10 



CHICHEN ITZA. 



Kuined Chcech at Pisi.fi. 



General Description of the Site op the Ruins. 



The plan on Plate II. includes roughly a thousand yards square ground, in which are 

 included all the principal buildings still standing, but it by no means shows the extent 

 of ground covered by the ancient city, for small raised foundations, stone-faced terraces, 

 heaps of squared stones, and fragments of columns can be found for a mile or more in 

 every direction. 



Amongst the ruins of the ancient city to the S.E. of the Casa de Monjas (Plate II., 

 No. 1) stand the church and buildings of a large cattle hacienda, which, although 

 abandoned since 1847 and much overgrown, are still in fairly good condition. 



The Indian ruins had been freely used as quarries when the buildings of Piste and 

 the hacienda were being raised, and many well-squared blocks of stone bearing frag- 

 ments of hieroglyphics and other sculpture can be found embedded in the church- 

 walls. 



