LS 
THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION 89 
finest qualities. Design at its highest is embodied in 
the Mayan hieroglyphs. Given spaces had to be filled 
with given symbols and the results attained were uni- 
formly excellent. Although the influence of the ser- 
pent led to the great use of tapering flame-like masses 
in nearly all Mayan designs, still dominant vertical 
and horizontal lines of interest were maintained. 
The panel and lintel sculptures show composition 
achieved by simple and subtle methods. The sweeping 
plumes of headdresses were skilfully used to fill in 
corners, while blocks of glyphs were placed in open 
spaces that might otherwise distract the attention. 
Many compositions appear overcrowded to us, but this 
fault decreases with knowledge of the subject matter. 
Also, the Mayas appear to have painted their sculp- 
tures so that the details were emphasized by color 
contrast. 
In perspective as applied to the human figure the 
Mayas were far ahead of the Egyptians and Assyrians, 
since they could draw the body in front view and pure 
profile without the distortions seen in the Old World. 
They were even able to make graceful approximations of 
a three-quarters view, as may be seen in Plate XVI, 
where the raising of the nearer shoulder has a distinct 
perspective value. 
The Mayan Pantheon. We haveseen that during 
the earliest culture of Mexico and Central America 
there were no figurines of individualized gods, simply 
straightforward representations of human beings and 
animals. With the Mayan culture, however, we enter 
upon an epoch of rich religious symbolism. The ser- 
pent, highly conventionalized as we have just seen, 
and variously combined with elements taken from 
the quetzal, the jaguar, and even from man himself, 
