THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION re: 
have been held in place by a false work form while it was 
hardening. ‘The so-called corbelled arch of overstepping 
stones was doubtless known to the Mayan builders but 
WY, 
Wels 
RVANY, 
QR 
\ 
! 
s 
V 
an 
c 
5 bp) \ 
! 
ue 
> % 
ki 
Fig. 21. Cross-section of Typical Mayan Temple in Northern 
Yucatan: a, upper cornice; b, medial cornice; c, upper zone; d, lower 
zone; €, wooden lintels; f, exterior doorway; g, interior doorway; 
h, offset at spring of vault; 2, cap stone. 
was little used. ‘Taking the single rectangular room as 
the unit of construction the width was limited to the 
span of the vault, which seldom exceeded twelve feet, 
while the length was indeterminate. 
The first variation from the temple with one rectan- 
gular room was the two-roomed structure with one cham- 
ber directly behind the other. In this case there were 
two vaulted compartments separated from each other 
by a common supporting wall pierced by one or more 
doorways. ‘The inner room was naturally more dimly 
lighted than the outer one and as a result was modified 
into a sanctuary, or holy of holies, enhanced by sculp- 
