CHICHEN ITZX. 31 



to cut out the heart. The green and yellow band in front of the priest is undoubtedly 

 part of the snake, which appears always to accompany the figure of the serpent-priest. 

 (Compare Plates XLI. and XLIII., c and d.) Another attendant holds a sort of banner 

 in his hand, and behind him stands a man whose body bears tattoo-marks, and who 

 appears to be also a victim for sacrifice and is being pushed forward by an attendant 

 wearing a short white garment and sandals. Three other figures are shown in the 

 Plate, which are possibly those of two other victims and a third attendant. 



Plate XL. shows a small portion of the picture painted on the east wall (reduced 

 about a third). On the right is the end of a house with the red column or post of 

 the portico, under which is seated a female figure (not shown in the Plate). 



Plate XLI. gives what remains of the picture of a battle which covered a consider- 

 able portion of the wall to the south of the doorway. Alas ! I was only able to trace 

 the outline, and had neither time nor material for copying the colours. The Plate is 

 ys of the size of the original drawing. The attacking party is led by the priest or 

 warrior under the protection of the plumed serpent. The town or village which is 

 being defended is composed of houses with thatch-roofs. The roof of each house 

 usually projects at one end beyond the walls so as to form a sort of portico or porch, 

 which is supported by two posts. The women who are standing among the houses are 

 apparently urging on their defenders or deploring their losses. Three of them have 

 curious bulbous excrescences attached to their head-dresses or to the backs of their 

 necks. The weapons used by the warriors are the short spears, the " varas tostadas " 

 of the old Spanish writers, impelled with the aid of an atlatl or throwing-stick. The 

 warriors carry shields bearing devices which are so much worn that they could not be 

 made out, and over the shield there usually hung a feather cloak. The feather cloak 

 appears to have been painted on after the outline of the shield had been drawn, and 

 in some cases the feather-work has been almost entirely worn away, leaving the outline 

 of the shield still distinct. A similar method of first outlining the figure and then 

 adding all the details of dress and ornament is common to all the stucco-work 

 throughout Central America, and is particularly noticeable at Palenque. 



At the base of the foundation of the Ball Court Temple, on the east side, is the 

 chamber marked E (see Plates XXVII., XLIL, and XLIII.). The outer half of the 

 roof had fallen, and the debris had filled up the chamber to the top of the square 

 columns. The removal of the fallen stones and rubbish was heavy work, but the full 

 view of the sculptured walls well repaid the labour. The whole of the surface of the 

 stone in the interior of the chamber, as well as the exposed ends of the walls and the 

 square pillars which supported the roof, have been covered with carving in low relief, 

 and this carved surface was at one time probably coated with a thin layer of plaster 

 and painted. 



What remains of this decoration, so far as it can be satisfactorily made out from 

 photographs and casts of the originals, is figured on Plates XLV. to LI. The end 



