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(3) 



Photo from Sylvanus G. Morley 

 THE SANCTUARY AFTER 



EXCAVATING THE CIIIEE SAXCTUARY OF TEMPLE A: 



FINAL REPAIR 



Note that the wall to the left has been relaid in cement, and the third hieroglyphic, part 

 of which is missing in plate 2, on page 350, has been repaired, the missmg part havmg been 

 found in the debris on the floor of the doorway. 



position in the building further corrobo- 

 rates. Indeed, it is more than Hkely that 

 this chamber of the tenoned heads was 

 not only the chief sanctuary of this par- 

 ticular temple, but of the whole city as 

 well. 



A SHRINE FOR HUMAN SACRIFICE? 



It requires but little effort of the imag- 

 ination to picture once again the rich and 

 varied scenes which had this temple for 

 their background. White-robed priests, 

 with jaguar skins hanging from their 

 shoulders, ascend the stairway to the 

 sanctuary. Garlanded victims in the 

 shadow of death tremble at the altar. 



Gorgeously plumed chieftains ]iace the 

 broad terraces or press around the cov- 

 ered dais of the city's ruler, while below, 

 thronging the stone seats along the sides 



of the court, the multitude, in ignorance 

 and awe as always, awaits the sacrifice. 

 All the pomp and pageantry of the by- 

 gone days again fill the court under the 

 magic spell of the romantic surroundings. 



Curiously enough, the excavation of 

 this sanctuary failed to bring to light a 

 single specimen, not even a ])otsherd. al- 

 though the interior chamber adjoining it 

 on the right yielded a generous return. 



Among the specimens recovered from 

 this latter room were two very fine Hint 

 spear-heads, each over 6 inches in length, 

 and the fragments of a dozen or more 

 pieces of jjottery, which show a variety 

 of pleasing shapes and designs. In gen- 

 eral, the Quirigua ware is red, or red and 

 vellow, and of a basin-like shape. Many 

 pieces have three legs, the legs being 

 made of balls or inverted cones of clay. 



351 



