[BULL. 64, GANN] MAYA INDIANS OF YUCATAN AND BRITISH HONDURAS 141 



the large circular red ear plug stiU remains on the right side. Tlie 

 measurements of the faces are as follows : 



Male. — Top of headdress to bottom of lower jaw of animal head 

 holding the face, 11 ro inches; top of headdress to bottom of chin, 

 9^ inches; forehead below headdress, to bottom of chin, 8^ inches; 

 extreme breadth of face (midway between a transverse line passing 

 through the pupils and one passing immediately beneath the lower 

 margin of the nasal septum), Tr? inches; extreme breadth at level 

 of the pupils, 7 inches; length of nose, 2/^ inches; breadth of nose, 

 IjV inches. 



Female. — Top of headdress to bottom of chin, 10^% inches; fore- 

 head below headdress to bottom of chin, 8^% inches; greatest breadth 

 of face, at same level as the male, 7t% inches; greatest breadth at 

 the level of eyes, 7^^ inches; length of nose, 2^ inches; breadth of 

 nose, 1^^ inches. 



The city of Uxmal belongs to the later, or northern Maya, civili- 

 zation. Unlike the earlier southern cities, Uxmal is without a single 

 initial series date by wdiich its age might be approximately deter- 

 mined. It was founded by Achuitok Tutulxu, probably about the 

 year 1000 of the Christian era. In the "Series of Katuns from the 

 Book of Chilam Balam of Mani" the date given is Katun 2 Ahau, 

 whereas in that from Tizimin it is recorded as having taken place 

 180 years later.^ The cities of Uxmal, Chichen Itza, and Mayapan 

 formed a triple alliance, which lasted for nearly 200 years, during 

 probably the most prosperous period of the whole Maya rule in 

 Yucatan. After the disruption of this alliance, caused by a quarrel 

 between the rulers of Chichen Itza and Mayapan, Uxmal gradually 

 declined m prosperity, till at the time of the conquest its temples and 

 palaces seem to have been completely abandoned. The city was 

 visited in 1586 by the Franciscan delegate Alonzo Ponce, one of 

 whose companions gives an interesting account of the ruins. De- 

 scribing the house of the governor, he says : 



Besides these four buildings there is on the south of them, distant from them about 

 an arquebus shot, another very large building built on a "Mul " or hill made by hand, 

 ^vith abundance of buttresses on the corners made of massive carved stones. The 

 ascent of this "mul" is made with difficulty, since the staircase by which the ascent 

 is made is now almost destroyed. The building which is raised on this "mul" is of 

 extraordinary sumptuousness and grandeur, and like the others very fine and beau- 

 tiful. It has on its front, which faces the east, many figures and bodies of men and of 

 shields, and of forms like the eagle which are found on the arms of the Mexicans, as 

 well as of certain characters and letters which the Maya Indians used in old time — 

 all carved with so great dexterity as surely to excite admiration. The other facade, 

 which faces the west, showed the same carving, although more than half the carved 

 part had fallen. The ends stood firm and whole with their four corners much carved 

 in the round, like those of the other building below . . . The Indians do not know 



1 Brinton, The Maya Chronicles, p. 87. 



