60 WISCO]S^SIN ACABEMY SCIENCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS. ^^91 



a man and woman on the front and back, while the sides are cov- 

 ered with inscriptions similar to those at Copan. Other obelisks 

 are higher than this. The ruins of Copan that mark the second era 

 are situated in the extreme Avestern end of Honduras. Owing to 

 the hostility of natives these ruins have not been very carefully ex- 

 plored. A stone wall from sixty to ninety feet high is described 

 as running along the River Copan six hundred and twenty-four I 

 feet, in some places fallen and in others entire, which supported 

 the rear side of the elevated foundation of a great edifice. It was 

 made of blocks of cut stone six feet long, well laid in mortar or ce- 

 ment. The chief peculiarity of Copan v/as the number of sculptured 

 inscribed pillars. In speaking of these, Mr. Squier says the ruins 

 of Copan are distinguished by singular and elaborately carved mon- 

 oliths, which seem to have been replaced at Pelenque by equally elab- 

 orate basso relievos, belonging, it would seem, to a later and more 

 advanced period of art. Palacios, who described these ruins three 

 hundred years ago, speaks of an enormous eagle carved in stone 

 which bore a square shield on its breast carved with undecipherable 

 characters; of a stone giant; a stone cross; a plaza circular in form 

 surrounded by ranges of steps or seats, as many as eighty ranges 

 remaining in some places. This plaza was paved with beautiful 

 stones, all square and well worked. 



The next era is represented by the ruins of Palenque situated in the 

 northern part of the Mexican State of Chiapa. The largest known 

 building is called the '' Palace." It stands near the River Chacamas? 

 on a terraced pyrmidal foundation, forty feet high and three hundred 

 and ten feet long, by two hundred and sixty broad at the base. The 

 edifice itself is two hundred and twenty- eight feet long, one hundred 

 and eighty wide, and t r/enty-five feet high. It laces the east, and has ' 

 fourteen doorways on each side, with eleven at the ends. It is 

 built of hewn stone laid in mortar of the best quality. It has four 

 interior courts, the largest being seventy by eighty feet in extent. 

 These are surrounded by corridors, and the architectural work fac- 

 ing them is richly de3orated. Within the building were many 

 rooms. The piers around the courts are covered Avith figures in 

 stucco, or plaster. There is evidence of painting being used for 

 decoration, but the architectural effect of the stone-work and the 

 beautifully executed sculptures, particularly strike attention. The 

 walls and piers are covered with ornamentation. Mr. Stephens 



