Chapter XIV: The Maya Tribes (1)

The geographical location of the Maya tribes—Description of
Copan—Statue at Copan—Altars at Copan—Ruins at Quiriga
Patinamit—Utatlan—Description of Palenque—The Palace at
Palenque—The Temple of the Three Inscriptions—Temple of the
Beau-relief—Temple of the Cross—Temple of the Sun—Maler’s Temple
of the Cross—Significance of the Palenque crosses—Statue at
Palenque—Other ruins in Tobasco and Chiapas—Ruins in
Yucatan—Uxmal—The Governor’s House—The Nunnery—Room in
Nunnery—The sculptured façades—Temple at
Uxmal—Kabah—Zayi—Labna—Labphak—Chichen-Itza—The Nunnery—The
Castillo—The Gymnasium—M. Le Plongon’s researches—The tradition
of the Three Brothers—Chaac-mol—Antiquity of Chichen.

Inthe Central American region of the Western Continent are found
the ruins of what are pronounced by all scholars to be the
highest civilization, and the most ancient in time, of any in the
New World. There it arose, flourished, and tottered to its fall.
Its glory had departed, its cities were a desolation, before the
coming of the Spaniards. The explorer who would visit them finds
himself confronted with very great difficulties. Their location
is in a section of the country away from the beaten track of
travel. Their sites are overspread with the luxuriant vegetation
of tropical lands, through which the Indian’s machete must carve
a passage. The states in which they are situated are notorious
for anarchy and misrule, and the climate is such that it is
dangerous for those not acclimated to venture thither during a
large part of the year. So it is not strange that but few have
wandered among these ruins, and described them to the world at
large.

Map of Central America.

But the accounts thus presented are interesting in the extreme,
though they have raised many questions that have thus far defied
solution. There is no doubt but what there exist large groups of
ruins not yet described, structures and monuments which might,
perhaps, throw some light on a past that now seems hopelessly
lost. But the ruins thus far described are so numerous, their
similarity is so evident, that we feel we have but little to hope
from such undiscovered ruins. There are, doubtless, richly
ornamented façades, grotesquely sculptured statues, and
hieroglyphic-covered altars, but they would prove as much of an
enigma as those already known. Our only hope is that some
fortunate scholar will yet discover a key by whose aid the
hieroglyphics now known may be read. Then, but not until then,
will the darkness that now enshrouds ancient Maya civilization be
dissipated.

As will be seen from a glance at the map, the most important
ruins are in the modern states of Honduras, Guatemala, Chiapas,
and especially Yucatan, the northern portion of this peninsula
being literally studded with them. The river Usumacinta and its
numerous tributaries flowing in a northern direction through
Chiapas is regarded as the original home of the civilization
whose ruins we are now to describe. From whence the tribes came
that first settled in this valley is as yet an unsettled point.
We notice that we have here another instance of the influence
that fertile river valleys exert upon tribes settling therein.
The stories told us of the civilization that flourished in
primitive times in the valleys of the Euphrates and the Nile are
not more wonderful—the ruins perhaps not more impressive—than are
the traditions still extant, or the material remains fallen in
picturesque ruins, of the civilization that once on a time held
sway in the Usumacinta Valley.

One of the most famous groups of ruins in this section of the
country is that of Copan, situated in Honduras, but very near the
Guatemala line. This is commonly spoken of as “the oldest city in
America,”1 and has some evidence to substantiate this claim.
Whatever be its relative antiquity, it is doubtless very old, as
it was probably in ruins at the time of the conquest. There are
several facts going to prove this assertion. When Cortez, in
1524, made his march to Honduras, he passed within a few leagues
of this place. He makes no mention of it, which he would have
been very apt to do had it been inhabited. Fifty years later
Garcia De Palacio made a report on these ruins to the king of
Spain. According to this report, it was then in much the same
state as described by modern travelers, and the same mystery
surrounded it, showing that it must have been in ruin much longer
than the short space of time from the conquest to the date of his
report. But few travelers have visited Copan, and fewer still
have left a good description of it. Mr. Stephens, accompanied by
Mr. Catherwood, explored it in 1839, and this constitutes our
main source of information.2

We feel that here is the place to speak a word of caution. In
common with other writers, we have used the word cities, in
speaking of the ruins of Maya civilization. In view of the
criticisms that have been freely expressed by some of the best
scholars of American ethnology, as to the generally accepted view
of the civilization of the Mexican and Central American races, it
is necessary to be on our guard as to the language employed. In
the case of Copan, for instance, all the remains known, occur in
an irregularly inclosed space of about nine hundred by sixteen
hundred feet, while but a portion of such inclosed space is
covered by the ruins themselves. Now it can, of course, be said
that this space contains simply the remains of public buildings,
so to speak—such as temples, palaces, and others—while the
habitations of the great body of the common people, poorly built,
and located outside of this area, may have vanished away. But, on
the other hand, it may also be that in this small area we have
the ruins of all the buildings that ever stood at Copan. In which
case the word city is a misnomer; pueblo would be more
appropriate. But looking at them in the simplest light, we shall
find there is still a great deal to excite astonishment.
Fragments of the wall originally inclosing the area in which are
located the temple pyramids and statues, are still to be found.
Very few particulars have been given of this wall. It was made of
blocks of stone, and seems to have been twenty-five feet thick at
the base, but the height is not given. The northern half of this
area is occupied by a large terrace, somewhat irregular in
outline, and impressed Mr. Stephens with the idea that it had not
all been erected at the same time, but additions had been made
from time to time. Instead of describing the ruins in full, we
will let the illustration speak for itself. The dimensions of
this terrace are, six hundred and twenty-four feet by eight
hundred and nine feet. The side fronting on the river was
perpendicular. The other three sides consist of ranges of steps
and pyramidal structures. All these steps and pyramidal sides
were once painted. The general height of the terrace was about
seventy feet above the surface of the ground.

Ruins of Copan.

Though Mr. Stephens warns us that this terrace was not as large
as the base of the Pyramid of Ghizeh, still it must have required
an immense amount of work, since careful computations show that
over twenty-six million cubic feet of stone were used in its
construction. This stone was brought from the quarries two miles
away. We must not forget that this work was performed by a people
destitute of metallic tools.

On the terrace were the ruins of four pyramids, one rising to the
height of one hundred and twenty-two feet. The surface of the
terrace was not continuous. In two places there were court-yards,
or sunken areas. The larger is ninety by one hundred and
forty-four feet, and has a narrow passage-way leading into it
from the north. Whatever buildings that once stood on this
terrace, have vanished away. At one place only, on the terrace,
fronting the river, are the remains of small, circular towers,
thought to have been watch towers. The whole terrace was thickly
overgrown by trees of a tropical growth. Mr Stephens noticed two
immense Ceiba trees growing from the very summit of one of the
pyramids. This structure has been called the Temple, and a great
many surmises have been made as to the scenes once enacted there.
If analogous to other structures in Central America, this terrace
was surmounted with buildings. They may have been temples or
palaces, or they may have been communal houses, not unlike those
of New Mexico, to the north.

But of more importance than the ruins of this temple, are the
statues and altars peculiar to this region. Mr. Stephens found
fourteen of them. It seems very singular, indeed, to come upon
these statues in the depth of a Central American forest, and they
give us an idea of the state of advancement of these old tribes
that nothing else does. They raise many queries. Why is it that
so many are found here—so few elsewhere? Are they statues of
noted personages, or idols? We are powerless to answer these
questions. These secrets will only be yielded up when the
hieroglyphics with which they are covered shall be read.

The places where these statues are found is seen to the right of
the main body of ruins. It will be seen that only one is within
the terrace area of the temple. Three others are situated near
it, but the majority are near the southern end of the inclosure.
We are not given the dimensions of all, but the smallest one
given is eleven feet, eight inches high, by three feet, four
inches width and depth; the largest, thirteen feet high, four
feet wide, and three feet deep. No inconsiderable part of the
labor on the statues must have been that of quarrying the large
blocks of stone out of which they were carved, and transporting
them to the place where found. They came from the same quarry as
the other stones used in building; and so were transported a
distance of about two miles. Mr. Stephens found, about midway to
the quarry, a gigantic block, “which was probably on its way
thither, to be carved and set up as an ornament, when the labors
of the workmen were arrested.”

Copan Statue.

There is such a similarity in all these statues that a
representation of one will suffice. This is the representation of
one of the largest statues. It is seen to be standing on a sort
of pedestal. A face occupies a central position on the front.
Some of the faces have what may be a representation of a beard.
In all but one, the expression is calm and peaceful. They were
once painted red. Traces of color were still visible at the time
of Mr. Stephens’s visit. In all but one the hands are represented
as placed back to back on the breast.

The complicated headdress and the ornaments on the robes utterly
defy description. The sides and back of the statues are covered
with hieroglyphics, though now and then a face is introduced. A
side view of another statue shows this feature. All are convinced
that we have in these hieroglyphics an explanation of each
statue, but what it is, is yet unknown. Mr. Stephens says: “Of
the moral effect of the monuments themselves, standing as they
do, in the depths of a tropical forest, silent and solemn,
strange in design, excellent in sculpture, rich in ornament,
different from the works of any other people; their uses and
purposes—their whole history—so entirely unknown, with
hieroglyphics explaining all, but perfectly unintelligible, I
shall not pretend to convey any idea. Often the imagination was
pained in gazing at them. The tone which pervades the ruins is
that of deep solemnity.”

In front of most of the statues is what is called an altar, which
would seem to imply that these monuments are really idols. “The
altars, like the idols, are all of a single block of stone. In
general, they are not so richly ornamented, and are more faded
and worn, or covered with moss. Some were completely buried, and
of others it was difficult to make out more than the form. All
differed in position, and doubtless had some distinct and
peculiar reference to the idols before which they stood.”

Statue, Copan.

These altars are strongly suggestive of sacrificial scenes. The
altar before the idol found in the court-yard on the terrace of
the temple, is one of the most interesting objects found at
Copan. It is six feet square and four feet high. The top is
divided into thirty-six tablets of hieroglyphics which we may
well imagine records some events in the history of this
mysterious people. Each side has carved on it four human figures.
They are generally all represented as facing the same way. We
give an illustration of the east side. Each individual is sitting
cross-legged on a hieroglyphic, and has a ponderous head-dress.

Hieroglyphics, top of Altar.

Mr Stephens found the quadrangle at the south-east corner of the
plan to be thickly strewn with fragments of fine sculpture.
Amongst the rest was a “remarkable portrait.” (Shown later.) “It
is probably the portrait of some king, chieftain, or sage. The
mouth is injured, and part of the ornament over the wreath that
crowns the head. The expression is noble and severe, and the
whole character shows a close imitation of nature.” Colonel
Gallindo, who visited Copan in 1835, discovered a vault very near
where the circular towers are located, on the terrace fronting
the river. This vault was five feet wide, ten feet long, and four
feet high. It was used for burial purposes. Over fifty vessels of
red pottery, containing human bones, were found in it.3

Bas-relief, East Side of Altar.

In this hasty sketch we do not feel that we have done justice to
Copan. It is, however, all the space we can devote to this
interesting ruin. We call special attention to the hieroglyphics
on the altar and the statues. We will find other hieroglyphics at
Palenque, and in Yucatan, evidently derived from these.4 They
have been made the subject of very interesting study, and we will
refer to them again at another page. We also notice especially
the fact that we have no ruined buildings at Copan. In this
respect it stands almost alone among the Central American ruins.
The distinguishing features, however, are the carved obelisks.
They are evidently not the work of rude, people. Mr. Stephens,
who was every way qualified to judge, declares that some of them
“are in every way equal to the finest Egyptian workmanship, and
that with the best instruments of modern times, it would be
impossible to cut stone more perfectly.”

Portrait, Copan.

A dark mystery hangs over these ruins. Their builders are
unknown. Whether we have here some temple sacred to the gods of
the Maya pantheon or some palace made resplendent for royal
owners, who can tell? Whether these are the ruins of the more
substantial public buildings of a great city, of which all other
buildings have vanished—or whether this is the remains of a
prosperous pueblo, whose communal houses crowded the terraces,
with sacrificial altars on the lofty pyramids—who knows? At long
intervals a passing traveler visits them, ponders over their fast
disappearing ruins, and goes his way. The veil drops, the
tropical forest more securely environs them—and thus the years
come and go over the ruins of Copan.

Nearly north from Copan (see map), about half-way to the coast,
on the bank of the river Montagua, is found a small hamlet, by
the name of Quiriga. Mr. Stephens, when traveling in the country
in 1840, after many careful inquiries, heard of ruins near that
place. Though not able to explore them himself, his companion,
Mr. Catherwood, did. The result of this gentleman’s exertion
makes us acquainted with another group of ruins, in many respects
similar to those of Copan, though apparently much farther gone in
decay. His visit was a very hurried one; and he was not able to
clear the moss away from the statues so as to draw them as it
should be done.5

We must notice that, though called a city, all the monuments and
fragments thus far brought to light are scattered over a space of
some three thousand square feet. No plan has been given. We
gather, however, from Stephens’s work, that a pyramidal wall
inclosed the ruins, as at Copan.6 No dimensions of this wall are
given. Within the inclosure (if such it was) was a terrace. Here,
again, dimensions are not given; but we are told it was about
twenty-five feet to the top, and that the steps were, in some
places, still perfect. It was constructed of neatly cut sandstone
blocks. No monuments or altars were observed on the terrace, but
in close proximity to it were fragments of sculpture. At another
place near the wall, Mr. Catherwood mentions eight standing
statues, one fallen one, and saw fragments of at least thirteen
others. They are represented as being very similar to those of
Copan, but two or three times as high. The hieroglyphics are
pronounced identical with those already described.

There are no traditions extant of these ruins. No thorough
exploration has been made. A city may have stood there; but, if
so, its name is lost, its history unknown. “For centuries it has
lain as completely buried as if covered with the lava of
Vesuvius. Every traveler from Yzabel to Guatemala has passed
within three hours of it. We ourselves have done the same; and
yet there it lay, like the rock-built city of Edom, unvisited,
unsought, and utterly unknown.”

A large extent of territory in Guatemala and Yucatan is as yet an
unknown country, or at least has never been thoroughly explored.
Strange stories have flitted here and there of wonders yet to be
seen. The country swarms with savages, living in much the same
state as they were when the Spaniards invaded the country. They
have never been conquered, and, in the rugged fastnesses of their
land, bid defiance to all attempts to civilize them. From all we
can learn, there are numerous groups of ruins scattered here and
there—but of their nature we are, as yet, mostly in the dark.

We have, indeed, historical notices of a few places; but, as the
color of an object is the same as that of the medium through
which it is viewed, we can not help thinking that the glamour of
romance, which the early Spanish writers threw around all their
transactions in the New World, has woefully distorted these
sketches. This same effect is to be noticed in all the
descriptions of the ruins. Where one party sees the ruins of
imperial cities, another can detect but the ruins of imposing
pueblos, with their temples and pyramids. It can be truthfully
stated, that this is a land of ruins. Every few leagues, as far
as it has been explored, are the remains of structures that
excite astonishment.

The meager reports given us raise our curiosity, but fail to
satisfy it. Almost all explorers relate stories of the existence
of an aboriginal city. The location of this city shifts from
place to place; always, however, in a section of country where no
white men are allowed to intrude. The Curé of Santa Cruz, in whom
Mr. Stephens expressed confidence, declared that he had, years
before, climbed to the summit of a lofty sierra, and then “he
looked over an immense plain, extending to Yucatan and the Gulf
of Mexico, and saw, at a great distance, a large city, spread
over a great space, with turrets white and glittering in the
sun.” We are afraid a search for this mythical city would be
attended with much the same results as rewards the child’s
pursuit of a golden treasure at the end of the rainbow.

As a sample of known ruins, we might cite two in the immediate
neighborhood of Quirigua. At the distance of a few leagues, both
above and below this latter place, are the remains of former
settlements. The accounts are very brief. Of the ruins below, we
are informed that they consist of the remains of a quadrilateral
pyramid, with traced sides, up which steps lead to the summit
platform, where _débris_ of hewn stone are enveloped in dense
vegetation.” Of the ruins located above Quirigua, we are simply
told “of a large area covered with aboriginal relics—in the form
of ruined stone structures, vases and idols of burned clay, and
monoliths, buried for the most part in the earth.”

These descriptions will serve as samples of many others, and,
though they are interesting in their way, we are afraid they
would grow tiresome by repetition. We will, therefore, only make
mention of one or two important points; premising, however, that,
beyond a doubt, similar ruins are scattered up and down the river
valleys of the entire country.7

Two cities of ancient Guatemala especially mentioned by Spanish
writers are Utatlan and Patinamit. Here, if we may believe their
recitals, were the capitals of two powerful monarchies. The
pictures they draw for us are those of cities of Oriental
magnificence. The system of government they describe is that of
absolute monarchy, founded on feudalism. We will briefly glance
at the remains of these “imperial cities.” Their location is seen
on the map. The approach to Patinamit is very difficult, indeed.
Situated on a high table-land, it commands an almost boundless
view. On every side are immense ravines, and the only way of
entering it was by a narrow passage cut in the side of the
ravine, twenty or thirty feet deep, and not wide enough for two
horsemen to ride abreast.

Mr. Stephens mentions coming to a wall of stone, but broken and
confused. The ground beyond was covered with mounds of ruins, and
in one place he saw the foundations of two buildings, one of them
being one hundred and fifty by fifty feet. He does not give us
the area covered by the ruins, but there is nothing in his
description to make us think it very large in extent. He also
quotes for us Fuentes’s description of this same place, written,
however, one hundred and forty years earlier. In this he speaks
of the remains of a magnificent building, perfectly square, each
side measuring one hundred paces, constructed of hewn stones,
extremely well put together. In front of the building is a large
square, on one side of which stand the ruins of a sumptuous
palace; and near to it are the foundations of several houses.8 He
also asserts that traces of streets could still be seen, and that
they were straight and spacious, crossing each other at right
angles. Fuentes certainly had remarkable eyes. He wrote a
description of Copan which not only differs from all accounts of
modern travelers, but also from the still earlier description by
Garcia De Palacio.9

Patinamit means “The City,” and is represented as the capital
city of the Cakchiquel “monarchy.” The site of the city was
certainly admirably chosen for defense, and we have no doubt but
what here was the head-quarters of a powerful tribe of Indians;
but, until scholars have settled some very disputed points about
the civilization of the Central American nations, we must be
cautious in the use of the words monarchy and palaces as applied
to these old people or these ruins.

Thirty-five or forty miles north-eastward from Patinamit we come
to the ruins of the most renowned city in Guatemala at the time
of the conquest. This was Utatlan, the Quiche capital, a city
which the Spaniards compared to Mexico in magnificence, and
which, at the time of its destruction, was at its zenith of
prosperity. The location was very similar to that of Patinamit.
It also stood on an elevated plateau, with immense ravines on
every side. It was approached only at one point, and guarding
this one point of approach was a line of fortifications. They
consisted of the remains of stone buildings, probably towers. The
stones were well cut and laid together. These fortifications were
united by a ditch.

Within this line of towers stood a structure, generally regarded
as a fort, directly guarding the line of approach. Steps led up a
pyramidal structure having three terraces, one over the other.
The top was protected by a wall of stone, and from the center
rose a tower. Beyond this fort was the ruins of the city. Mr.
Stephens describes a large ruin which is called The Palace. It is
said, in round numbers, to have been eleven hundred by twenty-two
hundred feet. As this area is more than fifty-five acres in
extent, we can see it was not a palace in our sense of the word.
The stones of which it was composed have been largely removed to
build the modern town of Santa Cruz. But the floor could still be
traced, and some remains of partition walls. The floor was still
covered with hard cement.

Adjoining the palace was a large plaza or court-yard, also
cemented, in the center of which was the ruins of a fountain.
Another structure still remaining was a small pyramid, at the top
of which was probably a temple, or, at least, a place of
sacrifice. No hieroglyphics or statues have been found here. A
few terra-cotta figures have been found, and one small gold
image. It would seem from this description that the ruins simply
consist of a few large structures. For aught we know, they may
have been communal houses.

Mr. Stephens, however, condenses Fuentes’s account, which is
truly wonderful. According to him, the center of the city was
occupied by the royal palaces, around which were grouped the
houses of the nobles. The extremities were inhabited by the
plebeians. He tells us there were many sumptuous buildings, the
most superb of which was a seminary, where between five and six
thousand children were educated at royal expense. The palace was
formed of hewn stones of various colors. There were six principal
divisions. In one was lodged the king’s body-guard, in the second
the princes and the relatives of the king, and so forth.

It is not necessary to remind the reader that it is very doubtful
whether such a state of things ever existed. It is related, for
instance, that the king marched from Utatlan with seventy-two
thousand warriors to repel the attack of Alvarade. This would
indicate a total population of between two and three hundred
thousand souls. It seems to us that a city of that size would not
so completely disappear in a little over three centuries that a
careful explorer could find only the ruins of a few large
buildings.

We do not feel that we have done near justice to the ruins of
Guatemala. As we have before remarked, there are, doubtless, many
ruins not yet brought to light. They are rapidly disappearing,
and we do not know that we will ever possess a description of
them, or understand their real import. The light of history,
indeed, fell on the two groups of ruins last described. But the
Spanish writers were totally unacquainted with Indian society,
and may, therefore, have widely erred in applying to their
government terms suited only to European ideas of the sixteenth
century. And it is not doubted but that their estimate of the
population of the towns, and of the enemies with which they had
to contend, were often greatly overdrawn. In short, the remains
themselves are remarkable, but every ruined pyramid is not
necessarily the remains of a great very great city, nor every
large building in ruins necessarily a palace.

Going northward out of Guatemala, we pass into the modern state
of Chiapas. This is described a country of great natural beauty
and fertility. And here it is that we meet with a group of ruins
which have been an object of great interest to the scientific
world. They have been carefully studied and described, and many
theories have been enunciated as to their builders, their
history, and civilization. The place is supposed to have been
deserted and in ruins when Cortez landed in the country. At any
rate, he marched within a few leagues of it, but, as in the case
of Copan, he is silent in regard to it.

They take their name from the modern town of Palenque, near which
they are located. This town was founded in 1564. It was once a
place of considerable importance, but its trade has died away,
and now it would not be known were it not for the ruins of a
former people located near it. Though distant from the village
only some eight miles, nearly two centuries went by before their
existence was known. Had they been visited and described at the
time of the founding of the village, no doubt much that is now
mysterious in regard to them would have been cleared away. But
for two centuries they were allowed to sleep undisturbed in the
depths of the forest, and in that time the elements played sad
havoc with the buildings, inscriptions, and ornaments. What are
left are not sufficient to impart full information. Imagination
is too apt to supply the details, and these ruins, grand in
proportion, wonderful in location, enwrapt by dense forests,
visited by the storms of tropical lands, are made to do service
in setting forth a picture of society and times which we are
afraid has but little real foundation to rest upon.

The ruins of Palenque are the first which awakened attention to
the existence of ancient ruins in America, and, therefore, it may
not come amiss to state more particularly the circumstances of
their first discovery. The existence of an aboriginal city in
this locality was entirely unknown; there were no traditions even
that it had ever existed. Of course the natives of the modern
town of Palenque must have known of their existence, but no
account of them was published. They are said to have been
discovered in 1750 by a party of traveling Spaniards. This
statement Mr. Stephens doubts. The first account was published in
1784. The Spanish authorities finally ordered an exploration.
This was made under the auspices of Captain Del Rio, who arrived
on the ground in 1787. His report was locked up in the government
archives, and was not made public until 1822.

The reception of this report illustrates how little interest is
taken in American antiquities. It was scarcely noticed by the
_Scientific World._ As Mr. Stephens remarks, “If a like discovery
had been made in Italy, Greece, Egypt, or Asia, within the reach
of European travel, it would have created an interest not
inferior to the discovery of Herculaneum, or Pompeii, or the
ruins of Paestum.” But, from some cause, so little notice was
taken of this report that in 1831 the explorations of Colonel
Galindo, whose works we have referred to at Copan, was spoken of
as a new discovery. In the meantime another government expedition
under the direction of Captain Dupaix explored these ruins in
1807. Owing to the wars in Europe and the revolution in Mexico,
his report was not published until 1835. Mr. Stephens visited the
ruins in 1840. His account, profusely illustrated, was the means
of making known to a large class of readers the wonderful nature
of the ruins, not only at Palenque, but in Yucatan as well.

In this outline we have given an account of the early
explorations at Palenque. Private individuals have visited them,
and governments have organized exploring expeditions, and by both
pencil and pen made us familiar with them. As to the remains
actually in existence, these accounts agree fairly well, but we
have some perplexing differences as to the area covered by the
ruins. Where the early explorers could trace the ruins of a large
city modern travelers can find but a few ruined structures,
which, however, excite our liveliest interest. One of the
earliest accounts speaks of the ruins of over two hundred
buildings. Another speaks of them as covering an area of many
square miles. Mr. Stephens thinks a few acres would suffice.

From the researches of M. Charney, it would seem that the ruins
are really scattered over quite an area. His exploration made in
1881, seems to confirm the older writers. With abundant means at
his command, he was enabled to explore the forest, and he found
many ruins which escaped the other observers. According to him,
the ruins are scattered over an area extending about one mile and
a quarter from north to south, and about one and three-fourths
from east to west. Throughout this space, the ruined structures
were in all respects similar to those previously described,
consisting altogether of what he calls palaces and temples.10

There seems to be no especial order in the arrangement of the
buildings. They are separated by quite an interval, excepting to
the south of the palace, where there are groups of buildings near
together. The fact that such careful explorers as Stephens and
Waldeck failed to notice these additional ruins, gives us a faint
idea of the density of the forest.

Plan of Palenque.

The plan represents the distribution and relative size of the
ruins of which we have definite descriptions. Those having no
numbers are some of the groups that were passed by as of no
account. We must understand that so dense is the forest that not
one of these structures is visible from its neighbors. Where the
trees are cut down, as they have been several times, only a few
years are necessary for it to regain its former density, and each
explorer must begin anew.

The largest structure, marked one on the plan, is known as the
palace. This is only a conjectural name. We have no reason,
except its size, to suppose it the residence of a royal owner.
Its base is a pyramid which, Mr. Stephens tells us, is of oblong
form, forty feet high, three hundred and ten feet in front and
rear, and two hundred and sixty feet on each side. The pyramid
was formerly faced with stone, which has been thrown down by the
growth of trees, so that its form is hardly distinguishable. The
sides may once have been covered with cement, and perhaps
painted. Dupaix, who examined these ruins in 1808, so represents
them. Mr. Stephens expressly states that the eastern front was
the principal entrance. Mr. Waldeck, however, detected traces of
stairways on the northern side. M. Charney has settled the point,
that the principal entrance was on the northern side.

The principal bulk of this pyramid seems to have been earth; the
facing only being composed of stone. Mr. Bancroft thinks he has
discovered evidence that there were four or more thick
foundation-walls built from the surface of the ground to support
the buildings on top of the pyramid; that the space between these
walls was subsequently filled with earth, and that sloping
embankments, faced with stones, were built upon the outside.11
The summit platform of this pyramid supports the building, or
collection of buildings, known as the palace. Though generally
spoken of as one building, we think we have here the ruins of a
number of buildings.

Bas-relief, Palenque.

Probably the original inhabitants built a continuous structure
close to the edge of the platform, leaving the interior for an
open court. Subsequently, as population increased, rather than
resort to the labor necessary to raise a new pyramidal structure,
they erected other buildings on this court. From the plan, as
given by Mr. Stephens, there seems to have been no less than five
such put up, besides the tower. Thus covering the platform with a
somewhat confused mass of buildings, and, instead of the large
open court, there were left only three narrow courts, and one
somewhat larger—seventy by eighty feet.12 The building erected
near the edge of the platform, inclosing the court, was some two
hundred and twenty-eight feet on its east and west sides, by one
hundred and eighty feet on its north and south sides, and about
thirty feet high.

General View of Palace.

Our general view, taken from Mr. Stephens’s works, represents the
ruined eastern front of this building, surmounting the pyramid.
Trees are seen growing all over the ruins. The outer wall is
pierced by numerous doorways which, being somewhat wider than the
space that separates them, gives to the whole the appearance of a
portico with wide piers: no remains of the doors themselves have
been discovered. Drilled holes in the projecting cornice,
immediately above the doorway, gave Mr. Stephens the impression
that an immense cotton curtain, perhaps painted in a style
corresponding with the ornaments, had been extended the whole
front, which was raised or lowered, according to the weather. The
lintels of the doors were of wood. They had long since vanished,
and the stones over the doorway fallen down. Of the piers
separating the doorways, only fifteen were found standing, but
the crumbling remains of the others were readily traced on the
ruins.

Each of the standing piers, and presumably all the others, was
ornamented with a bas-relief in stucco. This cut gives us a good
example of this style of ornamentation. We notice portions of a
richly ornamented border. This stucco work consists of human
figures in various attitudes, having a variety of dress,
ornaments, and insignia. The stucco is said to be nearly as hard
as the stone itself. Traces of paint, with which the figures were
once ornamented, were still to be seen. The conjectures in regard
to these figures, have been innumerable. Vividly painted, and
placed in a conspicuous place on the wall, we may be very sure
they were full of significance to the builders. Three
hieroglyphics are placed over the head of each group, but so far,
they are as little understood as the figures themselves. We can
imagine the effect, when the building was still perfect and
entire, and all the piers were thus ornamented.

Cross-section Palace, Palenque.

Passing to the top of the pyramid, we find the construction of
the building whose outer wall we have been describing, to be
substantially as follows: Three parallel walls, from two to three
feet in thickness, composed of hewn stones, were erected about
nine feet apart. At the height of ten feet, the walls commenced
approaching each other; not, however, in an arch, for this was
unknown, but in a triangular manner, the stones in each course
projecting a little farther out. This cut represents a
cross-section of the buildings, and shows also the slight
cornice. All inequalities in the surface, as here represented,
were then filled with cement, thus furnishing a smooth surface,
which was then painted. The two outer walls were plentifully
supplied with doorways; the central wall had but few. We are only
given the description of one, which may not apply to all. This
one, opposite the entrance on the east side, has a trefoil-shaped
arch over the door, thus giving it this shape. Besides the few
doorways, the central wall had numerous depressions, or niches,
some of which served for ventilation, others for the support of
beams, and perhaps others as receptacles for torches or idols.
This principle of construction is substantially the same for all
the buildings in the interior of the court, and indeed for all
the buildings at Palenque.

Trefoil Arch.

Passing through the doorway just described, we come into the
second corridor, and continuing through that, we come to what was
once a large court; but, as we stated, it was subsequently built
over so as to leave only a few courts. The largest one, eighty by
seventy feet, is immediately before us, with a range of steps
leading down into it. On each side of the stairway is sculptured,
on stucco, a row of grim and gigantic figures. The engraving
opposite represents the same. “They are adorned with rich
headdresses and necklaces, but their attitude is that of pain and
trouble. The design and anatomical proportions of the figures are
faulty, but there is a force of expression about them which shows
the skill and conceptive force of the artist.” From this small
court stairways lead to the other buildings situated around it.

Entrance to Principal Court.

Stucco ornaments were plentiful. In one room, rather more richly
ornamented than the others, was found a stone tablet, which is
the only important piece of stone sculpture about the palace. We
are told it is of hard stone, four feet long by three feet wide,
and the sculpture is in bas-relief. It is set in the wall, and
around it are the remains of a rich stucco border. Its
significance is unknown. We must notice the small medallion,
containing a face, suspended by a necklace of pearls from the
neck of the principal figure. Mr. Stephens conjectures that it
may represent the sun. Mr. Waldeck gives a drawing of this same
subject; but instead of a face, he represents a cross.13

Stone Tablet.

In the general view we see a tower rising up from the mass of
ruins. Mr. Stephens speaks of this tower as follows. “This tower
is conspicuous by its height and proportions, but an examination
in detail is found unsatisfactory and uninteresting. The base is
thirty feet square, and it has three stories. Entering over a
heap of rubbish at the base, we found within another tower
distinct from the outer one, and a stone staircase, so narrow
that a large man could not ascend it. The staircase terminated
against a dead stone ceiling, closing all further passages, the
last step being only six or eight inches from it. For what
purpose a staircase was carried up to such a bootless termination
we could not conjecture. The whole tower was a substantial stone
structure, and in its arrangements and purposes about as
incomprehensible as the sculptured tablets.”

At the best we can do, it is hard to give such a description of
this ruin that it can be readily understood, so we will present a
restoration of it by a German artist,14 taken, however, from Mr.
Bancroft’s work.15 This is very useful to us, since it conveys an
idea of how the palace looked when it was complete. This view
also includes a second structure, which we will examine soon. We
notice the numerous doorways leading into the first corridor, the
ornamental pier-like portions of the wall separating the doors,
and the several buildings on the court; rising over all, the
tower, which would have been better if the spire had been
omitted.

Palace, Palenque.

This may have been a real palace. Its rooms may have been the
habitations of royalty, and its corridors may have resounded with
the tread of noble personages. M. Charney thinks the palace must
have been the home of priests, and not kings—in fact, that it was
a monastery, where the priests lived who ministered in the
neighboring temples. He thinks Palenque was a holy place, a
prehistoric Mecca. We must be cautious about accepting any theory
until scholars are more agreed about the plan of government and
society among the Central American tribes. But, whatever it was,
many years have passed by since it was deserted. For centuries
tropical storms have beat against the stuccoed figures. The
court-yards and corridors are overrun with vegetation, and great
trees are growing on the very top of the tower. So complete is
the ruin that it is with difficulty the plan can be made out. The
traveler, as he gazes upon it, can scarcely resist letting fancy
restore the scene as it was before the hand of ruin had swept
over it. In imagination he beholds it perfect in its amplitude
and rich decoration, and occupied by the strange people whose
portraits and figures may perhaps adorn its walls.

Ruined Temple of the Three Tablets.

We must now describe the more important of the remaining
structures of Palenque. Glancing at the plan for a moment, we see
to the south-west of the palace a ruin marked 2. This is the site
of a pyramidal structure known as the “Temple of the Three
Tablets,” or “Temple of Inscriptions.” The pyramid is not as
large in area as the palace, though of a greater height. It
measures in height one hundred and ten feet on the slope, but we
are not given the other dimensions. All the sides, which were
very steep, seem to have had steps. Trees have grown up all over
the pyramid and on the top of the building. This illustration,
taken from Mr. Stephens’s work, can not fail to impress on us the
luxuriant growth of tropical vegetation, and we can also see how
such a growth must accelerate the ruin. The stone steps leading
up the sides of the pyramid have been thrown down, and such must
be in time the fate of the building itself. The building on the
summit platform does not cover all the area. It is seventy-six
feet front by twenty-five feet deep and about thirty-five feet
high.

This small cut is a representation of the same building on a
small scale, but cleared of trees and vines. The roof is seen to
consist of two parts, sloping at different angles. The lower part
was covered with stucco ornaments, which, though too much injured
to be drawn, gave the impression that, when perfect and painted,
they must have been rich and imposing. The upper slope is of
solid masonry. “Along the top was a range of pillars, eighteen
inches high and twelve apart, made of small pieces of stone laid
in mortar and covered with stucco, having somewhat the appearance
of a low, open balustrade.”

Elevation Temple of the Three Tablets.

In this wood-cut the front wall, as in the palace, presents more
the appearance of a row of piers than any thing else. Each of the
corner piers contains on its surface hieroglyphics, each of which
contains ninety-six squares. The other piers have ornaments of
stucco similar to those we have already examined on the palace.
In the building itself we have the usual three parallel walls. In
this case, however, the second corridor is divided into three
rooms, and there is no opening in the third wall, unless it be
three small openings for air. The central wall is four or five
feet thick.16 The interior is very plain.

The principal point of interest about the building, from whence
the name is derived, is three tablets of hieroglyphics. One on
either side of the principal doorway of the middle wall, and the
third in the rear wall of the middle room. Being so similar to
other tablets, it is not necessary to give separate cuts of them.
The similarity to those of Copan is very great, the differences
being in minute points, which only critical examination would
detect. Mr. Stephens tells us that the Indians call this building
a school. The priests who came to visit him at the ruins called
it a temple of justice, and said the tablets contained the law.
We do not think either are very safe guides to follow.

At number three on the plan are the ruins of an edifice which is
fast disappearing. The outer wall had already fallen at the time
of Mr. Stephens’s visit. It stands on the bank of the stream. The
pyramid base is one hundred feet high on the slope. The building
on the top is twenty-five feet front by eighteen feet deep. In
the inner corridor could be dimly traced the outlines of a
beautiful piece of stucco work. At the time of Waldeck’s visit it
was still complete, so we are enabled to give a cut of it.

The Beau-Relief.

We are sure the readers will not fail to notice the many points
which make this such an exceptionally fine piece of work. In the
original drawing the grace of the arms and wrists is truly
matchless, and the chest muscles are displayed in the most
perfect manner. The embroidered girdle and folded drapery of the
figure, as well as the drapery around the leopard’s neck, are
arranged with taste. The head-dress is not unlike a Roman helmet
in front, with the addition of numerous plumes. The sandals of
the feet are secured by a cord and rosette, while the ornaments
on the animal’s ankles seem secured by leather straps.17 Mr.
Waldeck, however, who drew this sketch, is supposed to have drawn
at times better than his model.18 This is generally called the
“Temple of the Beau-relief.” Mr. Holden, in his able article
already referred to, comes to the conclusion that this figure
represents the god Quetzalcohuatl, the nature god of the Mayas.

Temple of the Cross. (Smithsonian Institute.)

Eastward from the palace, and across the creek, are seen on the
plan the location of two other structures. The one marked is a
somewhat famous structure, which, for reasons that will soon
appear, is called the “Temple of the Cross.” The pyramid in this
case is one hundred and thirty-four feet on the slope. It,
however, stands on a terrace about sixty feet on the slope. The
forest is so dense that, though other structures are but a short
distance from it, yet they can not be seen. The last two
engravings represent the building and the ground plan. This is
not a fanciful sketch, but is a restoration, “from such remains
and indications that it is impossible to make any thing else out
of it.”

Plan of Temple. (Smithsonian Institute.)

“The building is fifty feet front, thirty-one feet deep, and has
three door-ways. The whole front was covered with stucco
ornaments. The two outer piers contain hieroglyphics.” We notice
a new feature about the roof. It is similar to the roof of the
temple of the “Three Tablets,” in having two different slopes—the
lower one covered with stucco ornaments, but the range of pillars
along the roof is here replaced by a peculiar two-storied
arrangement nearly sixteen feet high. Mr. Stephens says: “The
long sides of this narrow structure are of open stucco-work,
formed into curious and indescribable devices, human figures with
legs and arms spreading and apertures between, and the whole was
once loaded with rich and elegant ornaments in stucco relief. Its
appearance at a distance must have been that of a high, fanciful
lattice. It was perfectly unique—different from the works of any
other people with which we are familiar, and its uses and
purposes entirely incomprehensible.”

It was evidently added to the temple solely for the sake of
appearance. One writer19 believes the roof structures were
erected by some people that succeeded the original builders of
the temple. The plan of the temple gives us a clear idea of the
arrangement of the inner rooms. Our principal interest centers in
the altar, which we notice placed in the center of the back room.
We give an illustration of a similar altar-form in the temple, at
number 5 of the plan. In form it is that of an inclosed chamber,
having a roof of its own. The altar in the Temple of the Cross
was very similar to this. Mr. Stephens’s description is as
follows: “The top of the doorway was gorgeous with stuccoed
ornaments, and on the piers at each side were stone tablets in
bas-relief. Within, the chamber is thirteen feet wide and seven
feet deep.”

Altar in Temple of the Sun.—(Bureau of Ethnology.)

The room was plain within, and right against the back was the
famous “Tablet of the Cross.” This tablet was six feet four
inches high, ten feet eight inches wide, and formed of three
stones. The right-hand one is now in the National Museum in
Washington. The central one, though torn from its original place,
is still at the ruins. The next cut gives us only the sculptured
part of the tablet. On both the right and left-hand were tablets
of hieroglyphics. A long chain of ornaments hung suspended from
the cap of the right-hand figure. The two figures are regarded as
priests. The cross is very plainly outlined, and is the regular
Latin one. Considerable discussion has arisen as to what supports
the cross. Dr. Brinton thinks it a serpent.20 Others think it a
human skull.21 We must also notice the bird on top of the cross.
It is almost impossible to make out the species. The right-hand
figure is offering it something.

Tablet of the Cross.

We must refer to some more tablets found at Palenque before
proceeding further. At number five of the plan was a temple but
little smaller than the one just described. There is, however,
such a similarity between the buildings, that it is not necessary
to give illustrations. The temple, also, had an inclosed altar;
and against the back of that was placed the tablet which was very
similar to the one just described. This illustration represents
the sculptured portions. On each side were tablets of
hieroglyphics. It needs but a glance to show that the priests
are, evidently, the same personages as in the other tablet.

The Sun.

The one on the left is standing on the back of a human being. The
one on the right is, perhaps, standing on a beast; or, if a human
being, he is crushed beneath the weight of the priest. Two other
human figures support a platform, from which rise two bâtons
crossed like a St. Andrew’s cross. These support a mask, from the
center of which a hideous human face looks out. The Aztecs
sometimes represented the sun by such a mask, and hence the name
“Temple of the Sun.”