Kaha-Kamasa: Rediscovering the history of The White City

In the 1800s, the 19th century, there was a magazine called DEMOREST’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE (Demorest’s Monthly Magazine, Progress of the World) that published an important article informing readers of that time about the discovery of an ancient city buried in the jungle of La Mosquitia, Olancho, Honduras.

We are not certain if this discovery was what we now know as KAHA KAMASA or the White City in the Pesh language, but the description of the ancient remains found reveals many similarities with the recent discovery.

It could be said that these were the first concrete steps towards the most important archaeological discovery of our century and the awakening of scientific interest in these ancient civilizations that are part of human history.

Below, we show you the cover of the magazine and the page where the article was published, along with some images as references to understand the context of that time.

Kaha-Kamasa: Rediscovering the history of the White City

DEMOREST’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE
Progress of the World
CURRENT TOPICS, NOTES, AND COMMENTS ON DAILY EVENTS. INTERESTING THEMES AND REMARKABLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE PAST MONTH. CONTEMPORARY HISTORY FROM A FAMILY POINT OF VIEW.

A Buried City

A recently discovered buried city, hitherto unknown to the civilized world, was found in Olancho, Honduras, and Mr. A. J. Miller obtained exclusive excavation rights from the Honduran government. The ruins were found in the new department of Mosquitia, about two hundred and fifty miles from the mouth of the Patuca River. They can only be reached by river, without any road or path leading to them for miles.

The indigenous people of this region are the Pech, but none of their traditions point to the existence of these ruins, which predates the oldest civilization. The ruins, partially buried under the debris of ages and covered by a dense forest, cover an area of approximately two square miles and show evidence of being a walled city. Within the city, an immense workshop where ancient Indian sculptures were created was discovered.

Many beautiful designs have already been found in white granite, a stone that is not found anywhere else in this immediate section of Honduras. Immense stone tablets, three-legged bowls, carved blocks of various sizes weighing from twenty-five to six hundred pounds, urns and jars adorned with curious hieroglyphs depicting snake heads, turtles, tigers, or rough human forms were found among the relics. Further excavations will undoubtedly reveal even more rare treasures of great antiquity.

Source: Kaha Kamasa Foundation