Page:Appleton's Guide to Mexico.djvu/75

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RUINS.
47

surpassing those of our passes in the Alps. We are astonished to see in regions most remote from one another, and under climates of the greatest diversity, man following the same model in his edifices, in his ornaments, in his habits, and even in the form of his political institutions."

The same author gives the following comparative table of the great pyramids of the world. It will be seen that in the mound of Cholula the length of the base to the perpendicular height is as 8 to 1, while in that of Ghizeh this proportion is nearly 8 to 5:

Stone Pyramids.

French feet.[1] Cheops. Cephren. Mycerinus.
Height 448 398 162
Length of base 728 655 280

Brick Pyramids.

French feet. Of five stages
in Egypt, near
Sakhara.
Of four stages in Mexico
Teotihuacan. Cholula.
Height 150 171 172
Length of base 210 645 1,355

There are also teocallis at Misantla, Tusapan, Mapilca, and Caxones in the northern part of the State of Vera Cruz.

These pyramids are scattered over Central and Eastern Mexico. Several writers on archaeology believe that they were built by the Toltecs, who are supposed to have been the authors of the mounds in Ohio.

NORTHERN MEXICO.

Ancient remains are rare north, as well as west, of the valley of Mexico. Toltec ruins are found at Tula, which

  1. A French foot equals 1 066 English feet.