CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 



Introduction „„ 



"The Greeks of the New World" o^ 



The Area covered by the Maya Civilization o| 



Tlic Ancient Maya J!* 



Previous Work in the Maya Field |i* 



Present Needs of the Maya Field l^ 



Advantages of Chichen Itza as a Base of Operations '^ 



Scientific Reasons: „„ 



1. Chichen Itza— The Political Center of Yucatan '- 



2. Chichen Itza— The Religious Center of Yucatan 7d 



3 Chichen Itza— The Foremost City of the Maya Renaissance 7d 



4 Chichen Itza— The Key to the Correlation of Maya and Christian Chronology 74 



5 Chichen Itza— The Connecting Link between the Maya and Nahua Civilizations 74 



6 Chichen Itza— The most likely spot at which to find a Maya "Rosctta Stone" To 



7. Chichen Itza— The most notable Historic Site in the Maya Culture Area 75 



Practical Reasons: „„ 



1 . Accessibihty 'Ji 



2. Length of the Field Season i^ 



3. Ilealthfulness i' 



4. Labor Conditions ' ' 



5. Field Quarters ^^ 



Nature of the Project herein presented '° 



Conclusion „q 



Appendix I. List of Books on the Maya Civilization .■■■::■-■■,;■■ \ S^ 



II. List of Writings relating to the Archa-ological Sites mentioned m this Report bb 



III. Incomplete List of Groups of Related Structures at Cliichen Itza 89 



IV. Description of Human Sacrifices at the "Cenote of Sacrifice" 90 



V. Description of the Aztec Ball Game "Tlachtli" 91 



LIST OF PLATES. 



Plate 1. General View of the Castillo or Principal Temple. 

 2. The Cenote of Sacrifice. 

 3a. The Front or North FaQade of the Castillo. 

 3b. The Ball Court. 



4a. Detail of a Frieze, from the Temple of the Jaguars. 

 4b. Temple of the Initial Series, from the front. 

 '). The Temple of the Jaguars. 



6. The Temple of the Jaguars, restored after Maudslay. 



7. The Monjas Group. 



8. The East Wing of the Monjas. 



9. The Main Range of the Monjas, from the South. 



10. The Casa Colorado. , „ • 



11 A. Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, before Kxcavatiou and Repair. 

 llB Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, after Excavation and Repair. 



12. Map of Southern Mexico and Central America, showing Region covered by Maya 



Civilization. 



13. Map of the Ruins of Chichen Itza, Northern Yucatan. 



14. Panorama of the Ruins of Chichen Itza. 



62 



