288 (/ERTAIN ANTIQUITIES OF EASTERN MEXICO [eth. ann. 25 



u mile north of the Templo del Aire, oue suddenly see.s rising before 

 him, in fact, blocking the way, a pair of massive pyramids (plates xcvii, 

 xcviii) that evidently formed parts of two sides of an inclosed court. 

 An observer facing the larger of these, with the smaller on the left 

 hand, probably stands in the great court of C'empoalan, where, perhaps, 

 Cortes marched his soldiers on his memorable visit to this city almost 

 four centuries ago. 



The larger of the two massive pyramids (plate xcvii) is locally known 

 as Templo del Pozo ("'Temple of the Fountain"), or Chinimeos (''Chim- 

 nej's"); the other is nameless. Peering into the jungle that surrounds 

 these buildings, we get glimpses of other mounds hidden for the 

 greater part in the dense forest. 



Passing onward between the two great pyramids (a, b) already men- 

 tioned, leaving the larger on the right, following a fallen wall one 

 descends b}- a few artificial steps (plate xciv) to a plastered pathway par- 

 alleling to the eastward a barbed-wire fence. This trail brings one in 

 a short time to one of the best preserved buildings (plate xcix) in Cem- 

 poalun, locally called Las Caritas ("Small Heads"), from the many 

 small pottery heads that have been found at its base, apparently having 

 fallen out of the walls. 



A fourth pyramid (plate c). sometimes called Casa de Moctezuma, lies 

 in the forest about due east from that last mentioned and is approached 

 by a circuitous trail through the woods. This structure is likewise 

 the pja-amidal base of a temple but is less shut in by the forests than 

 those already considered. 



In an open field north of tlie temple Las Caritas, and to the left as 

 one passes to it from the main plaza, there will be noticed a large 

 structure (plate cm) overgrown with shrubbery, from which project 

 smooth polished faces of cement walls. This is one of a group of 

 mounds designated by Troncoso, Sistema de los Paredones, and is fig- 

 ured in the accompanying illiisti-ation. The several buildings above 

 referred to are designated by the letters a. h. c. d. e. The name 

 Templo del Aire is retained for the round ruin. 



BUILDING A 



This building (plate xcvii) is one of the lai-ge pj'ramids in the main 

 court and, judging from its present size and annexes, must have been 

 one of the most important structures in Cempoalan. Its ruins are still 

 impressive and, considei-ing the material used in construction, in a fair 

 state of preservation. The pyramid is simple" and has several adja- 

 cent minor buildings evidently belonging to it, forming a cluster. The 

 front of the pyramid is indicated by a stairway, before which is a .sec- 

 ond building, longer than broad, the roof of which was supported by 



« In the author's description the term •' temple " is applied to the room on the upper terrace, and 



" pyramid " to the solid terraced base upon wiiich this sanctuary stood. 



