TEWKES] KUINS OF CEMPOALAX 241 



into two parts, one above the other, the lower extending from the 

 ground to a landing on the margin of the basal terrace, the upper 

 from the terrace to the platform of the second storj% the edge of which 

 is indicated bj' the seated figure. The relation of l)asal and second 

 terraces is best seen from a rear corner- view given in the accompanying 

 illustration (plate c). On the rear side of the second terrace, directly 

 opposite the stairway, one ma}' see a square shallow recess in the wall 

 the purport of which is unknown. The relative size of the pyramid 

 is evident from the two figures standing on the ridge between the base 

 of the temple proper and the edge of the second terrace, where there 

 is barely standing room for a man. 



The walls of the temple proper are almost continuous with the mar- 

 gin of the platform of the second story, imparting to that part of the 

 pyramid, when seen from one corner, the appearance of a third story. 

 The walls back of the standing figures form sides of a room open on 

 the side toward the stairway." 



An examination of the outer surface of the walls forming this cham- 

 ber, which is the temple, shows an overhanging cornice, and a slightl)' 

 raised horizontal band extending around the building midway between 

 cornice and base. Below this band the surface wall is plane continu- 

 ousl}' arouild the three sides, but between it and the cornice there are 

 sunken panels separated by vertical bands, the surface of which is 

 flush with the lower surface of the wall. There are two sunken panels 

 in each lateral wall and three in the rear, all together forming a frieze 

 the surface of which is rough, indicating that foi'eign bodies, as rows 

 of stones, cla\- heads, or possibly human skulls, were formerly attached 

 to these panels. The smooth surface below the horizontal band still 

 exhibits traces of red and 5'ellow pigment, remains of former pictures. 

 Similar panels containing embedded objects are reported from the 

 Castillo at Huatusco, and panels of a like kind were architectural fea- 

 tures of other Aztec temples, judging from existing pictures of those 

 buildings.* No temple well enough preserved to show the nature of 

 the ornaments embedded in the frieze or panels over a doorway, now 

 remains in the Vallej' of Mexico, but in the cornice of the Casa de 

 Tepozteco, at Tepoztlan, there are remains of carvings in volcanic stone, 

 repi-esenting human skulls. An aboriginal drawing by Sahagun*^ of 



« In views of a similar pyramid near Huatusco, given by Sartorius. there are representations of 

 niches in the bloclia, containing idols. 



!>See Penaflel, Xombres Geogriificos de Mexico, Mexico, 1885. On page 57 we And the rebus of 

 Atenanco. a water symbol atl flowing from a battlement, iummco, or tenaviW; p. 181, tenanco and 

 tenantzinco; p. 197, tetciianco, in which the same element tcnamitl, battlement, appears. The.se pic- 

 tures of the battlements tenamitl are good representations of the line of battlements on a Cemnoalan 

 temple. 



f Die Ausgrabungen am Orte des Haupt-temples in Mexico. The discussion of the form of the 

 great pyramid of Mexico by Seler brings out aclose likeness between it and the Cempoalan pyramids. 

 In speaking of the Mexican Codices, reference is made to those of the Aztec, so-called, but the author 

 believes that the Codex Cortesianus and Troanus, commonly called a Maya Codex, was obtained by 

 Cortes on the coast of Vera Cruz, at or near Cempoalan. 



2.5 ETH — 07 Ifi 



