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Article: Romaning the Olmec stones // Explore an early civilization and mysteries it left behind
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- September 1, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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THE TUXTLA MOUNTAINS, State of Veracruz, Mexico In this sweltering
river country, the Papaloapan, Cuitlazoyotl and Coatzacoalcos rush
headlong off verdant volcanic mountains and empty into the tepid
waters of Mexico's Gulf Coast. The parrot green landscape could come
straight from ``Romancing the Stone,'' and indeed, the movie's
waterfall scenes were shot nearby.
Hidden from the 20th century (and most of the 18th and 19th
centuries, as well) at the end of rutted roads where horses are more
frequent than cars are Indian communities where everyone speaks the
melodic languages of Mixe, Zoque or Popoluca. Towns such as
Tatahuicapa and Mayacapan are so remote that most women dress in ...