THE CRADLE OF THE WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 18, 15 July 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CRADLE OF THE WORLD.

A STAKTLLXG THEORY. , (> , About 10 years ago a startling theory was propounded by an American explorer, Dr. Le Plongeon, that Yucatan, a region of Mexico, was really the cradle of the world. This, according to the "Jewish World," was hased on the discovery there of remarkable ruins bearing some resemblance to Egyptian relics, and to the traditions of the native Indians of the district. The most curious of these was a legend akin to the story of Cain and Abel with an amazing jwlditional tradition that the widow of Abel made her way to Egypt —across lost Atlantis, it is presumed—and set up the Sphinx as a memorial to her husband.

Le Plongeon's astounding but interesting theories do not appear to lie well known. Bearing in mind, however, that Central America is dotted with numerous curious relics of a great deluge and a Tower of Babel, it is probable that some day scientists will make a serious attempt to unveil the ancient history that lies buried there. Dr. Le Plongeon spent twelve years in exploring Central America, accompanied by his wife and reproductions of some of the Yucatan ruias were shown in the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The ruins indicate that a people with a highly developed civilisation must have existed many centuries ago in the land, and that, like the Babylonians and Egyptians, they were mighty builders of cities and huge temples. Dr. Le Plongeon had difficulties at the outset with the language of the natives, hut he discovered some signs closely resembling Egyptian hieroglyphics, and found the language of a tribe claiming direct descent from the ancient Mayae was practically identical with that of the inscriptions. He even came to the conclusion that the Mayas and the Egyptians either taught each other, or that they derived their language from the same source. -

Originally Yucatan was called Mayax, meaning "the first land," and an old parchment of theirs known as the Troano MS in the British Museum has illustrations of men bearded like the ancient Assyrians. Le Plongeon's most interesting discovery is that the Mayax story of Cain and Abel in a series ot sculptures and mural paintings; and it is also set forth in the second part of the Troano MS., and is said to be identical with the story of Vlamiki's ancient Sanskrit poem, "The Ramayana," and with the story of the Egyptian priests of the murder of Osiris by his brother Set. Vlamiki, it may be mentioned, speaks of colonists from Mayax.

The Mayax Cain was named Aac, Abel's name being Coh. They had a third brother named Cay, and two sisters, Moo and Nicts. After the death of their father Can (the serpent), who was king, his territory was divided among his children. Coh was married to his sister Moo, in accordance with Maya law, which, it is pointed out, was similar to customs in Ancient Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece and Mesopotamia. Aac was enamoured of Moo, and envious of Coh. He murdered the latter by stabbing him three times in the back. Lc Plongeon found the tomb also containing his statue and the Mausoleum containing the remains of Cor ; on the walls were portraits, and the tomb also contained his statue and the very weapon which slew him. Civil war followed the crime, and Aac made efforts to wed the widowed Moo. The painting depicting this incident shows Moo in the garden with a basket of fruit at her feet, while above the head of Aac is a serpent, typifying the family name. This, it is contended, explains the story of the temptation of Eve! Queen Moo left Mayax for Egypt and there erected the Sphinx as a memorial to her husband. This journey, it is maintained, was across land which was subsequently engulfed by terrible earthquakes and a great flood, and this is really taken to prove that the fabled Atlantis really existed. Dr. Le Plongeon goes,so far as to assert that the Greek alphabet is made up of Maya cnaraeters, and that it is a narrative of the catastrophe. It is further claimed by Dr. le Plongeon that the birthplace of the ancient mysterious rites of Hindu. Egyptian and Oriental worships are to be traced to Mayax, the "Lands of the West," and flic "Land of Kui," which the Egyptians regarded «s tlie motherland of their ancestors and of their gods. He uses also a philological argument, and puts forward the theory that many Egyptian words are derived from the' Maya language. Thus Osiris is declared to be a corruption of one of the titles of Coh, meaning the "well-beloved.''

It is impossible to pass any opinion on Dr. le Plongeon's discoveries and theories; one can only marvel at them, and express the hope that more light will be thrown on the mysterious land of Yucatan and its dead cities by future explorers.