GANN] PAINTING ON WEST WALL 669 
The 9-foot section of the west wall which was left standing presents 
for examination three figures (plate xxx1). The painting, unlike that 
on all the other walls, was almost intact from the cornice to the floor, 
and conveys some idea of what the lower part of the design on the other 
walls was probably like. The figures on the right and left in the illus- 
tration are human, and: they appear to be in the act of making offer- 
ings to the central figure. The figure on the left is presenting in his 
left hand an object very similar to that held in the hand of figure 1 of 
plate xxx. The figure on the right is presenting two severed human 
heads, one held in each hand, which he is grasping by their long, flowing 
hair. The upper head still retains its earrings and part of its headdress, 
consisting of two snakes’ heads; also a gorget of beads and pendants. 
The lower face possesses a mustache and a beard, and is ornamented with 
earrings, headdress, and a gorget. It is noticeable that the left-hand 
figure in this plate, seen in profile, is entirely different from any of 
the other figures on the wall. The nose is long and club shaped, the 
forehead is prominent, and the face is covered with a beard and mus- 
tache. It is probable either that this is meant as a caricature, or that 
the individual is wearing a mask. The contour of the face held in the 
right hand of figure 3 is somewhat similar, but in this case the beard 
and mustache are absent. The same curious triangular nose orna- 
“ments are seen projecting from each ala of the nose of figure 3 as are 
worn by figures land 5, in plate xxrx. The upper part of the headdress 
is formed by an animal somewhat resembling a monkey in a crouching 
position. The central figure represents a death’s-head within a sort 
of altar. Speech signs are proceeding from its mouth and from the 
top of the altar. This is probably meant for Huitzilopochli, the 
Mexican god of death, who is often represented by a death’s-head. 
In regarding the painting as a whole, that which strikes one most 
forcibly is its highly conventional character, and, indeed, this is a 
peculiarity which seems to be inseparable from all Aztec and Toltec 
art. Artistic feeling, of which traces are not lacking here and there, 
seems to have been sacrificed to the one all-important idea of conven- 
tionality. The artist appears to have had no conception of perspective, 
but the minutest detail of dress is most carefully indicated, botb in out- 
line and in coloring. The wall was, in fact, not intended as a work of 
art, but as a pictographic record of certain important events; and look- 
ing at it in this light, we can understand why artistic feeling should 
have been sacrificed to minuteness of detail, for no doubt the most 
insignificant detail in dress and ornament conyeyed a meaning to the 
initiated which to us is forever lost. 
Seven colors were employed in painting the stucco, namely, black, 
blue, green, gray, red, white, and yellow. On the east wall and 
the eastern half of the north wall the background is dark blue; on 
the west wall and the western half of the north wall it is pink. 
