it have ap- peared to the bewildered traveller as " a work of enchantment." He then proceeds to describe another building of the same character and sculpture: an edifice supposed to have " some reference to the Vestals, who in Mexico were employed to keep burning the sacred fire." It is thus sketched : "It is situated on an artificial elevation about fifteen feet high. Its form is quadrangular, and one side, according to my measurement, is ninety-five paces in length. It was not possible to pace all book i., ch. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 93 around it, from the masses of fallen stones which en- cumbered it in some places, but it may be safely stated at two hundred-and-jifty feet square [i. e. one thousand feet in the entire measurement!]. It is built entirely of cut stone [like the other buildings] and the whole exterior is filled with the same rich, elabo- rate, and incomprehensible sculptured ornaments. The principal entrance is by a large doorway into a beau- tiful patio or courtyard, grass-grown but clear of trees, and the whole of the inner facade is ornamented more richly and elaborately than the outside, and in a more perfect state of preservation." This may be accounted for from the apparent fact, that the interior sculpture was executed after that on the outward walls ; for it appears to be far more beau- tiful and elaborate, and thence more time would be required for its completion, and as a consequence, it could only be finished at a later date ; added to this a greater protection from the weather is given to the inside of quadrangular walls than on the outside, and that without any reference to roofs or coverings: for a strong wind striking, for instance, an easterly wall on the outside, the force of the wind is destroyed, and consequently reaches the opposite wall in the area with a greatly diminished power. The same argument would apply to the wind from any quarter, blowing upon unroofed quadrangular structures, and this these builders seem to have completely understood by making the Sculpture more refined and delicate upon the inside. 94 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § iv. " On one side the combination [of the Sculpture] was in the form of diamonds, simple, chaste, and taste- ful : and at the head of the courtyard two gigantic serpents (with their heads broken and fallen) were winding from opposite directions along the whole facade" —\i. e. one thousand feet]. It will be remembered that the Chief Altar at Copan has sculptured on it two serpents: in the Ana- logies we shall endeavour to read these wily hiero- glyphics. " In front and on a line with the door of the pre- ceding edifice, is another building on a lower founda- tion of the same general character, called Casa de Tor- tugas, from the sculptured turtles over the doorway." That the reader may not be misled, these " turtles" are not as defined in Scripture («. e. young doves), but the tortoise, the well-known shellfish; and in the splendid illustrations of these Euins in Waldeck's work (folio, 1838) the tortoise is distinctly given, and with- out doubt is so meant by Mr. Stephens. There are four of them in a group, their heads approaching to a centre, each tortoise is in a square, and in the two external angles of each square is an Egg. The tor- toise and the egg, are both National emblems, and the Nation claiming them will be proved in the Analogies. " In the front was a broad avenue with a line of ruins on each side, leading beyond the wall to a great mound of ruins : and beyond this a lofty building in the rear. Between the two was a large patio, or courtyard, with corridors on each side, and the ground book i., gh. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 95 of the courtyard sounded hollow. In one place, the surface was broken, and I descended into a large exca- vation, cemented, which probably had been intended as a granary. [Rather as a water reservoir] At the back of the courtyard, on a high, broken terrace, which it was difficult to climb, was another edifice more ruined than the others, but which from the style of its remains, and its commanding position, overlook- ing every other building [except the first described] and apparently having been connected with the distant mass of ruins in front, must have been one of the most important in the City, perhaps the principal Temple. The whole presented a scene of barbaric (?) magnifi- cence, utterly confounding all previous notions in regard to the Aboriginal inhabitants of this Country; and calling up emotions which had not been wakened to the same extent by any thing we had yet seen." " There was one strange circumstance connected with these ruins — viz., no water had ever been disco- vered, and there was not a single stream, fountain, or well, nearer than the Hacienda, a mile and a half dis- tant. It is supposed that the face of the Country had not changed; and that somewhere under ground must exist great wells, cisterns or reservoirs [perhaps acqua- ducts] which supplied the former inhabitants of the City with water." ***'■**« While I was making the circuit of these ruins, Mr. Catherwood proceeded to the Casa del Gobernador; it indicates the principal building of the old City, or royal house. (?) It is the grandest in position, the most stately in Architecture 96 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v. § iv. and proportions, and the most perfect in preservation of all the structures remaining at Uxmal." The same argument brought forward in the last Sec- tion, to prove that the chief edifice of Palenque was the Temple, and not the Palace, will apply to this sup- posed " royal house." As to the phrase " Casa del Gobernador" — or Governor's house, — it is the name by which it is called in the neighbourhood, and can have no bearing upon the true character of the edifice, — but the very superior preservation of the building would point it to be one held Sacred from any rude assault by the people; while its Architecture, importance of its position, and magnitude, at once justify the name of Temple being given to this edifice, and as such we shall view it. Mr. Stephens appears to be so strict a Spar, tan Eepublican, that every large, or magnificent build- ing in the Ruined Cities, he considers to be a Palace, — he seems to have thought less of mind, than of matter. " This edifice [Temple] stands on three ranges of terraces. The first terrace is six hundred and forty feet long, and five feet high. It is walled with cut stone, and on the top is a platform twenty feet broad, from which rises another terrace fifteen feet high. At the corners this terrace is supported by cut stones, having the faces rounded so as to give a better finish than with sharp angles. The great platform is flat. At the south-east corner of this platform is a row of BOUND pillars eighteen inches in diameter, and three or four feet high, [i. e. broken pillars] extending about one hundred feet along the platform ; and these were the book r., ch. v, 5 § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 97 nearest approach to pillars or columns (circular) that we saw in all our exploration of ruins of that country." What " nearer approach" was necessary to prove the existence of circular columns, than his own descrip- tion ? Of this hereafter, — again he writes : " In the middle of the terrace, along an avenue leading to a range of steps, was a broken round pillar, inclined and falling, and with trees growing around it. In the centre of the platform, at a distance of two hun- dred and five feet from the border in front, is a range of stone steps, more than a hundred feet broad, and thirty-five in number, ascending to a third terrace, fifteen feet above the last, and thirty-five feet from the ground ; which being on a naked plain, formed a most commanding position. The erection of these terraces alone was an immense work. On the third terrace, with its principal doorway facing the range of steps, stands the noble structure. [Temple] The facade measures three hundred and twenty feet. Away from the regions of dreadful rains, and the rank growth which smothers the Euins of Palenque, — it stands with all its walls erect, and almost as perfect as when deserted by the inhabitants. The whole building is of stone, plain up to the moulding that runs along the tops of the doorway, and above filled with the same rich, strange, and elaborate Sculpture ; among which is par- ticularly conspicuous, the ornament before referred to, as la grecque." By a reference to the illustrated folio of Waldeck, it VOL. I. h 98 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. v., § iv. is found that this ornament is chiefly the meander, or the Grecian square border, used in the embroidery of the mantles and robes of Attica. " There is no rudeness or barbarity in the design or proportions ; on the contrary, the whole wears an air of Architectural symmetry and grandeur ; and as the stranger ascends the steps, and casts a bewildered eye along its open and desolate doors, it is hard to believe, that he sees before him the work of a race in whose epitaph, as written by historians,* they are called igno- rant of Art, and said to have perished in the rudeness of savage life." Injustice to those historians, it should be stated, that they did not know of these architectural wonders ; for if they did, no excuse can be rendered in extenua- tion of such an " epitaph" — thence has arisen the necessity of a New History of Ancient America ; to, at least, the landing of Columbus ; and even that will now wear another aspect. Mr. Stephens, in the last s entence quoted, justly reasons upon, and correctly cen- sures the false conclusions of those historians ; — yet a few pages before, he, himself, calls the tout ensemble of the Uxmal Euins, with all the beautiful Sculpture, and Classical ornaments, " a scene of barbaric magni- ficence !" He seems afraid to combat with even the assertions of those Historians, whose " epitaph" upon an entire people, was written in ignorance of their works of Art. He says, " it is hard to believe' that * Dr. Robertson and others. book i., ch. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 99 they " perished in the rudeness of savage life," — why, with such a gorgeous " scene" as that of Uxmal before him, it was an impossibility that they could so have perished, either in the mind, or in history. The Ruins and Temple of Uxmal, he says, present " a scene of barbaric magnificence !" if they do, — either to himself or his readers, then were Athens and the Acropolis barbaric, and Pericles and Phidias barbarians ! " But there was one thing which seemed in strange want of conformity with all the rest. I have mentioned that at Ocosingo [Ruins] we saw a wooden beam, and at Pelanque, the remains of a wooden pole ; at this place [Uxmal] all the lintels had been of wood, and throughout the ruins, most of them were still in their places over the doors. The lintels were heavy beams, eight or nine feet long, eighteen or twenty inches wide, and twelve or fourteen thick ; the wood like that of Ocosingo, was very hard, and rang under the blow of the machete." From a further description, it appears that this pecu- liar wood was brought from a distance of three hun- dred miles. Waldeck says, that it is more durable than lignum vitce, and is called by the natives jovillo. The strength of this wood is thus shewn by Mr. Ste- phens : u The position of these lintels was most trying, as they were obliged to support a solid mass of stone wall, fourteen or sixteen feet high, and three or four feet in thickness." From a calculation of the measurements around the h2 100 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., cii. v., § ir. base of the principal terrace, or pyramidal elevation, the entire distance is two thousand five hundred and sixty feet. The Temple, which stands upon a third terrace, is fronting to the East, — i. e. to the rising Sun, — the chief object of Worship. " In the centre [of the Temple], and opposite the range of steps leading to the terrace, are three prin- cipal doorways. The middle one is eight feet six inches wide, and eight feet ten inches high ; the others are of the same height, but two feet less in width. The centre door opens into an apartment sixty feet long, and twenty-seven feet deep [wide], which is divided into two corridors by a wall three and a half feet thick, with a door of communication between, of the same size with the door of entrance. The plan is the same as that of the Corridor in front of the Palace (?) of Palenque, except that here the Corridor does not run the whole length of the building, and the back Corridor has no door of egress. The ceiling forms a triangular Arch, without the Key-stone, as at Pa- lenque." The term " triangular Arch" cannot be admitted by the language of Architecture ; he might as well have written triangular semicircle, terms distinctly opposed to each other. It is essential to notice this inaccuracy here, otherwise the reader may be under the erroneous impression, that the Arch does exist in the ancient Euins in America, — this is not the fact ; but the entire absence of the Arch, or its principle, enables us to form an Architectural conclusion in reference to their iden- book l, cn. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 101 tity ; and the fact, that the Arch does not exist in any of the Ruins of Ancient America, cannot be too forcibly impressed upon the reader's mind ; for it demonstrates that these buildings were erected before the Arch was known, and as a consequence, is a direct proof of their great antiquity. Mr. Stephens has already written in reference to Palenque, and previously quoted, " The builders were evidently ignorant of the principles of the Arch." " The ceiling, &c. : but, instead of the rough stones overlapping or being covered with stucco, (as at Pa- lenque) the layers of stones are bevilled as they rise, and present an even and a polished surface. Through- out, the laying and the polishing of the stones are as perfect as under the rules of the best modern masonry. In this apartment we determined to take up our abode, and under a roof, tight as when sheltering the heads of its former occupants." *****" "We were not bu- ried in the forest as at Palenque. From every part of the terrace we looked over a field of ruins." * * * * " From the centre apartment, the divisions on each wing corresponded exactly in size and finish ; and the same uniformity was preserved in the ornaments. Throughout, the roof was tight, and the apart- ments were dry. In one apartment, the walls were coated with a very fine plaister of Paris, (?) equal to the best seen on walls in this country. (United States) The rest were all of smooth polished stone. There were no paintings, stucco ornaments, Sculp- tured tablets, or other decoration whatever." 102 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch.v, § ra Mr. Stephens then relates the finding in a ruined Chamber, of " A beam of wood, (i. e. the jovillo) about ten feet long, and very heavy, which had fallen from its place over the doorway. On the face was a line of characters carved or stamped (?) almost obli- terated, but which we made out to be hieroglyphics ; and so far as we could understand them similar to those at Copan and Palenque. I cannot help deploring the misfortune of not being assured of the safety of this beam. By what feeble light the pages of American History are written ! There are at Uxmal no Idols as at Copan, — not a single stuccoed figure, or carved tablet, as at Palenque. Except this beam of hierogly- phics, though searching earnestly, we did not discover any one absolute point of resemblance." The hieroglyphics of all the ruins bind them toge- ther as one People ; the difference in the finish of the edifices, and their varied states of preservation, at once point to different ages in which they were erected. A principal ornament at equi-distances in the outward cornice is important, and is thus described by Stephens, and strictly agrees with the folio work by Waldeck. " It is the face of a death's-head, with wings ex- panded, and rows of teeth projecting, in effect some- what like the figure of a death's-head on tombstones with us. It is two feet across the wings, and has a stone staple about two feet long, by which it was fas- tened to the wall." In Waldeck's beautiful illustrations of these ruins 7 book i., ch. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 103 some feet below this winged death's-head, are the cross-bones distinct, and below these, is a human figure (male) in full maturity, and naked, except the shoul- ders and head, standing with his arms crossed " in sorrow's knot." These Sculptures appear upon, what Waldeck calls the Pyramid of Kingsborough, — so named, as before stated, in compliment to Lord Kings- borough, for his costly work upon the Paintings of Mexico. [7 vols, folio.] Well may Stephens say, there are no " Idols" here as at Copan. Heathen language is not seen in the Sculpture of Uxmal ; the Christian language alone can translate the above emblems of the Resurrection ! The translation of the above Sculp- ture seems as easy, as if a Daniel had already read the handwriting on the wall ! as thus — The human figure, in full life and maturity, together with the sex, presents mortality ; over the figure the cross-bones are placed, portraying the figure's earthly death ; while the skull supported by expanding wings, (and this Sculpture being placed above those of life and death,) presents the immortal Soul ascending on the wings of Time, above all earthly life, or the corruption of the grave ! " On tombstones with us" a better design could not have been formed by Art to enforce the be- lief in the Eesurrection. The beauty of this subject has led us into digression, for it belongs to the third volume. Campbell will apologize for us — " Coming events cast their shadow before." Mr. Stephens continues : — 104 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book jr., ch. v., § iv. il The reader will be able to form some idea of the time, skill, and labour, required for making them [the edifices] ; and more than this, to conceive the immense time, skill, and labour required for carving [sculpturing] such a surface of stone ; and the wealth, power, and cultivation of the people who could command such skill and labour for the mere decoration of the edifices. Probably all these ornaments have a symbolical mean- ing ; [they certainly have] each stone is part of an allegory or fable (?) hidden from us, inscrutable under the light of the feeble torch we may burn before it, but which, if ever revealed, will shew that the History of the World yet remains to be written." With all humility we have attempted to " reveal" one portion of the Sculpture, (others will follow) — but the emblems of Christianity and the Resurrection, can form no part "of an allegory or fable ;" and truly has the History of the World yet to be written, when his- torians in ignorance of the Ruins, have traced the Abo- rigines, who built the gorgeous edifices of Palenque and Uxmal, to have lived and perished in a savage life ! From the character of the Sculpture, and its devices, Uxmal is placed by us as the last built of all the An- cient Cities as yet discovered on the Western Continent. Having made sufficient extracts from Mr. Stephens s work on " Central America," in illustration of Copan, Palenque, and Uxmal, the principal Cities of Ruins ; the Traveller's reflections upon his explorations will now be given, and his conclusions met and refuted. We desire, before we commence the following Chapter of book l, en. v., § iv.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 105 refutation, to impress the reader's mind with the im- portance of a complete removal of the conclusions, arrived at by Mr. Stephens in regard to these Euins ; — for if he is right, we are stopped at the very threshold of our History. We confess this with all honesty, and desire thereby to arouse the minute attention of the reader to the several points of refutation, — to analyze them critically, and to yield nothing, — but from con- viction of foregone errors and false conclusions. In conformity with the rule of argument with which this volume was commenced, we presume that the pre- ceding Chapter completely establishes in the mind of the reader, that Ancient Cities and Ruins have been discovered in Mexican America ; in this belief, the History will be continued, and the Builders and Ar- chitecture identified. / 106 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i.-,-ch. vi. CHAPTER VI. A REVIEW OF THE REFLECTIONS OF MR. STEPHENS UPON THE RUINS OF MEXICAN AMERICA — HIS CONCLUSIONS FOUNDED UPON FALSE PREMISES — HIS ERRORS DETECTED BY HIS OWN CONTRADICTIONS — RESTORATION OF THE TEMPLE OF UXMAL — HIS CHIEF MOTIVE APPARENT — HIS ARGUMENTS AND CONCLUSIONS REFUTED— AND THE AR- CHITECTURE OF THE RUINS IDENTIFIED AND ESTA- BLISHED — REMARKS UPON ROBERTSON'S HISTORY OF AMERICA. The interesting Traveller in his last chapter but one of his Second Volume on " Central America," says — "I have finished the explorations of ruins, — and here I would be willing to part, and to leave the reader to wander alone, and at will through the labyrinth of mystery which hangs over these ruined cities; but it would be craven to do so without turning for a mo- ment to the important question. Who were the people that built these cities? I shall narrow down this question to a ground even yet sufficiently broad, — viz., a comparison of these remains with those of the Ar- chitecture and Sculpture of other ages and people." book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 107 It is upon this " ground" of his own choosing that we propose to attack his manoeuvring, — it is the only field of argument where the necessary truth can be elicited; and he cannot object if his apparently forti- fied positions should be attacked, and if not sufficiently defended, he will not wonder that they should be de- molished or overthrown; and if we cannot succeed in so doing, we are willing to admit, that his l< Conclu- sions" will be to this work what the heir-apparent of the Scottish throne was to Macbeth; and the same words (except one) will speak our frank confession — viz. " The Prince of Travellers ! That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'er -leap >, For in my way it lies." He writes : " I set out with the proposition that they are not Cy- clopean, and do not resemble the works of Greek or Eoman." We admit the negative to the first and last proposi- tion, but not to the second, — for the sculpture at Ux- mal is not only as fine, but distinctly of a Grecian character : the meander, or square running border, is essentially Grecian; and even his own description. — viz., " Composition of leaves and flowers, and the or- naments known everywhere as grecques." Here is the distinct phrase of his own selection, brought as evidence against his conclusion on the second proposi- tion. The engravings in Waldeck's folio work of the same 108 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vl Ruins, substantiate every description by Stephens, as being correct : the whole facades have, to the eye, an appearance in regard to the character of the orna- ments, which compels the looker-on to exclaim, " Gre- cian knowledge has been there F " There is nothing in Europe like them, [the Ruins] We must then look to Asia or Africa. It has been supposed that at different periods of time, vessels from Japan and China have been thrown upon the Western coast of America, [i. e. on the Pacific Ocean] The civilization, cultivation, and science of those countries are known to date back from a very early anti- quity." The latter sentence does not admit of question ; but that the Chinese or Japanese possessed navigation, with " its means and appliances," at a period to meet these Ruins, or to cover " a very early antiquity," cannot for a moment be sustained by history or even tradition. Mr. Stephens does not claim China and Japan as the nations building these Cities, but rejects them upon the ground of Architectural comparison. We instantly join in this decision, and too it add the impossibility from the want of navigable means ; but, says the Tra- veller, the supposition is, that they (the vessels) were " thrown upon the Western coast of America," and there- by expressing that the arrival of those vessels was ac- cidental. We will prove the impossibility of this, — for any vessel in the North Pacific Ocean, having left China or Japan, and becoming unmanageable from loss of rudder, the prevailing East-wind would not only book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 109 prevent the vessel from reaching the Western coast of America, but actually would drive the ship back to China or Japan ! This last sentence is not given to refute Mr. Stephens, but those writers who may have (as he states) even " supposed" the possibility of ves- sels being accidentally " thrown upon the Western coast of America." Nature would prevent it. This celebrated " East-wind" we shall have occasion to analyze and explain, in the investigation of the first voyage around the Continent of Africa by the Tyrians. In the Pacific Ocean the East wind would prevent accidental arrival on the shores of the Western Con- tinent; but in the Atlantic Ocean the same wind would aid and expedite such an arrival, which, however, would be upon the Eastern, and not the Western coast of America ! " The monuments of India have been made familiar to us. The remains of Hindu architecture exhibit im- mense excavations in the rock, either entirely artificial, or made by enlarging natural caverns, supported in front by large columns cut out of the rock, with a dark gloomy interior. Among all these American Ruins there is not a single excavation. The surface of the country abounding in mountain sides, seems to invite it; but, instead of being under ground, the striking feature of these Euins is, that the buildings stand on lofty artificial elevations ; and it can hardly be sup- posed that a people emigrating to a new country, with that strong natural impulse to perpetuate, and retain under their eyes memorials of home, would have gone 110 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch, vi. so directly counter to National and Religious asso- ciations." The reasoning in the latter part of the foregone extract, is founded upon Nature, and therefore just, — it cannot be shaken, — it cannot be even assaulted ; — we claim this admission, however, for our own position also, when in the next chapter we bring forward the " memorials of home," and the " national and religious associations," — for upon the Analogies, the corner-stone of this Epoch is founded. " In Sculpture, too, the Hindus differ entirely. Their subjects are far more hideous, being, in general, re- presentations of human beings, distorted, deformed, and unnatural, — very often many-headed, or with three or four arms and legs thrown out from the same body." The Hindu is rejected, and justly, from the want of similitude ; the field is now narrowed for the combat, — the argument is brought, in his estimation, to one nation only. " Lastly, we come to the Egyptian. The point of resemblance upon which the great stress has been laid, is the Pyramid. The pyramidal form is one which suggests itself to human intelligence in every country, as the simplest and surest mode of erecting a high structure upon a solid foundation." We grant that the first suggestion of an habitation would be of a pyramidal character, as instanced in the tents of wandering tribes, formed by poles rising from a base, more or less broad, and meeting in a common book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 1 1 1 centre; but we deny that the ''pyramidal form' 1 is one followed " in every country," as a principle for rearing " a high structure." If it was so generally practised, why is Egypt the only country where it is found ? Why did not China, Japan, Hindustan, Greece, and Rome practise it ? Egypt alone claims it as an Archi- tectural practice, — the principle of the Pyramid iden- tifies her amid the wreck of Empires, — it stands out on her tableau of History as the prominent charac- teristic, — it was, and is, nowhere found but in the Nation of the Nile, and now in the Ruins of Ancient America ! In the latter country the Aborigines modi- fied and improved upon the original ; but sufficient is shewn there, even in the base of the pyramid, to pro- claim the association of the builders with Egyptian knowledge ; nor does it follow that the Architects of Palenque should have been, of necessity, Egyptians. " The pyramidal form cannot be regarded as a ground for assigning a common origin to all people, among whom structures of that character are found, unless the similarity is preserved in its most striking features." The Traveller says, " to all people." [i. e. nations] Why, his own rejections prove that no other people practised the pyramid but the Egyptian, — upon that fact is he now arguing; for having failed to find the pyramidal form in all the nations of the earth, he says, " Lastly, we come to the Egyptian." If in America an entire pyramid, from base to apex, had been found, he would not have rejected tire use- 112 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vr. less mass, but instantly have claimed it for Egyptian ; or of that nation only, having intimate knowledge of, and association with, that country. Why then reject, — or rather why does he not bring forward the same reasoning when the essential part of the pyramid is found there ? It will be shewn why he did not ad- vance it. " The Pyramids [of Egypt] are peculiar and uni- form, and were invariably erected for the same uses and purposes, so far as those uses and purposes are known. They are all square at the base, with steps rising and diminishing until they come to a point." The general truth of the previous quotation is appa- rent ; but that the Pyramids of Egypt had " steps' in their original construction, cannot be supported by any History, or by the absolute facts visible even at the present day. All their sides were smooth ; and com- mencing at the apex in placing the facial stones, the " steps" were used as successive scaffolds from the base to the top. On the following page to the above ex- tract, Mr. Stephens contradicts his own reasoning, and when that can be proved in the work of any Author, no other refutation of a false conclusion is required. We have shewn that he says the Egyptian Pyramids had " steps rising" and in the very next page he writes — " Herodotus says, that in his time [484 b. c] the great Pyramid was coated with stone, so as to present a smooth surface — [consequently no "steps rising"] — on all its sides from the base to the top. The second book I., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 113 Pyramid of Ghizeh, called the Pyramid of Cephrenes, in its present condition (1842), presents on the lower part ranges of steps, with an accumulation of angular [triangular] stones at the base, which originally filled up the interstices between the steps, but have fallen down. In the upper part the intermediate layers are still in their places, and the sides present a smsoth sur- face to the top. [Thus is Herodotus confirmed.] There is no doubt that originally, every Pyramid of Egypt was built with its sides perfectly smooth. The steps formed no part of the plan ! [This is true, but a direct denial of himself] It is in this state only that they ought to be considered, and in this state any pos- sible resemblance between them and what are called the Pyramids of America, ceases /" Now not only does the Traveller contradict himself in writing of the original character of the Egyptian Pyramids, but worse, — a direct denial of himself upon the ground that the American cannot be Egyptian, be- cause all " resemblance ceases" upon contemplating the sides of the structures of both countries in their ori- ginal character, — or in other words, if the American Pyramid (or any part of it) had been derived from Egypt, the sides would have been faced with stone, so as to present a smooth surface. Granted. Here follows, then, his own description, where the fact of identity is established at Palenque ! " The Palace [Temple] stands on an artificial eleva- tion of an oblong form, forty feet high, three hundred and ten feet in front and rear, and two hundred and VOL. I. I 1 14 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vi. sixty feet on each side. This elevation [pyramidal] was formerly faced with stone, which has been thrown down by the growth of trees." We have here a distinct and an admitted analogy between the original characteristic of the Egyptian and the American Pyramids, — proved upon the very point [the sides] brought forward by him to negate the proposition, and from his own words. Again; at the base of the Pyramid of Cephrenes (Egypt), the triangular stones that formed the smooth sides are still perceptible ; so, also, are they to be seen at the base of the Pyramid of Palenque, — each stone an oracular wit- ness against his "conclusive consideration." tie ob- jects to similitude upon another ground, and again refutes himself, — viz. : " The Pyramids of Egypt are all square at the base, — the nearest approach to this is at Copan ; but even at that place there is no entire Pyramid standing alone and disconnected, — nor one with four sides complete, but only two, or at most three sides, and intended to form part of other structures." At Copan (as we have shewn) the very measure- ment of the base is within a few feet and (from errors in sum total by different authors) may justly be re- garded as identical in size with the great Pyramid of Egypt. It has, it is true, but three sides (pyramidal) ; the fourth being on the river, consists of a perpendi- cular wall, identical in height to the sea-wall of Tyrus. In Egypt they had no river-walls that were perpendi- cular. But why does he select Copan only, to prove book l, ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 115 whether four sides existed? Why not again review Palenque ? His motive is not concealed with the pro- verbial ingenuity of his country; for at Palenque the four-sided pyramidal structure is found, both in his description and in his map of locality, where no less them five " Casas" (houses) are presented on pyramidal bases, having distinctly four sides, and three of them square ; nor is this all, the Temple of Palenque itself stands on a pyramidal elevation, having distinctly four sides ! As he read a " Congressional" document in the Ruins of Palenque, by the light of " fire beetles," it would almost appear that he formed his " conclusions" by the same uncertain midnight lamps ; — for from such treacherous and deceptive flames has he illumined the historical portion of his volumes ; but yet the glim- mering of the " feeble light" is sufficient to discover his hidden motive- We now bring forward a contradiction more asto- nishing than all the preceding : and but that his vo- lumes are before us, it would scarcely be credited from the pen of any critic. Yol. ii., p. 439, he writes — " Besides, the Pyramids of Egypt are known to have interior chambers, and whatever their other uses, to have been intended and used as sepulchres. These (American), on the contrary, are of solid earth and stone. No interior chambers have ever been dis- covered, and probably none exist /" In the first volume (p. 143), in writing of the py- I 2 116 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi, ramidal structure rising from the centre of the Temple of Copan, is the following description, and which was- reserved from the details of that City, to prove this contradiction. " On each side of the centre of the steps is a mound of ruins, apparently of a circular tower. A bout half- way up the steps [of the pyramidal base] on this side, is a pit [i. e. descent] five feet square and seventeen feet deep, cased with stone. At the bottom is an opening two feet four inches high, with a wall one foot nine inches thick, which leads to a chamber (!) ten feet long, five feet eight inches wide, and four feet high. At each end is a niche one foot nine inches high, one foot eight inches deep, and two feet five inches long. Colonel Galindo first broke into this Sepulchral vault [" chamber"] and found the niches and the ground full of red earthenware, dishes, and pottery, [Egyptian again] more than fifty of which, he says, were full of human bones, packed in lime. Also se- veral sharp-edged and pointed knives of chaya ; a small death's-head carved in fine green stone, its eyes nearly closed, the lower features distorted, the back symmetrically perforated with holes, the whole of ex- quisite workmanship /" This last sentence brings us to a specimen of Gem engraving, the most ancient of all the antique works of Art. Not only is the death " Chamber" identical with that of Egypt, but also the very way of reaching it — viz., first, by ascending the pyramidal base, and book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 117 then descending, and so entering the Sepulchre ! This could not be accidental, — the builders of that pyra- midal Sepulchre must have had a knowledge of Egypt. The foregone " self-denials" (so valued in man under other aspects), lose all their virtue when exerted to sustain fallacious premises. It might be thought that enough has been brought forward to refute his conclu- sions; but we desire to operate upon this subject, as Tobin says, " Like the skilful surgeon, who cuts he- yond the wound to make the cure complete." " Again," he writes, " columns [circular] are a dis- tinguishing feature of Egyptian architecture. There is not a Temple on the Nile without them ; and the reader will bear in mind, that among the whole of these ruins, not one column has been found ! If this Architec- ture had been derived from the Egyptians, so striking and important a feature would never have been thrown aside." We admit the force of the preceding extract, so far as relates to the circular column being a feature in the Architecture of the Nile ; and that they would also be found in America, if the edifices in that country were of, or " derived from" Egypt; while we admit this rea- soning, we at once deny the truth of the assertion, that the round column has not been found in the Ruins of Ancient America. This denial is given upon the un- impeachable authority of Humboldt, who, in his illus- trations of the Ruins of Mitla, gives by writing, as 118 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vi. well as by pictorial description, the circular columns distinct ! The denial is also founded upon the grave authority of Mr. Stephens himself, — for he (as Baron Humboldt) testifies to the fact both by pen and pencil. First, will be quoted from his pen. In vol. ii., p. 428, in writing of the Euins of Uxmal, he says — " At the South-east corner of this platform [of the Temple] is a row of round pillars, eighteen inches in diameter, and three or four feet high [broken], ex- tending about one hundred feet along the platform ; and these were the nearest approach (!) to pillars or columns that we saw in all our exploration of the ruins of that country." Now in the name of Eeason, and all its attributes, could there be a " nearer approach" to circular columns, than " round pillars f Are they not identical ? The proposition can only be answered in the affirmative ; and as a consequence, it becomes absolute from the identity. Again — " In the middle of the terrace, along an avenue lead- ing to a range of steps, was a broken round pillar, inclined and falling, with trees growing around it." We will now refer to his map, or ground-plan of the Temple of Uxmal, drawn by his artist, the accu- rate Catherwood — (vol. ii., p. 428-9). On that plan there are two rows of circular columns in parallel lines, — one row is perfect, and contains eleven columns, the other is imperfect, and presents six columns ; but, as dotted on the plan, and when the parallel lines were not book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 119 in ruin, contained twenty-two " round pillars :" though from the appearance of the ground-plan, it is almost demonstrated that the two rows of columns were con- tinued around the entire platform-terrace, forming a grand Colonnade, like those of Palmyra, or that facing the church of St. Peter's at Rome, but a square instead of a circular area. The columns at Uxmal are given as " eighteen inches in diameter ;" this multiplied by eight (the medium calculation) would give each an an altitude of twelve feet. On the plan (by measur- ing from the scale given) the line of one row of the columns extends one hundred and forty feet, its parallel the same ; each column is ten feet from its associate ; the same distance exactly is between the parallel rows, thus proving a perfect knowledge of Architectural de- sign ! Pursuing the same scale of measurement (as the ground-plan authorizes), the entire Colonnade of Uxmal contained originally, two hundred and thirty circular columns ! In the centre of the area in front of the Temple (and holding the same locality as the single Obelisk in front of St. Peter's, at Rome), is the ruin of the solitary " broken round Pillar," and com- pared with the other columns on the Map, is six feet in diameter, and this multiplied by ten (for capital and ornament on the summit, — perhaps originally an em- blem of the Sun), would give this single column an altitude of sixty feet ! This is a circular, not a square column. The foregone Architectural analysis is not given by Stephens, but we have taken as a basis the rude ground-plan given, and have thus resuscitated the 120 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vi. Colonnade of Uxmal, which formed the approach to the great Temple.* On the Map of the ruin now under consideration, and directly beneath the " round pillars," is written the following sentence by Stephens himself, to illustrate the meaning of the circular dots on the plan, — the words are, " Remains of Columns /" * Upon the preceding principle, for the convenience of reference, we have produced the following : and we predict, should any other Cities or Ruins be discovered in Yucutan, that they will possess the same general characteristics, — and consequently will not injure this History, — but will rather tend to support it. RESTORATION OF THE TEMPLE OF UXMAL, YUCATAN : VIZ. — First Terrace, 640 feet long on each of the four sides, 5 feet high, steps in centre on the several sides. First Platform, 20 feet broad. Second Terrace, 600 feet on each of the sides, 15 feet high, steps also in centre. Second Platform, 205 feet to base of third terrace. Third Terrace, 400 feet at base ; 35 steps, six inches tread; entire depth 110 feet. Third Platform, 30 feet, to the front of the Temple; all the Terraces are cased with cut stone. Facade of Temple, 320 feet : walls to first Cornice 25 feet high. Three doorways, centre, 8 feet 6 inches wide, 8 feet 10 inches high ; the two lateral doorways the same height as the centre, and 6 feet 6 inches wide. Colonnade, or Second Platform, composed of 230 circular columns, each 12 feet high, and 18 inches in diameter; in two rows; the columns 10 feet apart. The Single Altar- Column, 6 feet diameter, and 60 feet high, in centre of area. Base of First Terrace, 2560 feet ! Sculptured walls of the Temple, 40,960 superficial feet ! The Three Artificial Terraces contain 72,800 cubit feet! G. J. book l, ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 121 How can lie then reconcile from his own descriptions, that " not one Column has been found ?" " If," says he, " this Architecture had been derived from the Egyptians, so striking and important a feature \j. e. circular Columns] would never have been thrown aside." Well then, the " important feature" has not " been thrown aside," and consequently from his own reasoning, the Architecture was (conjoined with the pyramidal bases) " derived from the Egyptian." We believe distinctly, that the Architecture was " derived from" — in other words — borrowed from, — the edifices of the Nile ; — but, not built by the Egyptians them- selves. In regard to another branch of Art, he com- mits himself in the same manner as when writing of Architecture. u Next, as to Sculpture. The idea of resemblance in this particular has been so often and so confidently expressed, that I almost hesitate to declare the total want of similarity." There should indeed be hesitation upon a subject, so capable of denying a conclusion, directly opposed to occular demonstration. " If there be any resemblance [to the Egyptian] at all striking, it is only that the figures are in profile, and this is equally true of all good Sculpture in bas-relief? Why does he select " bas-relievo" only, — why not bring forth alto-relievo, — also, — for they are both found in Egypt and America. The Altar at Copan, and the walls at Palenque present profile figures and in bas-relievo, — so does the Yocal Memnon of Thebes, 122 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi. and the walls of Egypt : at Palenque the two figures grouped at the Altar (of Casa, No. 3) are in profile, and face to face, with the Mask of Saturn between them, and holding the same general position as the two figures of the Yocal Memnon, — who are also face to face, and in profile, — but instead of the mask, they have the Egyptian Tau T between them, and in the act of binding it with the lotus plant. But he objects to similitude apparently from the want of analogy in the physiognomy, or profile characteristics of the relative figures of Egypt and America. This certainly then must prove that they were a different people ; this we distinctly believe ; — but, that that people had know- ledge of Egyptian Architecture and Sculpture, from commercial intercourse with the Nile. Alto-Relievo Sculpture is in America and Egypt : — in the former country, on the Idol-columns of Copan ; in the latter nation, upon the Capitals of the Temple Columns ; — and in both countries the faces are not in profile, but full front. The profile figures being on Temples, were supposed to be deified, and consequently the facial outlines were represented different from human out- line. Again : — What are the Obelisks of Egypt ? Are they not square columns for the facility of Sculpture ? and of what form are the isolated columns at Copan ? Are they not square, and for the same purpose of faci- lity in Sculpture with which they are covered, and with workmanship " as fine as that of Egypt ?" This is a point that Mr. Stephens has passed over without book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 123 even a comment! The Columns of Copan stand detached and solitary, — the Obelisks of Egypt do the same, and both are square (or four- sided) and covered with the art of the Sculptor. The analogy of being derived from the Nile is perfect, — for in what other Euins but those of Egypt, and Ancient America, is the square sculptured Column to be found ? He affects to despise the Idol-Obelisks of Copan, because they do not tower in a single stone, " ninety-feet" in height like those of Egypt, — that they could not " be derived from" the latter country, because they are only one- sixth of the altitude of their prototypes ! Has Mr. Stephens then travelled amid the giant Euins of Memphis and Thebes, and gazed upon the Pyramids of Ghizeh, unconscious of their history, as of the Euins in America ? Has he yet to learn, that cap- tives and prisoners of war, numbering their thousands, by tens and hundreds, built the former? Freemen built the latter, and consequently they are less in grandeur! Strange and original as this assertion may appear, it is no less philosophically, than histo- rically true. What points out Egypt from the wreck of Empires, even at this day ? — her Colossal Pyramids and Temples! What preserves ancient Eome amid all the Euins of Italy, and in present grandeur ? — her giant Coliseum! Who built these wonders of even the modern world ? Cheops and Sesostris, Vespasian and Titus ? They indeed commanded that they should be erected as trophies of their power ; — but, who were the workmen, the actual builders and 124 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi. labourers ? There is not a Pyramid, or Temple of Egypt, upon which the hand of a Freeman aided in building ! Millions of Captives, made by the Egyptian kings, and especially by Sesostris, during his nine years foreign warfare, were sent to Egypt, from Arabia, Africa, and Asia, — his pride and vainglory were, that posterity should know his Conquests by the magnitude of his Edifices,— for being built by his Captives, modern art might easily realize the extent, and to him, gran- deur of his victories. The useless, and unsupporting Pyramid of the Nile, may well serve for the emblem of Cheops, or the vainglorious Sesostris! Who were the builders and labourers of the Coliseum? Ninety-seven thousand captives, and believers in The Only God! That human slaughterhouse of Eome, is cemented from its base to its cornice, with the sighs and blood of Jerusalem ! When Liberty lays the corner- stone, — Utility is the Architect, — Grace and Beauty the Sculptors, — and Freemen the builders and artizans: these combined, useless Magnificence can never cross the threshold, or Slavery breathe upon the Altar ! The absence of the Arch in all the Euins of America will, also, identify those ancient cities with a nation having a Knowledge of, and contemporaneous with, Egypt, — for the Arch is not to be found in the cities of the Nile — nor was it at Sidon or Tyrus. The Arch was invented by the Greeks, but seldom practised by them, as they did not think it graceful, — the Romans did, and consequently used it upon nearly every occa- book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 125 sion. Not only does the absence of the Arch point out Egypt as a contemporaneous nation with the builders in America, (this is omitted by Mr. Stephens) but the manner of forming their ceilings is distinctly imitated at Ocosingo, Palenque, and Uxmal : — for the ceilings there are formed by stones lapping over each other (like reversed steps) till they reach a centre, or such small distance from each other, that a single stone will bind them. At Uxmal the ceiling is smooth-surfaced, like a pyramidal, or gable-end ceiling. In vol. ii., p. 313, he says, " The ceiling of each corridor was in this form. [Described above.] The builders were evi- dently ignorant of the principles of the Arch ; and the support was made by stones lapping over as they rose, as at Ocosingo," &c. It will be remembered that at Palenque, the principal part of the architectural or- naments are of stucco and as " hard as stone." " The whole front [of the Temple] was covered with stucco and painted." The reader who may be familiar with descriptions of the wonders of the Nile by Legh, Wil- kinson, and Belzoni, will recognise at once that " painted stucco" is also Egyptian: — but, this comparison is avoided by Mr. Stephens; as, also, the following artis- tical fact and analogy, which is found at Memphis and other cities of Egypt — viz., " On the top of one [i. e. stucco figures at Palenque] are three hieroglyphics sunk in the stucco !" The following will not serve to support his conclusions. " And the most radical difference of all is, the Py- ramids of Egypt are complete in themselves: the struc 126 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi. tures in this country [America] were erected to serve as the foundations of buildings. There is no pyramid in Egypt with a Palace or Temple upon it, [would he have it on an apex ?] — there is no pyramidal structure in this country without" From the foregone extract can any reader acquainted with the Arts, fail to arrive at the conclusion, that the builders of Palenque and Uxmal derived from the Egyptians all that was good of their great edifices, and improved upon the other parts ? For what reader will deny, that a Temple erected upon the lower portion of a Pyramid, is an improvement upon the original, by the association of utility ? And being an improvement, it must have been by those acquainted with the Original, and as remarked in the following pages, what Nation had the facility of being so acquainted as the Tyrian ? And as if in direct copy of the Egyptian, we have shewn that the size of the pyramidal base at Copan is iden- tical with that of the great Pyramid of the Nile, — while that at Cholula, in Mexican America, is exactly twice the base measurement. It is scarcely possible that these dimensions should have been accidental in construction. " There is then," he says, " no resemblance in these remains to those of the Egyptians ; and failing here we look elsewhere in vain." His conclusions upon false premises, would indeed prove " no resemblance :" but, truth and her all-powerful propositions are against him, — his own descriptions, and those of his attendant artist crush him at every book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 127 step, — they both prove " resemblance^ in every Bum ; — . at Copan, pyramidal structures, idol-obelisks, and se- pulchral chamber: at Palenque, profile figures, and square-based, pyro-foundations : at Uxmal the same, with a Colonnade of circular Columns, — and at the second city (Palenque) a stone statue is even found, and from the engraving, Egypt, or her Tyrian neigh- bour, would instantly claim it. Of this statue he writes. (Vol. ii., p. 349.) " We were at once struck with its expression of serene repose, and its strong resemblance to Egyptian Statues. (!) In height it is ten feet six inches, of which two feet six inches were under ground. The head-dress is lofty and spreading: there are holes in [near] the place of ears, which perhaps were adorned with ear-rings of gold and pearls. Eound the neck is a necklace : and pressed against the breast by the right hand, is an instrument apparently with teeth." In the wood-cut this " instrument with teeth" is no more or less, than part of a muralled crown, and it may have been, therefore, the Statue of the Guardian of the City. The Tyrian Coins have the muralled crown on the head of the obverse profile, which represents As- tart e, the tutelary Goddess of the Tyrians and Sidonians. " The left hand rests on a hieroglyphic, from which descends some symbolical ornament: the figure stands on what we have always considered a hieroglyphic (plinth) analogous again to the custom in Egypt of 128 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vi. recording the name and office of the hero, or other person represented." In the last quotation but one, he distinctly uses the word " resemblance," preceded by that of u strong," to enforce the similitude to the Egyptian ; and in the last quotation he says, that the hieroglyphical plinth is " analogous again to the custom of Egypt !" As he has visited, and written of the statues of the Nile, we will not gainsay his judgment even by a suspicion. The statues on the building, surmounting the pyra- midal base at Uxmal, (Waldeck's folio) strongly resemble the general character of the Egyptian, — the head-dress and cape especially, — the difference is, that otherwise than the lappet, hood, and cape, — the figure is entirely naked, — whereas the Egyptian statues ge- nerally possess the additional costume of the loin-cloth. " They [the Kuins] are different from the works of any other known people, of a new order, and entirely and absolutely anomalous : they stand alone." Every people (he argues) and the nations known at the present day, by history, or by ruins, have been searched in order to identify by facsimile resemblance, but in vain, — though Egypt, we have shewn, claims the bases and many attendant analogies. What Nation then ever existed (possessing navigable means) of whose works by Architecture and Sculpture we have no knowledge ? — " That is the question," — and that answered, it will aid the solving of the mysterious problem around the Ruins. Then here is the answer, book l, gh. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 129 without any fear of contradiction or denial. The only nation is the Tyrian ! — that name is used in its triple or Phoenician sense, and comprehends Sidon, Tyrus, and Carthage, — not a remnant remains whereby the slightest form can be traced, save the mere founda- tions of their former greatness ! Egypt was the neigh- bour of the Tyrian, and consequently imparted her knowledge through commercial communion. The inhabitants of Tyrus from their small locality \i. e. the Island] were essentially a practical people, — they had no space to build idle or useless edifices, like those of Egypt, — they had no captives ! The Tyrians were of all people of the ancient world, best adapted to imitate what was of utility and stability, — thence their selecting pyramidal bases, as foundations for their Temples in America, and which have preserved those edifices, and the judgment of the builders, even to this day, through a period of time beyond two thou- sand years ! It also evinced that acuteness and skill, in applying means to ends, for which, as a Nation, they were so renowned. In Section 3, of the Analogies, we will establish from Scriptural History the early Archi- tecture (as to its style) of the ancient Tyrians. The Euins in Ancient America (and by that term we mean anterior to the re-discovery by Columbus) do indeed " stand alone :" — a " new order" to the modern eye they may be — but over two thousand years ago, the " order" might have been termed the Egypto- Tyrian : — and reason, research, and analogies of Religious and National Customs, will prove that the VOL. L K 130 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi. name now given to this newly-discovered ancient order is correct ; — and that the moderns may not only repeat the term, but, even aid the Science of Architecture, by the application of the rules and prin- ciples of utility and solidity, now discovered in the Western Hemisphere ! Our review of his " conclusions" has advanced suffi- ciently far for our purpose ; for it must be evident that a complete refutation of his deductions has been given, and founded upon his own descriptions, and illustra- tions, — apart from Baron Humboldt's and Waldeck's works, or any humble commentaries of our own. It will naturally be asked — " What could have been the motive of such contradiction, and against himself ?" A hidden motive has more than once been hinted at in the foregoing pages. ! love of Country ! how inhe- rent is thy power in the human mind ! — but, never before was it exerted to the same extent as by our favourite Traveller, as evinced in the motive for reject- ing all Nations — except his own, as claimants for the builders of Copan, and her muralled companions of the Western Continent. Talk of the Dacii, and the Curtius, impaling them- selves upon the spears of the enemy, or plunging into a gulph to close it, — why, our devoted Traveller does more than all this — for he survives the shock and fall! The devotional lines unfolding the long concealed motive for rejecting all other Nations, must not be withheld, he writes — book i., en. vi] ANCIENT AMERICA. 131 " I invite to this subject the special attention of those familiar with the Arts of other countries ; — for, unless I am wrong, we have a conclusion far more interesting and wonderful than that of connecting the builders of these cities with the Egyptians, or any other people. It is the Spectacle of a people skilled in Architecture, Sculpture, and Drawing, and beyond doubt, other more perishable arts ; and possessing the cultivation and refinement attendant upon these, — not DERIVED FROM THE OLD WORLD, but ORIGINATING and growing up here, [America] without models or masters, — having a distinct, separate, independent existence : — like the plants and fruits of the SOTL — INDIGENOUS !" Temples and Pyramids defend your rights ! Peri- cles and Phidias protect the Arts ! — for in the Western Continent, without " models or masters," — Edifices, Architects, and Sculptors, as " plants and fruit" — ■ or like — " Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o'erwhelm them to men's eyes!" He brings forward different Nations to father the Architecture in Ancient America, — he calls for " spi- rits from the vasty deep ;" but they will not come, — he calls to the Hindu, Chinese, and Japanese, to claim the Child, — they reject it. Europe does the same. — Greece is not claimed, — although the meander border is on the Sculptured drapery of the offspring. It must then belong to Asia ! — No ? — well then certainly to the k 2 132 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi. great Nation of Africa — Egypt ! — what ! the negative again ? — the writ to find the Parent is about to be returned endorsed non est inventus, and the Architec- tural Child to be declared fatherless, — for he passes by the only Nation of all others that should have been selected, — from their means of accomplishing the migra- tion, — their knowledge of art, — skill in imitation, — their neighbourhood and communion with Egypt, — every circumstance proclaims — Tyrus : — but, — no, — this would not answer the purpose of the fascinating Traveller, — his " conclusion" had a peculiar end in view, — something National, — and with that love of country so conspicuous (God be praised !) in the Anglo-Saxon race, he discards Europe, Asia, and Africa as the Builders, — to him there is a nobler idea, — that the Temples, Palaces, and Altars, — Priests, Kings, and People, — Architects, Sculptors, and Paint- ers belonged to America only, — that they were as the " plants" " indigenous to the Soil," — or, that they sprung like Minerva, ready armed and equipped, as the law of art directs, from the mental citadel of Jove himself ! His " conclusion," which gives no distant antiquity to these Kuins (but which is absolutely apparent), is somewhat in analogy with that which may be supposed to have been offered to a travelling Astronomer, by a homestead-loving Cottager, — who declared that the Moon could not be ancient and inhabited, because the freshness would prevent both propositions. " Fresh- ness ! How so, my good woman ?" asked the New- book i., ch vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 133 tonian disciple. " How so !" she replied. " How wise you gentlemen with long telescopes are ! — how so ? — why because there is a New moon every month, and, consequently, there would not be time enough for people to be born, — or if they were to grow up like 4 plants,' they would be cut down every month ! — and consequently they could not be ancient, — any how !" But to be serious. — Our just pride of native land ! England, — as expressed in " The First Oration upon the Life, Character, and Genius of Shakspeare," * and our impartial love (as a Citizen of the United States) for the Nation claiming Washington as its founder, is too well known and recorded in our humble Oration upon her History and Independence ,f — and in public debate, discourses, and speeches, both in England and America ;— together with the feelings of duty ; — and gratitude founded upon hospitality and the Medallic presentations received in both Countries, to admit even of a question, as to our resolution to uphold their glory and amity, at home or abroad, — and that without fear or favour, from foe or friend ! It was the very spirit of that love for the country, which has graced us by its Citizenship, that led us to detect the erroneous " conclusions" of Mr. Stephens in reference to these Ruins : — for the errors must be evident even to him- self, should these fervent but honest pages, ever meet * Pronounced at Stratford-upon-Avon, England, before, and at the invitation of the Royal Shaksperean Institution, April 23, 1836. f Pronounced in the Capital of Virginia, U. S. A., at the invita- tion of the Franklin] Society, and before the Municipal Authorities, July 4, 1840. 134 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book, i., ch. vi. his perusal ; — and appreciating as we do, the valuable and interesting volumes he has given to the Library of " Travels," — good nature,— knowledge of the Arts, — - united with a justifiable, and a necessary independence, called forth by the importance of the subject, — have been the only means employed by us in criticising his work. In his last chapters, he seems to have forgotten what he had written in his descriptions of the Euins : and that his " Conclusion" was a sudden thought, — and, as proved, not founded upon that which preceded. It could not be otherwise, for " A change came o'er the spirit of his dream !" It is scarcely a question, whether he adds to the fame of America so much, by making the Architects and the Mexican Aborigines to rise up, as " indigenous" to the land, and thence directly opposing the Bible, — the first Parents, and the Diluvian Ancestors, — as if he had traced, and proved them to be from scientific and ac- complished Tyrus, — or those of the North, from " chosen" and courageous Israel, and following on their track — to trace principles derived from an Apostle of Christianity, together with the fulfilment of the words of a Sacred Prophet ! This question cannot contemplate the fame of the United-States, — either as a Nation or a People, — al- though it does that of the Western Hemisphere gene- rally; — that of the Eepublic is consolidated with the essential spirit and glory of the Anglo-Saxon and the book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 135 Norman race, and consequently has no association with the great Tyrian family, or that of Israel, — although all the Nations of the Western Continent feel the serene influence of the heaven-born power — Christianity. That Faith (if we err not) was introduced into the Western Hemisphere more than five centuries before St. Augustine preached it in England. In volume ii. (p. 442), Mr. Stephens expresses him- self in the following ingenuous manner, — after he had formed his " conclusion," and which at once proves, by his own]words, that he did not sufficiently investigate his subject. He writes — " 1 shall not attempt to inquire into the Origin of this people,— from what country they came, — or when, or how /" With diligence and perseverance for our guides, we have for years pursued the clue to this historical laby- rinth, and when the end is reached, we believe that the nation, the time, and the means will be firmly esta- blished ! In regard to the first proposition, we con- clude this chapter by recording the new, and apparent fact, founded upon descriptions which we have artis- tically analyzed, together with the Analogies in the following pages, — and beyond all, by the Bible itself (as shewn in the next chapter), that the Architecture of the Ruins of Ancient America is Egypto-Tyrian, — and that the original builders were from Tyrus, and at a period now distant more than two thousand years ! The subsequent proofs that will enable us firmly to 136 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vi. establish this proposition, will also announce the startling fact of another accomplishment, — or fulfil- ment, — of a sacred and quintuple Prophecy by Isaiah ! — and consequently we shall claim that Prophecy, as unimpeachable evidence of the truth of the historical proposition of this Work. This novel application of Prophecies by Isaiah concerning Tyrus, will be discussed in the Second Book of this Volume, — and in the concluding Chapters of which, it will be employed as an absolute refutation of Atheistical writings. ROBERTSON'S HISTORY OF AMERICA. A few words are required in reference to Dr. Eo- bertson's History of America. It was the present writer's original intention to have formed a chapter upon that Historian's conclusions, in regard to the absence of civilization by the Aborigines of the West- ern Continent, — or rather that portion contemplated by Spanish history : but upon reflection, it was consi- dered unjust to his memory and well-merited fame, to prove those conclusions were erroneous and false, — for Eobertson and the age in which he wrote (1770-80), were in total ignorance of the existence of the now celebrated Temples of Copan, Palenque, and Uxmal, and the many Cities of ancient days newly discovered in the Western Hemisphere. Kefutation is unrequired book i., ch. vi.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 137 by argument, when the basis of conclusions is founded in ignorance of all the premises necessary to sustain the superstructure: — his conclusions must, therefore, necessarily fall to the ground, — and consequently his Volumes upon America cannot now be received either in the library or academy — (as far as concerns the Aborigines, their works, or their ancestors)— as the standard History of that Continent. 138 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vie., § 1 CHAPTER VII. THE RELIGIOUS AND NATIONAL ANALOGIES BETWEEN THE TYRIANS AND MEXICAN ABORIGINES — THE TRADITIONS OF THE LATTER, &C. SECTION I. ANALOGIES IN RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND IDOLS OF WORSHIP SATURN APOLLO — AST ARTE, &C. THE EMBLEM OF THE CROSS, &C. In investigating the important similitudes contem- plated in this, and the following Sections of the present Chapter, the word Mexican (for convenience) will be understood to comprehend all the Western Continent in its ancient condition — not essentially North America ; — and by the words " ancient condition" we would be understood to mean, that period of time, anterior to the landing of Columbus. [1492 a. d.] The Tyrian cus- toms will be brought forward, and then compared with the Mexican. The history of Tyrus will not be re- quired here, that interesting branch of our subject is reserved for the Second Book of the present Volume. The Eeligious ceremonies of the Tyrians would have been lost, but for their being preserved by the Car- book i., ch. vii., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 139 thaginians, — a colony from T yrus, — and between whom there existed the strictest union and friendship, — and may justly be supposed to have practised the manners and customs of the Parent country. The Tyrians, also, would follow the customs of the Sidonians, and the Canaanites, their original ancestors. Gathering, there- fore, evidences of Religious ceremonies from Canaan, Sidon, Tyrus, and Carthage, — for they were all of the Phoenician family,— we shall include those nations under one general term, — viz. Tyrian, — for the same convenience as the term Mexican is used. Not only will the Tyrian customs be gathered from the nations mentioned, but from the Bible also,- — so that the reader will perceive, that the ground for sustaining our superstructure is not a light, or a sandy one. The Tyrians were essentially Idolators, — so were the ancient Mexicans, — the former built Temples to their plurality of Gods, — the latter did the same. The Tyrians sacrificed human beings upon the un- hallowed dedication of their temples : — the Mexicans followed this horror of a false Religion to its full extent ; for at the dedication of the last chief Temple of Mexico, nearly seventy thousand captives, taken during four years' warfare, were sacrificed to propitiate their Deities ! The Tyrians devoted human sacrifices to the God of War upon slight disaster or defeat, — the Mexicans had the same " remedy for sorrow :"— and the many Altar- blocks discovered amid the Ruined Temple of Copan 140 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book. i„ ch. vii., § i. (even now blood-stained) have been clotted with human gore. A very important God among the Tyrians was that of Saturn — a description is necessary, on account of the strong analogy to the Mexican Deity, — and that proved by the Sculpture of the newly-discovered Euins. This strong similitude, — as a Eosetta-stone, — led us to the first translation of the Architectural wonders. Cronus — or the God Saturn, — among the Tyrians, was the deity to whom were sacrificed the most beautiful in- fants and children, and of the highest families ; — it was insatiate, ever asking, always receiving, and ever de- stroying ! This sacrifice to the Moloch of the Tyrians, was derived from the Canaanites, their original an- cestors. Moses, in warning his people to beware of the false Gods in the countries they might conquer, and referring especially to that of Canaan, says — " For every abomination to the Lord, whiclThe hateth, have they (the Canaanites) done unto their Gods ; for even their sons and their daughters have they burnt in the fire to their Gods" [Deut. xii. 31.] Again, in the third book of Moses, — the Lawgiver says — " And thou shalt not let any of thy seed [offspring] pass through the fire to Molech" [Levit. xviii. 21.} — and again God spake by his Prophet, " Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that so- journ in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech, — he shall surely be put to death : the people of the book l, ch. vii., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 141 land shall stone him with stones. And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people ; — because lie hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy Name." [Levit. xx. 2, 3.] In the New Testament this same God of the Ca- naanites is called Moloch, — a name generally used in poetry to express the demon of blood. " Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch." [Acts vii. 43.] ' This was an ancient custom of the Canaanites, and followed by their descendants, the Sidonians, Tyrians, and Carthaginians, — it was, also, practised by the Mexican Aborigines. The Tyrian God Saturn, was represented in Asia and Africa by a large metal Statue, —the figure was bent slightly forward, with the hands extended, as in the act of receiving, or soliciting : — the arms and hands were in that position, that upon the child being placed in the hands of the Statue, the weight of the smallest infant was sufficient to displace its position, and consequently, it in- stantly slipped from the hands of the Idol into a fiery furnace, — ever burning beneath this God of Infan- ticide ! In this manner were the most beautiful children of the Phoenicians destroyed, as an offering to the insatiate Moloch. This Canaanitish practice, which was feared by Moses, was actually practised centuries after by his People, for another Prophet speaking of the impending 142 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vii., § r. downfall of Jerusalem, and of her accumulated sins, says, " Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daugh- ters, whom thou hast born unto me ; and these hast thou sacrificed unto them [false gods], to be devoured [by flames] , — * * * — thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them." [Ezekiel xvi. 20-21.] Now the Sculpture of the Euins in Mexican Ame- rica illustrates this very custom of the Tyrians, — and as it was one of the greatest importance with that nation, so has it received more attention than any other subject. It can readily be imagined how many stages in the progress of this infanticide would be in the Tyrian nation, — as thus, — the Mother bringing the child ; — the reception by the Priests, — the sorrow of the Parent, and other incidents in analogy with the subject. The Sculpture of the ruined Temples at Palenque, presents many of the progressive steps towards a consummation of the sacrifice, — as thus, — Female figures, erect, adorned with jewels and ornaments, — each figure with a child in her arms, not in the attitude of receiving a Mother's nourishment, but held by the Parent in such a manner, as if in sorrowful contemplation of her infant victim: — the costume, also, is essentially important, for the Tyrian Children were selected from families pos- sessing station, wealth, and power. Other female figures are represented seated, and in the most melancholy book i., ch. vii., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 143 postures, with downcast heads and looks, as if mourn- ing for that loss, which had made them Motherless ! In an inner apartment, believed to be the sanctum of a Temple, is sculptured (in basso) the resemblance of the dread Altar, portraying the entrance of the fiery fur- nace,— -fo r even the bars and grating are disti7ictly visible ; a large and monstrous Mask, or demoniac face is directly above the fire-grating, — presenting that of the remorseless Deity. On either side of the Altar- furnace and Mask of Saturn, is stationed a young and an elderly Priest of sacrifice, both standing, erect, upon crushed and prostrate human beings : the Priests have their hands and arms elevated, and each holds an infant, — raised up towards the demon-deity, as if in the act of presenting the victims. The ancients (from their Mythology) believed that their God, — Saturn, — devoured its own children, — thence the worship, — and those who sacrificed a child to him, were supposed to be under his peculiar care and guidance: — this Sculptured Mask, — has a hideous face, — distorted eyes, a ravenous and distended mouth, — and its tongue hang- ing out, as if athirst for infant blood, — thus presenting a perfect portraiture of the child-craving appetite of the Demon. It must be evident that the above ana- logy is a most powerful one, — nor have the parallels been strained in order to prove their equi-character ; — the analogy is so strong, — and apparently so convincing^ — that it cannot fail to reach the mind of the reader with a conviction of their identity . The Sculpture described, having reference to the 144 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vn., § i. Tyrian God — Saturn, — is, as we have stated, upon the stuccoed walls of Palenque, — and, we believe, was placed there as a record of a Religious custom, prac- tised anterior to the walls being stuccoed,— for, an- other piece of Sculpture represents the perfect overthrow of this worship, by a more sublime Religion, which will be shewn in the third Yolume. This discovery by us, suggested the apparent truth, that the Temple of Palenque was originally of stone, and dedicated to the Sun (the elliptical stone tablet will prove that), and that its second csra was the stuccoing of the walls, — this fact we think can be established, to have taken place about 350 years after the Temple was first erected. As this subject involves that portion of our History, which embraces the introduction of Christianity into the Western Hemisphere, all argument to prove the second sera in the Temple of Palenque, is reserved for that Volume, devoted to the interesting and impor- tant investigation. The pictorial description given in the engraving, furnished by Baron Humboldt, of the Mexican Calendar found in the plaza of Mexico (buried in the time of Cortez) has a direct bearing upon the Tyro-Mexican Saturn, as represented at Palenque. The centre of the sculptured Calendar-circle recorded by the great Tra- veller, — is a horrid mask, or face, — nearly a likeness of that at Palenque; — and one remarkable incident of identity is, that each face has the tongue hanging out, and by the muscular action, — in the same blood- devouring manner. Now these Masks of Saturn (as we book i., ch. vii., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 145 have named them) were discovered many hundred miles apart, which would seem to indicate that the worship, or adoration of that heathen deity was a general one, and practised by all the Mexican Abori- gines. The several Idol-obelisks at Copan, having the Altars in front, were the personation of deities of less denomination than Saturn, — but to whom, without doubt, were sacrificed devoted victims and captives ; — the same also upon the pyramidal Altars of Cholula and Quirigua. The Tyrians of Phoenicia had many minor deities claiming human sacrifice. Another analogy will now be produced equally as powerful — if not more so, than that having reference to the Tyrian Moloch. The Phoenicians had in their several capitals a Temple erected to a tutelary, or Na- tional God, — and that became the chief object of wor- ship. The Greeks copied this custom, — but, in the Cecropian decision in the contest between Neptune and Pallas, the Goddess was preferred, — and thus the " re- jected" on Mount Ida became the Guardian of the Acropolis. The Daughter of Jupiter, in her character of Minerva, was not only worshipped by Athens, but by all Attica, — and under the name of Intellect, she is now worshipped by every Nation ! The Tyrians, from their remote ancestors, the Canaanites, selected Apollo, as their favourite and protective God, — although Jupiter was the Chief of Gods with all the Heathens, — and was worshipped under the name of Baal, or Belus, by the Babylonians and Assyrians, — Ammon by the Egypt- VOL. I. L 146 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § i. ians, — Jupiter by the Phoenicians and Greeks, — and as Jove by the Romans. The Sun, — (i. e. Apollo,) — as the Eye of Heaven, — was worshipped by the Canaanites, Sidonians, Tyrians, and Carthaginians as their protective God, — it never left the great Phoenician family from the time of Canaan the " cursed," — the grandson of Noah, — to the destruction of Carthage by the Romans, — a period of near two thousand years. The chief Games, — or public festivals, of the Tyrians were the Heraclian, — i. e. those dedicated to Hercules- Apollo ; — the name was compounded by the Tyrians, in order to personify the strength and power of their God of Fire. Apollo in the mythology of the ancients had many attributes, — but the chief was that of being regarded as the Symbol of the Sun, and as such, was worshipped by the Tyrians, and had been from remote antiquity, and even down to so late a period as the third century of our own aera: for in 218, A. d., a Priest of the Sun, officiating at Emessa, in Phoenicia, though a youth, was elevated to the Imperial dignity at Rome, in the person of Elagabalus, — and who, upon his arrival the following year in his Italian Capital, endeavoured to establish the absolute Worship of the Sun as practised in Phoenicia. In this he succeeded, but in the fourth year of his reign he was assassinated, when the Romans returned to the adoration of their Jupiter. The Sun was, also, the chief worship at Palmyra, book l, ch. vii., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 147 and upon the conquest and captivity of the heroic Ze- nobia by the Emperor Aurelian, in 272 a. d., — the con- queror introduced the worship of Apollo at Rome : — but, not as Elagabalus to the exclusion of Jupiter as the chief Deity. The celebrated Statue of the Apollo Belvidere, re- presents the God in the attitude of having just dis- charged an arrow from his " unerring bow," — the atti- ude, look, and general action, embrace that moment of time during the flight of the feathered shaft, — all this is merely symbolical of the Sun, — for the Statue illus- trates the triumph over the Deucalion Deluge : — as thus. — After that Deluge the stagnated waters created an enormous monster from the muddy slime, called Python; (i. e. Pestilence)- — Apollo (i e. the Sun) killed the monster with his arrows, (i.e. Sun-beams) — and the Statue of the Sun-God represents, in his tri- umphant look and lip, the ease and certainty of his unerring aim and victory ! Apollo, therefore, is the Sun, and as such was re- garded and adored by the Tyrians ; and such was their devotion to the golden Statue of their God, that at the last siege of their city (according to Plutarch), they fastened it with chains of massive gold, and even nailed the feet of the Statue, and thus doubly secured it to the Chief Altar in the Temple of Hercules-Apollo, — who being the chief object of worship by the Tyrians, (be- lieving that it was the flame of life,) — it cannot be a matter of surprise, that such an attempt to secure their l 2 148 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vii., § i. " source of existence," should have been made against their ruthless invader. The reader need scarcely be reminded that the chief symbol of worship among the Mexican Aborigines was Apollo, as viewed by the Tyrians. There is not a schoolboy but is familiar with the fact (from the pen of Kotzebue and Sheridan,) that the chief deity of their Temple, — the Sun, — was " the God of their Idolatry!" " The faith (i. e, worship of the Sun) we follow, teaches us to live in bonds of charity with all mankind, and die with hope of bliss beyond the grave !" [Pi- zarro, Act 2. Sc. " Temple of the Sun."] This analogy in the chief worship of the Tyrians and Mexicans, in illustrating their identity, is as powerful as a sculptured Crescent upon a gravestone, — to impress the passer-by with the belief, that a Mahommedan sleeps beneath ! There is no record of the Phoenician or Tyrian Banner, — but it may have descended to the Peruvians, — their device being an Eagle gazing upon a brilliant Sun! — it would not be an inappropriate Standard for the Tyrians, considering their watchfulness of their fa- vourite God. The Apollo-worship of the Tyrian and Mexican (to- gether with that of Saturn) we might enlarge upon, did we not think, that the reader has already formed his own affirmative conclusion of their identity. As Apollo represented the Sun, — so did Astarte — the Moon, — and she was the Chief Goddess of the book i., ch. vii , § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 149 Tyrians, and was worshipped by the Mexican Abo- rigines. Dr. Kobertson distinctly states that the natives of Bogota and Natchez worshipped Apollo and Astarte, — but in so stating he did not attempt to esta- blish any National Theory. The fact is, however, given, as will be seen in the following quotation, — viz., " Among the people of Bogota (South America) the Sun and Moon were, likewise, the chief objects of vene- ration." " The Sun was the chief object of religious worship among the Natchez," &c. [Vol. v. b. iv. p. 373-4.] The latter, perhaps, were located upon the Missi- sippi, when the Tyrian- Americans coasted the Gulf of Mexico, as the Tribe of Natchez was the only one in that part of the Continent, that practised the Tyrian Customs. Upon an emblem of this Goddess, will be established one of the strongest analogies. The reader will be startled at the following proposition, — but it is no less the fact, — and it is given with peculiar force to sustain identity — viz., that the emblem of the Cross (as seen at Palenque) proves the Mexican Aborigines to have been Tyrians ! In the first book of Kings [ch. xi.] it is recorded that Solomon among his wives, had many Sidonians, — that they " turned away his heart after other gods ; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. — For Solomon went after [worshipped] Ashtoreth, the Goddess of the Sidonians!' (i. e. Tyrians.) 1 50 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § x. It was in consequence of this departure from The God of Israel, that Ahijah prophecied to Jeroboam, that he should have Ten of the Tribes of Abraham for his kingdom, in the time of Solomon's Son and suc- cessor, — Rehoboam. Ashtoreth is Astarte: the God- dess of the Sidonians and Tyrians,- — they are one and the same. Without attempting here a refutation of the assertion by atheistical or deistical writers, that the monogram of Christ ( £ ) was known six centuries before The Na- tivity, — it will be sufficient for our present purpose to establish, that the Cross was a Tyrian emblem, more than three hundred years anterior to the time of Tibe- rius, — for of that period (332 b. c.) we must again re- mark, we are illustrating. It was, also, known in the time of Solomon, for he worshipped the Tyrian Astarte, — whose symbol was the Cross, — and this was more than one thousand years before the Crucifixion! Here then is a more remote period for a knowledge of the Cross, as an emblem, than that assumed by sceptics; — it is brought forward because it is the truth, — and why did not deistical writers trace it to the time of Solomon ? — they knew, if they did, that it would prove a strong link in the chain of Christianity, and therefore, for their own purposes they avoided it ! We will shew this as we proceed. In Calmet's Dictionary of the Bible, is found a pic- torial representation of the Coins of ancient nations. In the plates giving those of Sidon and Tyrus (both must be viewed as one) is the figure of Astarte, surrounded bopk i., ch. vii., § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 151 by the words " The Sidonian Goddess" in the old Phoe- nician characters. She is standing on the fore part of a galley (emblem of Tyrian navigation) — full robed, — the classic measure on her head, — a branch in her right hand (emblem of peace and reward) — and in her left hand a long Cross (emblem of war and punish- ment) — the proportions are the same as the sacred one used at Mount Calvary : — it is upright, and slightly in- clines, like a sceptre, across the inner part of the upper arm of the Goddess. The following are Calmet's remarks on the Coins. " No. 4. Astarte, — holding the Cross ; — standing on a Ship (galley) : the measure on her head," &c. "No. 12. Astarte standing in her Temple, — hold- ing the long Cross in her hand — the shelly supposed to allude to the Tyrian dye ; — in the exergue, — An Altar (i. e. of perpetual fire) burning before the Temple," &c It will be observed that the above manner of alluding to the Cross of the Tyrian Goddess, is too positive (and with the coins as witnesses) to admit even of a doubt of its being an emblem of the Tyrians, and many cen- turies before the period contemplated by this volume? viz. 332 b. c. They then possessed the Cross, and among the ancients they appear to have been the only people, — with the exception of the Egyptians, who probably copied it from the Phoenicians, to illustrate their own worship of the Moon, — the Egyptian emblem was thus — (2) — and this has been falsely called the sacred monogram, — for the Moon is shewn by the circle — and the Cross was her general emblem. Astarte carried a Cross merely as an emblem of punish- 152 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vii., § i. ment, as her olive, or palm-branch was emblematical of reward, — Solomon worshipped her, and her attributes, upon his leaving the One God : — from David descended the husband of The Saviour's Mother, as, also, the Virgin herself, and after the Crucifixion, the Cross became the emblem of Salvation /—and was no more viewed as a Symbol of Idolatry, as in the time of David's Son, or of a degraded death as in the time of Tyberius : — may there not, in this very change of the character of the emblem, in regard to its attribute of worship, — from punishment to atonement, and by the converted disciples from the same " chosen people," be a mysterious token of the great precept by the Divine GOD, — that from Evil cometh Good? We believe every thing tending to the Glory of the CEE ATOE : and even if the monogram used by Constantine did exist centuries before the time of CHEIST, — but which we deny, — yet viewing that subject with an eye of faith it would be found to illustrate the Prophets, and not detract from them or their Prophecies. We have digressed, — the reader requires no apology, — the subject will speak for us. In the Mexican Euins numerous instances are found of the Cross, — it is in Sculpture and Stucco: — some small apertures bear the same form, as thus, + :- — the lower part being inconvenient for its specific adapta- tion, — it was not, therefore, used. In one of the minor temples at Palenque, the Cross with the lower part is distinct, and in full proportion, — thus proving the " long Cross" of Astarte, — the Tyrian Goddess, — to be upon those Euins. But without that — (for we desire to book i., ch. vil, § i.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 153 reserve the sculpture containing the long Cross for a future application) — the numerous Crosses, of a minor character upon other Kuins are sufficient to testify to the worship, or knowledge of Astarte, and her symbol- ical attributes being known to the Mexican Aborigines. Another analogy is in the Altars of perpetual fire, — and their being watched by the Virgins of the Sun. This was practised by the Tyrians as a branch of their worship of the God of Fire — Apollo. The Eoman Vestals were copied from those of Phoenicia. The same horrid punishment attended the loss of virtue by a Virgin of the Sun, both in Tyrus and Mexico, — this was also imitated by the Eomans. We have no history tracing the (to us) obscene worship of Pkiapus (i. e. Baal-peor) to the Tyrians,— nor was it found among the Mexicans, — though it was practised by the Egyptians, — and even by the all-ac- complished Greeks, — this was over 2000 years ago.* The non-existence of this generative and religious worship by* both Tyrians and Mexicans, — although practised by other ancient nations, — must be regarded as another proof of identity : — for identity can be proved by a negative, — with equal power to an affirmative custom. The strong analogies in Religion must be apparent to the reader. * It will scarcely be believed that so late as 1780 a. d., the votive worship was practised at Isernia, only fifty miles from Naples ; — and (upon the authority of Sir Wm/Hamilton) that three days in Septem- ber were given to this worship, which the Priests called the fete of St. Cosmo ; and at which, Maids, Wives, and Widows, publicly joined in devotion. The King of Naples abolished it, upon the proof by Sir William Hamilton.— G. J. 154 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § n. SECTION II. NATIONAL AND POLITICAL ANALOGIES HISTORICAL AND TRADI- TIONAL A TRANSLATION OF THE HIEROGLYPHICAL ALTAR OF COPAN, &C. Histoey proves the fact that the higher orders of animals and birds, have been selected as the symboli- cal emblems of different nations, — as for instance, the British Lion, — the Gallic Cock, — the Eoman and the American Eagle, and many others. The Dove was the bird of Babylon and Nineveh, — this was natural, as those cities were the most ancient, and nearest to the time of the Deluge, —and consequently the Dove be- came the apparent emblem of safety; and it is a strong proof of the historical fact of the Deluge and the " Dove." The next beautiful bird of a peaceful cha- racter is the Swan, and this was selected by another immediate branch of Noah's family — viz., the Canaanites. It has already been shewn that the house of Canaan was the original of that of the Tyrians. The antiquary, Jacob Bryant, says concerning this emblem of the Canaanites, " that where they, or their descendants (i. e. Tyrians) may have settled, there will a story be found in reference to Swans." Now when the above learned writer penned that general remark, he little thought that it would be brought to bear upon the identity of the Tyrians in the Western Hemisphere ; and therefore, in its application, it is of greater autho- book i., ch. vii., § ii. "I ANCIENT AMERICA. 155 rity, from that very fact. He says — that where the Tyrians may have settled, we may expect to hear some story or tradition about a Swan or Swans. Admitting this to be truth, (and he is quoted as authority upon antiquities,) then is there proof that the Mexican Abo- rigines were Tyrians, as the following incident from acknowledged history will shew. About two centuries before the Spanish Conquest, — the Aztecas, — (Mexican proper) were oppressed by a neighbouring kingdom ; the latter demanded as a tribute, that the former should bring one of their celebrated floating gardens from the Lake of Mexico, — this tributary present was accomplished, with great labour and difficulty. The next year this demand was repeated, and with this addition— viz., that their emblematical bird, the Swan, should,, also, be brought with it, and in the Garden, sit- ting on her eggs, — and that the present should be so timed as to its arrival, that the eggs should be hatched, when the Garden was presented to the King demand- ing the National tribute ; — this was actually accom- plished, and the Cygnets came forth as the imperious Monarch received the present. Now the substance of the above was recorded by the Spanish Historian over three centuries since, and with no idea to establish that those Aborigines were Tyrians ; — it may, therefore, be received as a record of fact, — at all events it came to the Historian from the Mexicans as a " story" of their race, — handed down from sire to son, as a u tradition" of their ancestors. In those respects alone — " story or tradition" — the proof of identity required by Bryant 156 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vil, § n. is completely established. " Where the Tyrians are you may expect to hear some story or tradition about Swans." — Well then, here is the " story" and " tradi- tion" together with the historical fact, — and Swans form the material : — but, they have been dying in music for centuries yet unregarded; — they have been as a symbolical record buried in a people's Sepulchre, — and which the opening of a Nation's tomb has alone brought to light. The classic reader will remember, that Jupiter assumed the form of the Bird of Canaan, when he sought and won the love of Leda ! We will now endeavour to translate the Hierogly- phics, and Sculpture, upon, and around, the Chief Al- tar of Copan. We commence with the proposition that the hieroglyphics merely explain the Sculpture, and that if the Sculpture can be explained, the sense of the hieroglyphics, as a consequence, will be trans- lated. If we shall read the Sculpture aright, we believe that it will be found to record a National Act of Friendship, — whereby the Tyrians had the power of reaching America. We will not anticipate our History by now stating the detail of that act of amity, — it will be sufficient for the present purpose to mention, that the act occurred between the Sidonians and the Tyrians, — it was an act of friendship in front of death itself, — and death in its most terrific form, both of torture and of infamy. Mr. Stephens, in writing of the thirty-six compart- ments, or squares, — of hieroglyphics on the top of the Altar, says — book l, ch. vil, § il] ANCIENT AMERICA. 157 " They without doubt record some event in the his- tory of the mysterious people who once inhabited the City" (i. e. Copan). We believe it, — and that the basso-Sculpture on the four sides, as already stated, illustrates the hieroglyphics on the surface. The details of the Sculpture must be first reviewed, in order to establish even analogy in the accessories of the Altar. 1st. The " two Serpents" — (and the same are around the walls of Uxmal). The Serpent with the Tyrians (who copied it from their neighbours of Egypt) was their Agatho- daemon, — or good demon of the country, — and would naturally be used to illustrate any strong act of faith, or friend- ship ; and as a mutual act of amity had taken place between these two nations, — the Mother and Child, — for Tyrus was " the Daughter of Sidon," — it follows that two serpents were necessary to illustrate the compound act. We have seen an ancient Tyrian Coin, on the reverse of which is a Serpent entwining an Egg, — it may be translated thus, — an Egg is the em- blem of life, and it being very large upon the Coin in proportion to the Serpent, represents the germ of the Nation's life, — the Serpent by coiling around it, presents the good demon (power or Spirit) of the Country pro- tecting the Egg, or Nation, from external injury by its numerous embraces, — the warmth of which would, also, bring it into active life. The Altar is described as standing " on four globes cut out of the stone," — now a globe conveys the idea only of a perfect sphere, but from the drawings of the Altar these " globes" are 158 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vii., § n. distinctly oval, and consequently represent the form of Eggs and not " globes !" On the Coin above alluded to, the Egg is a principal emblem, and that of life, — and those symbols forming the Corner-stones, or founda- tion of the Altar, seem to illustrate that the story of the Sculpture represents the very existence, — or rather the birth of the Nation in its present locality, (i. e. Copan). This we believe is the fact, and the warrant for the assertion we will hereafter prove to be founded on the authority of Classical History itself. This Altar we have ever regarded as the Key-stone to the Arch, of these historical sepulchres, and architectural wonders of the Western wilderness. The Serpents and the Eggs then are essentially Tyrian emblems. In the description of the Altar one of the two chief personages holds in his hand an " instrument" or sceptre — but each of the lesser figures an" object" — which in the engraving is a spiral shell. These shells, also, illustrate the Nation of Tyrus, for the spiral shell is found upon nearly all the coins of that ancient country! It was placed on their coins in honour of the discovery of the secret of the celebrated colour, called by the ancients, — the Tyrian Dye. That renowned colour was not made from any earth or mineral, but from the purple murex, — or the dye shellfish. It was first disco- vered by a Tyrian on the shores of Tyrus, — who, wan- dering with his Dog, suddenly observed the mouth of his faithful companion to be empurpled, — and upon inves- tigation, he found that it arose from the animal crush- book l, ch. vii., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 159 ing between his teeth, a small shellfish, just then thrown upon the Tyrian beach by the waters of the Mediterranean. Improving upon the discovery, the Tyrians became so renowned for their dye used in regal and costly mantles, that in commemoration of the event, they placed upon their Coins the shell, — nor was the original discoverer forgotten, for upon a Tyrian Coin (Calmet, No. 16) the Dog is seen ap- proaching the Shell ! Some writers have questioned the manner of the discovery, — but the last-mentioned Coin confirms the historical account. The Shell was also adapted to personify the marine character of Tyrus, — and it being upon the Altar may be viewed as another emblem of that country, — which, with the Serpents and Eggs, cannot have been placed there by caprice or accident, — but rather with absolute intent, having reference to an historical design in the Sculpture. The figures are all seated " cross-legged in the Oriental fashion." Their very position then sub- stantiates Montezuma's assertion to Cortez, that his An- cestors many ages past, come from " the East." One of the chief personages to the " negotiation," as Mr. Stephens calls the group, has a " Sceptre" in his hand, — and there is none in the hand of the other King or Cadmus, — (as the ancient Phoenician Chiefs were called;) — this incident is another proof of the correct reading of the Act of Amity ; for at the time of its per- formance, Tyrus had ceased to be a nation — but Sidon had not, — the former had lost all her powers of safety, — the latter retained them, — and could, and did extend 160 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vii., § n. them to her " Daughter," who is represented as pre- senting a Shell, — perhaps the Secret of the " Dye" — as a tributary offering to her Parent, — who appears on the Altar more elevated than the other Chief figure. This still further illustrates the fact of the single sceptre and its application. Believing, from the general and early character of the Sculpture, that Copan was the first built city in Ancient America, — we are still further warranted in the belief from the definition of the Chief Altar, — for it appears to illustrate in every particular, both by inci- dents and emblems, the last event of Tyrus in its Asiatic history, but which was the first event leading to the existence of the Tyrians in the "Western Hemi- sphere. This important fact will be detailed in the History of Tyrus, — and at the present moment we will observe (without anticipating the event) that there is nothing in the Sculpture of the Altar, at variance with the illustration of that fact of History ; but, on the con- trary, every particular of the Sculpture completely defines the Nation and the incident. The basso sculp- ture of the Altar would, also, indicate an earlier erection than the surrounding " Idols," which are in Alto. An analogy is, also, found in the political divisions, and the peculiar governments of the Mother-Country in Asia and Africa, and her descendants in Mexican America. In each Hemisphere there was a mixture of Monarchies and Republics ; — as thus, — Sidon and Tyrus were governed by Kings — while Carthage, after the death of her first and only Monarch — Dido — be- book i., ch. vii., § ir.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 161 came a Republic, and remained so, — and this fact created the lasting jealousy of the Romans. The same was in the Western Continent. — Mexico and other Na- tions were Monarchies, while other portions of the country were Eepublics. This is proved from the fact, that the most powerful war Montezuma the First ever engaged in, was that, in which the three Republics joined as a common cause against the brave, but de- spotic Monarch of Mexico. As a National analogy may be viewed the Military character and locality of Copan, — this, also, strengthens our belief that this city was the first erected, — for al- though on the Altars no Sculpture is found representing weapons of war, — and in a Temple to Religion there should not be, — yet this Temple is but the centre, of what may be termed the Citadel of Copan. The entire Ruins (it will be remembered) are traceable for a dis- tance of " over two miles," along the banks of the River, — and on the opposite side, at the distance of a mile, and on an eminence two thousand feet high, (thus overlooking every approach to the city,) is found a ruined Stone Structure, and almost evident from its locality, to have been originally a signal, or watch- tower. The city is, also, built on the banks of the River, and above " the falls? thus forming a natural defence against any approach from the Sea, — while any attempt to reach the Citadel by water from the Source of the River, was frustrated by the erection of a high perpendicular wall (" nearly 100 feet"), forming a river facade of " six hundred and twenty-four feet>" — VOL. I. M 162 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § n. (nearly the eighth of aniile) — this is based upon an ele- vated embankment of about " thirty feet," — and was formerly protected from any flooding of the river, by a water > wall along the whole range of the Citadel-Temple. The great wall is in ruins at the summit, therefore many feet may have fallen down, — thus proving that its entire height with the embankment (as before ex- pressed) must have ranged from one hundred and forty, to one hundred and fifty feet Now there is nothing in Egypt (as a plumb- wall) to be compared with this, — nor does the Nile of ancient days, possess a perpendicular wall, — and there is no marine Nation of antiquity that can lay the analogous claim to such a wall, equal to Tyrus, — for her Citadel-city in Asia was bordered by the waters of the Tyrian harbour, — and to secure its safety from human invasion, or that of the Sea, the ancient inhabitants of that Island-mart erected perpendicular walls, one hundred and fifty feet in height ! Copan then possesses an analogy to the capital of ancient Tyrus, — and as that was the last city left by the Aborigines in Asia, it appears but natural that they should endeavour to imitate it, in building their first city in a foreign land. We submit that this is a strong analogy, and founded upon justifiable reasoning. The Wreck of an ancient Galley has been found in Mexican America, deeply imbedded in the sands, — now this must have been (upon a minute investigation) the remains of a Phoenician vessel, — for the Greeks and Eomans had no galleys on the Atlantic waters, or even the Indian Ocean, until the time of Alexander, — but book l, ch. vii., § il] ANCIENT AMERICA. 163 the Tyrians had, — and, as will be proved (in the next Book of this Volume), nearly one thousand years before the Christian JEra, and again, six centuries before the period of The Advent. Circumcision was practised in Mexican America from two distinct reasons. 1st. From a supposition that it was conducive to health ; and 2dly, from a Eeligious custom ; this last fact will be required for the third volume, — the former only will be here brought forward, for the purpose of proving another analogy. Circum- cision was practised by the Egyptians, Ethiopians, Tyrians, Colchians, and Cappadocians, upon the belief that personal safety would be the result ; and the cus- tom might, therefore, be viewed as a sacrifice to Hygeia, — the Goddess of Health, — and in this sacrifice many of the females of Egypt did not exempt themselves. The custom, however, was optional, — this is proved by the Egyptian Mummies ! — There were no laws to en- force it (except upon the Priests of Egypt), as among the Israelites and Jews, with whom, as an entire people, it was, and is, one of the most sacred customs, esta- blished by a Covenant between The Father of the Uni- verse, and the patriarch of Israel. In the division of the Land of Canaan between the Twelve Tribes, by Joshua, — the Tribe of Asher was located on the con- fines of Sidon and Tyrus. — Joshua re-established the Covenant of Circumcision, after it had been purposely laid aside by Moses during the " forty years" wander- ing in the Wilderness. It was, therefore, practised by the immediate neighbours of the Tyrians, and it is m 2 164 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, ch. vii., § n. apparent to belief, that the custom was received among the Phoenicians owing to their juxtaposition with a Tribe of Israel. The Egyptians received the custom in a similar manner, — viz., during the sojourn of Israel in Egypt. The Tribe of Asher, — and its customs, gra- dually encroached upon the Idolatry and manners of the Phoenicians, — for we find (upon the authority of Malte Brun) that the members of that Tribe (Asher) were driven back from all the sea-coast to the interior, by the Sidonians and Tyrians ; — the custom, however, in an optional character, remained with the Tyrians, — and in that manner it was practised by the Mexican Aborigines. In viewing the above analogy, it must be evident to the reader, — that in the fact of optional Circumcision (no matter from what motive) another proof is seen of the two distinct races in Ancient America, — for in the North, as stated heretofore, where it is practised, it is only in the form of a Religious rite. The tradition of the ancient Mexicans as to where they came from, is directly in favour of this work. Upon Cortez asking Montezuma the Second, the origin of the Mexican race, — the Monarch answered, — that many ages ago they came from " The East" — (i. e. from where the Sun rises) — and as he then was speak- ing in Mexico, " The East" is at once defined to be across the Atlantic Ocean. The coast of Phoenicia was always denominated " The East" — this is absolute on the authority of Holy Writ, and in that definition^ Tyrus is distinctly spoken of : viz. — book l, ch. vii., § ii.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 165 " All the nations have I destroyed before them : and in the East, I have scattered the people of the provinces, even of Tyrus and Sidon." [Esdras ii. 12.] Sahagun the Spanish historian, who lived nearly sixty years with the Mexicans, and wrote about fifteen years after the Conquest by Cortez (1520) relates, that, from their traditional history, handed down from remote antiquity, — the Aborigines of the Country, first touched at Florida, — then coasted along, until they reached the Bay of Honduras, — and they then landed. It will be observed that the terms " touched" " coasted" and " landed" are phrases belonging exclu- sively to Navigation, — this confirms the reply of Mon- tezuma, that his ancestors originally came from the East, for by Navigation only could they come from that quarter, — and as a consequence they sailed towards the West, and across the Atlantic Ocean ! The tradition of having " first touched at Florida," is as remarkable, as the means of Nature whereby it was accomplished, which will be investigated and esta- blished in the last pages of this Volume. Cortez wished to sail around the Bay of Honduras, the Point of Yucatan, and thence into the Gulph of Mexico, — and inquired if there were descriptions of those coasts. Montezuma instantly presented to the Spaniard Maps and Charts of the entire Coast, and from these, Cortez steered, and sailed in his perilous voyage around Honduras, and by the correctness of the Charts, he accomplished his expedition in safety. This account he wrote home to his Emperor and Master, 166 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § n. Charles the Fifth, — it is consequently history : — no ar- gument is, therefore, required to prove their Know- ledge, and that of their ancestors in the Science of Na- vigation ; — and what people in the Asiatic world were such " pilots and mariners" as the ancient Tyrians ? If the Mexican Aborigines had sprung from a race (like the Israelites of the North) having no knowledge of navigation, it would have been impossible to have had Maps and Charts from their remote ancestors, and to have continued the scientific practice of that knowledge among themselves. This is another strong proof of the two races of Abo- rigines on the Western Continent ; and of the different means whereby their migrations were accomplished. Sahagun, also, relates that from testimony of tradi- tion, and their historical Paintings, that their ances- tors, as a Colony — arrived on the American coast (first touching at Florida) before the Christian Mr a I It should be observed that this account by the Spaniard was written over three hundred years ago, — it was then laughed at, — but the time was computed both by the Aborigines and Sahagun, — the former, as well as the latter, had a knowledge of the Christian iEra, as will be proved in the third volume, — That knowledge was con- veyed to them after the arrival of the colony ; — and nearly fifteen centuries before the conquest by Cortez ! The Ruins in Ancient America, together with rela- tive facts, prove that Sahagun's account in regard to time is correct ; and that their original ancestors did arrive before the Christian iEra. The same Historian book i., ch. vii., § il] ANCIENT AMERICA. 167 says, that from their historical traditions, the Mexican Aborigines were originally a Colony ; — which term may be received as explanatory of their small number, and that only, — for had they been " a Colony" according to the modern and general acceptation of the word, there would have been some Mother-land to claim her foreign Children, — but, none appears upon the Books of History. They then arrived " before the Christian iEra," — this then places them in a positive position, — for the Nation from whence they came, must have existed before that sacred period, — and the Nation (as a people) must have had knowledge of, and the means of Navigation, since it is already established that they arrived in that manner. The " mind's eye" must instantly glance at the Tyrians, as the people having those means, and being in existence anterior to the Christian iEra. The Tyrians did compose that "colony," — not sent forth from their own land by care and affection ; but, driven forth (as we will prove) by terror and despair ! — They were the " pilots and mariners," and the " merchant princes" of the desperate hazard : — their knowledge and skill in navigation, were the champions daring the united powers of Neptune and Boreas, and upon a Naumachian arena, where a prow had never cut through a liquid track : Neptune permitted the refugees to pass on to freedom, — for the Ocean-God remains now, as when he first received from Creation upon his broad breast, the panoply of Light, — scarless : — and for all the wild wars of Elements and Man upon that panoply,— the lightning's 168 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § in. rapid shafts, — the iron-tempest from earth's artillery, — still that bright armour — reflecting Heaven on its sur- face — retains no impress from the fierce battery of the Storm-cloud, or from Man's weaker power, or ambition I SECTION IIL ARTISTICAL ANALOGIES. ARCHITECTURE, SCULPTURE, AND PAINTINGS — THE PYRAMIDS OF EGYP^ AND AMERICA — THE ANCIENT TYRIAN DYE — THE TEM- PLES OF JERUSALEM AND PALENQUE, &C. The Architecture and Sculpture of the Euins, in order to support this Epoch, must possess an undeniable existence, and founded upon data, and strong analogy, of having a character traceable centuries before the Christian iEra. Four Sciences are required to be pos- sessed by the original nation, — viz., Architecture, Sculp- ture, Painting, and Navigation. If we view for these purposes Hindoostan, China, and Japan, the charac- teristics of the first-named Sciences are totally different, while the latter is wanting to the extent necessary. Borne and Greece would present the marine power, but the Architecture of those countries would claim no affinity with that in America ; for at Copan, Palenque, and Uxmal, and all the Euins, the Arch and Pediment are wanting. Egypt claims at once the general cha- racter of the Architecture, but not sufficient to establish that it is strictly of a National order, as practised on the borders of the Nile ; — but, enough is shewn to prove, book i., ch. vii., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 169 that a People built those cities in America, who had a knowledge of Egyptian architecture. If Egypt itself had sent the u colony," — (but from the want of the means of Navigation it was impossible, and also a record would have been found in Herodotus or Dio- dorus, who wrote of that country about 484, and 44 B. c. : — if it had taken place prior to those periods, their accuracy would have compelled them to notice it) — if, we say, Egypt had sent a " colony," the Temples would have been built like her own in every particular. — Pronaos, Sphinx, and other characteristics, — but these do not appear, or the slightest indication of them ; — yet, where the pyramidal structure and obelisk (square-column sculptured) and circular columns are to be found, there Egypt may be traced as having given knowledge to the builders. The Pyramid of Caius Cestius at Eome will illustrate this fact. No one will say that that Pyramid is Eoman architecture, — yet no one will deny that the builder had a knowledge of Egypt and her works, — and no Historian would claim Eome to be Egypt, because a Pyramid was found there ; so in Mexican America, theEuins partake of theEgyptian character sufficiently to give the style of the Architec- tural foundations to that of the Nile, — yet they must have been erected by another Nation ; — yet that Nation must be proved to have a knowledge of, and intercourse with, Egypt. What nation of all the earth enjoyed this equal to the Tyrian ? They were in weekly inter- course with each other, — exchanging as men their sen- timents, and as merchants their merchandise, till one general conquest overwhelmed both countries, — one 170 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § in, nation remaining subdued and tributary, and the other dispersed and annihilated. It is proved (we submit) that the Sculpture in many parts, and especially at Uxmal, partakes of the Grecian character, while the Architecture is that of the Egyptian. This is a nice distinction, — but it enables us to strengthen our belief that Egypt, as a Nation, could not have been the builders, but they must have been a People (we repeat it, to impress it on the mind of the reader) having a knowledge of the Nile and her edifices ; to this may be joined, a People having a knowledge, also, of the Greeks, since the Sculpture at Uxmal is Grecian in design. The Tyrians possessed this intercourse; — but, it is possible that some few Greeks may have been of the Colony landing on " the American coast" before the Christian iEra, — that they may have gladly embraced the occasion, as the only means of escaping death at the fearful event which caused the Migration. From the same cause a few Egyptians may have escaped, and joined the colony in the same manner. The strangers on the Island of Tyrus, would probably be those who had arrived by water from a distance, — Egypt was one port of com- merce, JEgina another, and ambitious of maritime fame. iEgina is selected for more than one reason. It was an Island in direct intercourse with Tyrus, and the iEgineans were renowned for their general knowledge of the art of ornamental Sculpture, but not on so grand a scale as that of Athens. The iEgineans were called myrmidons, or emmets, from their patient perseverance in the art of Agriculture and other employments, — and book i. } ch. viL, § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 171 thence the Tortoise became their National emblem, the slow but sure progress of that shellfish being a symbol of their industry ; it formed a double emblem; viz, of their industry and marine character. Now it will be remembered that the Euins of Uxmal display four Tortoises in stone Sculpture, — and one was found detached, and buried in the Euins of Copan. iEgina was the first nation that coined Money, and issued Medals, — Athens often applied to iEgina for the execution of both. The Chief Symbol on the Coin of iEgina was the Tortoise, for the reasons stated above : — now, in Mexican America, an ancient coin, or medal, has been found with the Symbol of the Tortoise on it ! It may have been buried by a citizen of iEgina (one of the Colony), or by a Tyrian who possessed a coin of the Island-rival, — but most probably the first propo- sition is correct — viz., that it was possessed by a native of iEgina, — for at Uxmal the Tortoise is there in Sculpture, and the entire facades, interior and exterior, are filled with ornaments a la Grecque antique, — and especially that of the running square, or meander bor- der, — while the buildings themselves bear no analogy to those of Attica; — thus proving almost to demonstra- tion, that Grecian Artists were authors of the Sculp- ture, Tyrians the Architects of the entire edifices, — while those of Egypt were authors of the Architectural bases. The reader may think that this is the refine- ment of investigation, — but, it is such as truth and per- severance have authorized, and the historic importance of the subject demands. 172 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii , § in. The Tortoise is, also, the designation of the coins of Thebes in Greece, — and from this fact, it is brought home at once to the Tyrians, as a Symbol of their country, as well as of iEgina, — and in all probability (consulting data) iEgina copied it from the Theban coin. The Phoenician Chief, Cadmus — (all ancient Tyrian Chiefs were so called) founded Thebes, and is well known to have introduced into Greece, the letters, or Alphabet of his own country ; and without doubt, at the same time, he selected the Symbols of his Native land, to represent the Coin of his new City. The Tor- toise is, therefore, a Tyrian emblem, and is found upon the Ruins in Ancient America. Cadmus founded Thebes 1493 B. a, and was conse- quently contemporary with the first Lawgiver. Eu- ripides in his Drama of the " Phoenician Virgins" thus alludes to his arrival, as uttered by Jocasta : " Resplendent Sun How inauspicious didst thou dart thy beams That day on Thebes, when from the sea- wash 'd coast Of fair Phoenicia Cadmus on this land Set his ill-omen'd foot !" We have suggested that Grecians [i. e. of iEgina] may have been the authors of the Sculpture, and Egyptians of the Architectural bases of the edifices, because their respective styles are traceable in the Euins of Palenque, Uxmal, and Copan. This sugges- tion is founded upon the possibility (and even probabi- lity) of natives of those nations being at Tyrus, at the boor l, ch. vil, § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 173 time of the departure of the Tyrians : — yet, it does not follow, as a necessity, that all the Architects, Builders, and Sculptors must have been of those nations ; — for although there does not exist in Asia or Africa any Phoenician Architecture, whereby a comparison can be made, yet there does exist the undying record that the Tyrians were builders and Sculptors from their own practice, and that fact is founded upon the autho- rity of Scripture : " And Hiram, King of Tyre sent messengers to Da- vid, — and cedar trees, — and carpenters and masons, — and they built David a house" — i. e. Palace. [2 Sa- muel v. 2. J Here then is a distinct and undeniable record of the Tyrians being, not only carpenters (their Shipbuilding proves that) but Masons, — and which in the original Hebrew text is defined to be " hewers of the stone of the wall ;" and consequently they were Sculptors, as well as Architects. Their building and adorning of Solomon's Temple (as will be shewn in the History of Tyrus) are additional facts, with the building of the Palace of David, to put at rest any suspicion, or ques- tion, whether the Tyrians themselves, unassisted by others, could have built and Sculptured those edifices in America. The Israelites had no practical know- ledge of Architecture until ages after the building (by the Tyrians) of Solomon's Temple. 1015 b. c. The above quotation from Sacred History refers to the year 1043 b. c, and consequently centuries before the time contemplated by this Epoch, — viz., b. c. 332. 174 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vil, § nr. Skilful knowledge, possessed, and existing for ages before, by any nation, and upon any subject, would naturally be improved upon and practised by descend- ants : — they would also improve upon the Architec- ture of any other nation with whom they had associa- tion and communion, — and as Tyrus, as a People, of all the ancient nations was a practical one, they produced in America an improvement (and a great one) upon the Architecture of the Egyptians. This fact of improvement, and alteration of the original order of Egypt, is another proof that the builders were not essentially of that nation ; but, — from a country having a practical skill, and minds daring enough to innovate upon any precedent, when improvement would be the result. — That Nation was Tyrus. We do not desire to advance one assertion, not ca- pable of being defended, and consequently will establish that an improvement upon the Architecture of Egypt does exist in the Euined cities of Ancient America. The first idea in building had its origin (without doubt) from the Caverns of Nature, where Man would be protected from the raging tempest : — and, from being shadowed from the beams of Apollo by the spreading branches of the forest, he must have soon felt the neces- sity of converting the latter into more commodious forms than those in which Nature had left them. To huts made of trees and branches, festooned together by their own foliage, succeeded more convenient habita- tions, composed of upright and cross beams, the aper- tures closed with leaves and moistened earth. From book i., ch. vii., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 175 these humble pillars of the forest, were derived those beautiful Columns composing the five received orders of Architecture. That of Egypt is not admitted into the Classic group. The interior of a cavern with the walls rising pyra- midally, gave the natural instruction for the formation of a Tent, — poles rising from a broad base to a centre, — or of a single one, with the canvass outstretched by cords and fastened to the stakes driven in the earth; — such were the Tents of Israel, —those of the Aborigines of North America, and of the wandering Gipsy, in the erection of their culinary edifice even to this day. The Pyramids of Egypt are but majestic examples of the same principle of construction, — viz., the corners and sides of a broad base rising on an inclined plane, until they meet and form an apex over a common centre. This construction has given them that defiance against the whirlwinds and sands for which they are so conspicuous. Water, — that " sore decayer of dead bodies," — be they of " flesh," wood, or stone, can have no effect in Egypt; for there the rains do not fall, and consequently moisture cannot exert her gradual but certain power ; — in Ancient America this safeguard to edifices is not granted by Nature, — but yet the prin- ciple of the Pyramid has given duration, and proved the existence of Nations in the Western Hemisphere, traceable to centuries before Egypt mourned a Cleo- patra, who, as the living emblem of her death, became the venomed and fatal Serpent of her Country ! The Pyramids of Egypt (symbols of self- vanity) rise 176 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vil, § in. from a broad base to an unsupporting , useless, and idle apex : — in Mexican America the lowest portion of the base is retained, and that only; and upon this simple, but lasting foundation, are erected the perpendicular walls of her sacred Temples^ — Sculptured stone form- ing the facades of the gorgeous edifices! The point of grandeur of design, is far beyond the useless masses of the Nile; for there can exist no grandeur of design without the association of utility, — physical or mental. The radiant Sun itself would cease to be Sublime, were it in design, or in its powers, to be devoid of its manifold, and creative blessings ! The Architect of the Universe in forming the " image of Himself," and in assigning to it the functions of physical power, so organized them, — and the more subtle mechanism of the brain, — that they should illustrate, that all action and thought (apart from Eeligious duty) should be directed towards utility and excellence ! The fact of improving upon the pyramidal Architec- ture of Egypt, supports the apparent fact that Tyrians alone were the builders of the edifices now under con- sideration; for (apart from the perpendicular river- wall, which is identical with the sea-wall of ancient Tyrus) a new and distinct order, or style of Architec- ture, is visible in those Temples, traceable from the base to the Cornice or summit, — and from the compound character, believe that we have correctly termed it Egypto- Tyrian. We will advance another reason for believing that Copan was the first City built in Mexican America, — book i., ch. vil, § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 177 viz., the square column (or obelisk) only, is found there, — while in other ruins, excepting Palenque, the circular is perceptible, — the latter are found at Mitla and Uxmal, — thus establishing (almost conclusively) that those cities were of later erection, — for the square column is easier in formation than the circular, — and the latter is produced from the former, — and consequently two columns are made in producing the circular shaft. The square is, also, better adapted, from its facial cha- racter, for the purposes of Sculpture ; as illustrated in the Idol-obelisks at Copan, — and that which would be the simplest in construction, and giving the greatest facility for its peculiar adaptation, would naturally be selected by a People for their first Temple : — yet, reserving to themselves for practice at a future day, the knowledge possessed in the more refined branches of the Art : — they subsequently illustrated that supe- rior knowledge at Palenque and Uxmal. In the con- clusion of this section, however, it will be shewn that the square style of Architecture was essentially Tyrian, and that it is distinctly visible at Copan and Palenque. An analogy in regard to antiquity is found from the stuccoing or plaistering of the walls. This custom in Art is one of the most ancient on record. Mr. Stephens would infer from the fact of stuccoing that they had a modern origin, and actually calls it in one place — " plais- ter of Pakis !." The custom is mentioned by the first Lawgiver 1451 years before the Christian iEra ! " And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth VOL. I. N 178 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § in. thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister ; and thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law? [Deut. xxvii. 2, 3.] Here is not only the proof of the ancient custom of stuccoing, or hard plaistering ; — but, also, the fact of Sculpture, or writing upon Stucco, — of course in its damp state, and when dry it became, as at Palenque, " as hard as stone." Again, — It, also, covered the interior of the palatial walls of Babylon, and was the surface upon which was traced the handwriting at Belshazzar's Feast, — this was 538 b. c. " In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick, — upon the plaister of the wall of the King's palace." [Dan. v. 5.] Another analogy is found upon this point of art, as being used by both the ancient Tyrians and the Abo- rigines ; — for the walls of Tyrus were built of large blocks of stone — not very hard — but protected from the weather by hard white-plaister, — or stucco ; — the walls of Palenque seem to be a direct imitation. It was a custom of the ancient nations to paint their statues, or figures on the walls, with the primitive colours, — but chiefly red or vermilion. In so doing they believed that they approached the colour of the Gods, — and in Rome, from the same feeling, a Con- queror granted the honour of a triumphal entry to the Capital, was always painted red, in supposed imitation oftheGodofWar. It is recorded in Scripture as being practised by book i., ch. vil, § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 179 the Chaldeans, and as a consequence by their asso- ciates the Babylonians. " For when she saw men pourtrayed on the wall, — the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion, &c." [Eze. xxiii. 14.] It was, also, practised by the Egyptians and Tyrians, — and is now discovered in America : — for Mr. Ste- phens states that the sculpture, and even the steps, had been painted, — that black and white^ — red, blue, and yellow are distinctly visible, but that the Red (vermi- lion) is predominant. From the number of colours another analogy is traceable, for of all the ancient nations that of Tyrus was the most renowned for her knowledge of colours, — and when to the " primitive three" she added by her discovery the celebrated tint, or Tyrian Dye, her renown was increased, and spread throughout all the Nations, — so much so, that they sent their royal mantles to Tyrus to receive the costly dye — and from that fact, regal robes have continued to be tinted, even to this day, with the gorgeous Purple, — which, though originally intended for blood-stained Kings and warriors, — succeeding ages have placed upon even the graceful forms of dove-eyed Queens ; (so strong is custom) — while the first and Heavenly colour — blue, — and which from Scripture was the tint of Aaron's Robes of Peace, — has passed unheeded by, although commanded by The voice of The King of Kings. " And thou shalt make the robe of the Ephod all of blue:' [Ex. xxviii. 31.] n 2 180 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book l, en. vn., § in. The exact tint of the Tyrian Dye is not known, other than it was purple. — There are several degrees of purple, — light or dark, — as the blue shall predominate in its mixture with the Red. The original dye was derived from a shellfish (purple murex) as before re- lated ; — and upon the occasion of its being discovered, the Tyrian thought that his dog had been wounded in the mouth, for he imagined that his faithful follower was bleeding : — here then the tint is arrived at, — viz., that it must have resembled that of blood, — conse- quently it was the light purple, or rather crimson as it is now termed, — therefore, the Red predominated over the Blue. The Prophet of the Advent defines that in ancient days (760 b. c.) scarlet, red, and crimson were esteemed the same, — they are with us only different in degree, — but the two last are proved by Scripture to have been identical. " Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow : though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wooV {i. e. white as snow.) [Isaiah i. 18.] The latter part of the verse is but a repetition of the former, — a favourite style in Holy- Writ, to en- force the precepts upon the mind of the reader or hearer. Now the more ancient of the Euins in Mexican Ame- rica, are stained or painted Red : — the Traveller, how- ever, does not express the degree of Red, — light or dark, — or whether it contained any other colour with it ; — it is enough that Red is distinctly stated; — and book i., en. vn., § in.] ANCIENT AMERICA. 181 may not the Aborigines have dyed their sculpture in remembrance of their past celebrity at Tyrus ? If at Copan (their first city) they had mixed Blue with Red to produce the blood-purple ', the lapse of centuries would have extracted the minor colour — blue, — (minor from its proportion in mixture), — and have left the major colour, — Red, — entire, — as it now appears upon the Idols, Altars, and steps of these Egypto-Tyrian mo- numents in Ancient America. Again ; the knowledge of colours by the Tyrians, (and those in which they excelled) — is distinctly stated in the Bible. Solomon in sending to Hiram, King of Tyrus (1015 b. c.) for Artists to build and adorn the Temple of Jerusalem j — says — " Send me now, therefore, a man cunning to work in gold and in silver, and in brass and in iron, — and in purple, and crimson, and blue, &c." [2 Chronicles ii. 7.] " Blue" is directly expressed, and by its mix. ture with "Crimson" (i. e. Red. — Vide Isaiah i. 18.) in certain proportions would produce " Purple." — Now in Mexican America we have seen, that Blue and Red (and perhaps originally a Purple), are found, and used by the Aborigines to adorn their first Temple at Copan as Solomon did his Temple at Jerusalem, — through the skill and knowledge of the Tyrians ! — who without doubt practised their art in colours upon their own Temples at Tyrus, — and which Solomon, in compli- ment to Hiram (with whom he was in the strictest bonds of amity), was willing to, and did, imitate, in the Capital of Israel. 182 ORIGINAL HISTORY OF [book i., ch. vii., § m. Had the Tyrians possessed no knowledge of Colours, the discovery of them upon the Mexican Kuins would have been useless in reference to any analogy, and in- jurious against identity ; — but, the Tyrians having the knowledge of the three primitives, and of a fourth colour, and had they not been discovered at Copan or Palenque, then the want of a similitude would be evident and material ; — but, as both People, — the Tyrians and the Aborigines, — possessed the same knowledge, and prac- tice of colouring their Temples, — the Analogy is not only apparent, but absolute. It will be remembered by the reader, that in the Sepulchral Chamber at Copan, an Engraved Gem was found, — " a small death's-head (skull) caeved in fine green stone." The antiquity of this style of engraving has been shewn in alluding to Aaron's " breastplate of judgment," — but, we will now prove that another7j/n