Travels amongst American Indians - their ancient earthworks and temples - including a journey in Guatemala, Mexico and Yucatan, and a visit to the ruins of Patinamit, Utatlan, Palenque and Uxmal (14596832718)

Identifier: travelsamongstam00brin (find matches)

Title: Travels amongst American Indians : their ancient earthworks and temples : including a journey in Guatemala, Mexico and Yucatan, and a visit to the ruins of Patinamit, Utatlan, Palenque and Uxmal

Year: 1894 (1890s)

Authors: Brine, Lindesay, 1834-1906

Subjects: Indians -- Antiquities Guatemala -- Antiquities Mexico -- Antiquities North America -- Description and travel

Publisher: London : S. Low, Marston & Company

Contributing Library: Brown University Library

Digitizing Sponsor: Brown University

Text Appearing Before Image:

They were upon a compara-tively elevated plateau, and had direct communica-tion with the river. In the early part of the present century some dis-coveries were made, which were considered to be ofthe utmost importance. It was thought that theyhad a direct bearing upon the question of the civili-sation and antiquity of the Mound Builders, and aletter, written by Dr. Hildreth, has been acknow-ledged to be a very important contribution to theevidence upon these subjects.*The letter ran as follows :— Marietta, July 19th, 1819. In removing the earth which composed an ancient mound in one of the streets of Marietta, on the margin of the plain, near the fortifications, several curious articles were discovered the latter part of June last. They appear to have been *Arch3eologia Americana, Vol. I. The plan of the MariettaInclosures is a reduction of a part of the survey made in 1837by Mr. Charles Whittlesea, and published by the SmithsonianInstitution in 18-^8. A Inclosures AT Marietta.1837.

Text Appearing After Image:

Sca.le ^ yaf2j 72 MARIETTA EARTHWORKS. buried with the body of the person to whose memory this mound was erected. Lying immediately over, or on the forehead of the body, were found three large circular bosses, or ornaments for a sword belt, or a buckler ; they are composed of copper, overlaid with a thickplate of silver. The fronts of them are slightly convex, with a depression, like a cup, in the centre, and measure two inches and a quarter across the face of each. On the back side, oppo- site the depressed portion, is a copper rivet or nail, around which are two separate plates, by* which they were fastened to the leather. Two small pieces of the leather were found lying between the plates of one of the bosses ; they re- semble the akin of an old mummy, and seem to have been preserved by the salts of the copper. The plates of copper are nearly reduced to an oxyde, or rust. The silver looks quite black, but is not much corroded, and on rubbing, it becomes quite brilliant. Two of thes

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1894

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