FINDING LOST CIVILIZATIONS This

I was struck by the similarity of the setup of this smallerencampment to the site at Zacualpan. Both sites weresituated on plateaus that provided marvelous vistas to thewest. I sat down, closed my eyes,and tried to concentrate on nothingmore than the natural elementsbefore me and to experience whatit felt like to visit this site a thousandyears ago.In my vision I was walking onsacred ground and these ancientboulders, on this crest pointing towardthe heavens, were my altars.I came here looking up to the blueskies with my offerings. And whenI turned with my arms outstretchedlooking out toward my realm,Mother Earth opened up below me tumbling toward the blueoceans. This was truly a holy spot. I could feel it no less thanthe ancient Tecoxquines had at one time or the Huichol Indiansof today. Some sacred spots never change and need nofurther explanation. I sat there for a while feeling the powerof the sun, the strength of the land, and the peace that laybefore me—each forming a part of the other, composing atrinity that needed no other meaning.As my father and I walkedback down to the adobe farmhouse,little Manuel mentionedthat there was a stone farther downthe hill that was older than theboulders. I asked him to show thisancient stone to me and followedhim as he led the way back to thedirt road. I realized that it was theoriginal pathway or route of travelused by the Tecoxquines morethan two thousand years ago. Aswe came upon a slight bend in theroad Adrian and Manuel pointedto a dark stone that was imbedded in the earthen bank ofthe road, which was about five feet up above ground level.I could not initially recognize anything particular about thisboulder except that it was smooth and dark gray or black.Looking closer I started to recognize that there were carvings19