MAYA ART 49 



matter on these inoniiincnts dciils witli i)riest-lik(' Ix'iii^s who carry 

 serjH'iits and other ceremonial ol)jects in their hands. There are also 

 Ions hieroj!;lyj)hic ins('i"ij)ti()ns containing dates in the wonderful Maya 

 calendar. Maya history contains two l)rilliant periods. That of tlu; 

 south, extendinjj; from KU) A.I), to (iOO A. I)., was chiefly remarkable for 

 its sculptures. The principal cities were ('()])an, Quiri^ua, Tikal, 

 Yaxchilan and Palenciue. The second period fell between 950 A.D., and 

 1250 A.n.. and centered in northern Yucatan. The chief cities were 

 Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Labua, and the finest w^orks of art were 

 architectural. 



Passing to the end of the hall and tlien returning toward the east 

 p entrance, we see, on either side of the aisle, reproductions 



of the stelse and altars of Copan arranged in order from the 

 oldest and crudest forms to the latest and finest examples of carving, 

 covering a stretch of nearly 300 years. The early stelae have hieroglyphs 

 carved in very low relief and ^\\t\\ sharp corners, while the hieroglyphs 

 on the later monuments are cut deeper and in more rounded relief. In 

 the early stelae human figures are carved in an aw^kward block-Hke 

 manner, Avith protruding eyes and angular limbs. The two lofty stelae 

 in the center are from Quirigua and date from about 550 A.D. From 

 this city also comes the elaborately sculptured boulder that may have 

 served as an altar. It represents a two-headed monster overlaid wdth 

 several layers of ornament. Sculpture from Palenque and other cities 

 are also shown. 



The second or architectural period of Maya art is exemplified in the 

 Ch' h It ^opy of ^^^ painted sculptures of the Temple of the 

 Jaguars at Chichen Itza. Here are show^i w^arriors in 

 procession who seem to be coming to worship a serpent god. Prayers 

 are represented as coming from their lips. This sculpture shows strong 

 evidence of Mexican influence in certain of its details. 



Xext in order is the Xahua culture represented in the alcove cases 

 by ancient pottery, musical instruments, copper objects and ornaments 

 of obsidian and jade. One case contains facsimile reproductions of 

 native books, called codices, which were painted free hand on strips of 

 deerskin, paper or cloth. Several original documents are also exhibited. 

 The Spaniards, in their zeal to destroy the native rehgion, burned hun- 

 dreds of these books w^hich recorded ceremonial rites and historical 

 events by means of pictures and hieroglyphs. The Xahua culture 

 extended through many centuries and the remains, such as pottery, are 

 found deposited in distinct layers, one above the other. In the valley 

 of Mexico there are three so-called culture horizons, the last being that of 

 the Aztecs. There is no good reason to beheve that any connection in 

 art or religion existed betw^een Mexico and any part of the Old World. 



