Few years ago , many professors
of Universidad Nacional began to unbury certain hills on the coasts of
the Xolotlan Lake.
Thier efforts were awarded when they found
the ruins of the old city of Leon, founded in 1524 for the spanish conqueror
Hernandez de Cordoba, and for 86 years caopital of the Nciaragua´s
Gobernación. As same as Pompei, the excavations were discovering
the urban landcaspe of the city, sepulted on three centurieson sedimentsand
volcanic sands.
The story of the population was infested
of cruelty and tragedy: his founder was decapitated by Perarios Dabila
on the main squere; the same man order the execution of 18 rebeld caciques(tribe
leaders) from the Olocoton Valley. They were devored by hungry dogs.
Years later, the Contreras brothers, grandsons
of Pedrarias, killed the obispo Antonio de Valdivieso. The ret of the history
is the figh for power, "encomiendas",corrupcion, rebelions and other plots
against the stablished ruler, as if the calid weather and teluric land
was transforming the spaniard into beasts.
A tlast in 1610 the devastating eartquake
did happen, in that time believed to be a divine signal, a signal or revenge.
The earth crumbles, with big tremble fron the near hills and vocanoes;
the lake advanced over the beach, and the Momotombo, our criole Vesubio,
sealed with its ashes this stigmatized city.
Jaime Incer Barquero
From "Imagenes de
Occidente", Banco Central de Nicaragua, 1971
