TEMPLE OF THE JAGUARS 

 This temple is some five hundred feet to the west of the pyramid temple. The entire 

 front has fallen outward over the twin serpent columns [See cut page 266] which acted as 

 levers, to be hurled over the edge of the temple platform into the Ceremonial Court thirty 

 feet below. It is this fallen facade — a huge mass of masonry, broken stone and lime com- 

 pacted to a cement-like hardness by years of exposure and covered with centuries' growth 

 of trees — that the American Museum hopes to reproduce in its original beauty. All ac- 

 cumulated debris was cleared from the temple platform and surfaces unfamiliar to modern 

 students were laid bare. The steps of the wide stairway have the narrow treads (8 in.) and 

 high risers (12 in.) characteristic of sandal-wearing people. A large stone plate with paneled 

 carving rests at each side of the stairway directly below the point formerly occupied by a 

 carved stone serpent head. These heads were found during the excavation [See page 271] 

 268 



