SPINDEN— CENTRAL AMERICAN PORTRAITURE 



Fig. 4. — Chichen Itza figure 

 wearing the royal head-dress 

 (xuihuitzolli) of the Mexican 

 highlands. 



differences in dress, ornament, and objects 

 carried. 



Several explanations of these rows of 

 human figures may be offered : 



1. They may represent minor gods. 



2. They may represent priests and war- 

 riors of Chichen Itza in a religious procession. 



3. They may represent vassal towns and 

 territories, possibly personified by the chief, 

 bringing tribute to Chichen Itza. 



The first of these possibilities seems least 

 likely, because the dress and hieroglyphs 

 differ from those of known gods in either 

 the Maya or Mexican pantheon. It is more 

 difficult to judge the relative merits of the 

 second and third hypotheses. The sculp- 

 tures resemble in type the historical monu- 

 ments in Mexico already referred to (the 

 Stone of Tizoc, etc.), but we have no certain 

 means of knowing whether the hieroglyphs 

 stand for personal or place names. The marked differences in costume 

 probably have a geographical significance. The faces vary somewhat 

 in expression, but belong to a pretty definite type, characterized by a 

 straight forehead, a Roman nose, a hard mouth, and a square chin. 



At Chichen Itza there are many buildings with sculptured door- 

 jambs and sculptured columns that are clearly contemporaneous with 

 the Ball Court group. The drawings present in vertical panels single 

 human figures that are almost natural 

 size. The faces are strongly if rather 

 crudely delineated and there is no at- 

 tempt at delicate modeling. In some 

 instances the royal head-dress of the 

 Mexicans is shown (fig. 4), as well as Mexican 

 types of nose ornaments. Full-bearded persons 

 are not infrequently represented (fig. 5). Hiero- 

 glyphs are placed above the heads, and these 

 also are Mexican in type, that is, they are 

 realistic pictures not reduced to the rectangu- 

 lar outline of a Maya glyph block. Even if 

 these faces should not prove to be veritable 

 portraits, they at least follow a physical type 

 quite different from that which occurs at the Fig. 5.— a Chichen itza head. 



[44i ] 



