INDIAN SETTLEMENTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. 551 



very peculiar impression upon the beholder aud reminds him involun- 

 tarily of the narrowness of views which seems to be a universal weak- 

 ness of the Maya family, who otherwise possess so many most attract- 

 ive characteristics. 



Besides the stone houses, several towms of Yucatan and Peteu possess 

 still another remarkable type of edifice — steep stone pyramids, which on 

 their uppermost platform bear a somewhat long* stone house. 1 I have 

 seen these structures only in Uxmal and Ticul, and the four stone pyr- 

 amids at the last-mentioned place were so entirely overgrown with 

 forest trees and dense shrubbery that I could not obtain a clear view, 2 

 although I climbed up to the top of one with great trouble. The stone 

 pyramid of Uxmal rises in two unequal terraces, over which a compara- 

 tively low, perpendicular terrace leads to the upper platform which 

 bears the stone house. In the middle of one of the long sides (from 

 the east) a very steep staircase with nearly one hundred steps leads to 

 the platform. This kind of pyramid seems to be peculiar to the Mayas 

 (in Yucatan and Peten) and to Copan, for in the territory of the Choi and 

 the Ohorti we find only the ordinary terraced pyramid, with perpendic- 

 ularly ascending steps of equal height and depth. The same applies 

 to the highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas, where it is true the steps 

 occasionally seem to lose their original purpose and to assume gigantic 

 dimensions (1 to 2 meters in height and depth), as in Saculeu and 

 Tonina. In the two great pyramids of Tonina we notice, from the 

 bottom to the uppermost small platform, six to eight lofty steps. These 

 steps, however, being so very high, do not ascend perpendicularly (as 

 at Saculeu), but at a great inclined angle. That Catherwood's Eecon- 

 strnction of the Pyramids, in Stephens's Incidents of Travel (p. 381), is 

 incorrect, is best seen from the northwest, where both show their best 

 preserved side. I am sure I do not wish to blame Catherwood, but 

 only to point out the great difficulties which arise at every such attempt 

 at reconstruction. It is extremely difficult to form by means of decay- 

 ing ruins a picture of former proportions, and often a mere glance from 

 an accidentally chosen but favorable standpoint gives a clearer sight 

 than a long study of the ruins themselves. To this must be added 

 that the generally poor state of preservation of all such ruins has led 

 almost everyone to add to this sketch or ground plan a number of 

 reconstructions; my own very trifling sketches must not be considered 

 final in any way. I shall be well content if I should have succeeded 

 in giving my reader a tolerably correct idea of the old Indian structures 

 in North Central America and of their great variety. An exhaustive 

 description of old Central American architectures, which should enter 

 into all details and state their peculiar manner of forming settlements, 

 must needs be preserved for future generations, and I shall be satisfied 

 if I may state here the conclusions which the available material has 

 enabled me to form. 



Recently also found in Copan. 



2 A reconstruction will be found in Maudslay at the proper place, page 18. 



