AZTALAN. 213 



wild hay, with which they had been mixed before burning." 

 " This is the only foundation for calling these ( brick walls.' 

 The ' bricks ' were never made into any regular form, and it 

 is even doubtful whether the burning did not take place in 

 the wall after it was built." * Some of the mounds, or but- 

 tresses, though forming part of an enclosure, were also used 

 for sepulchral purposes, as was proved by their containing 

 skeletons in a sitting posture, with fragments of pottery. 

 The highest point inside the enclosure is at the south-west 

 corner, and is " occupied by a square truncated mound, 

 which .... presents the appearance of a pyramid, rising 

 by successive steps like the gigantic structures of Mexico." 

 "At the north-west angle of the enclosure is another rectan- 

 gular, truncated, pyramidal elevation, of sixty-five feet level 

 area at the top, with remains of its graded way, or sloping 

 ascent, at the south-west corner, leading also towards a ridge 

 that extends in the direction of the river." 



Within the enclosure are some ridges about two feet high, 

 and connected with them are several rings, or circles, which 

 are supposed to be the remains of mud houses. " Nearly the 

 whole interior of the inclosure appears to have been either 

 excavated or thrown up into mounds and ridges ; the pits 

 and irregular excavations being quite numerous over much 

 of the space not occupied by mounds." These excavations 

 and ridges are, in all probability, the ruins of houses. Some 

 years ago a skeleton was found in one of the mounds, wrapped 

 apparently in cloth of open texture, " like the coarsest linen 

 fabric * r " but the threads were so entirely rotten, as to make 

 it quite uncertain of what material they were made. 



The last Indian occupants of this interesting locality had 

 no tradition as to the history or the purpose of these earth- 

 works. 



* These walls must present some faint resemblance to the celebrated vitrified 

 forts of Scotland. 



