THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION 138 
According to the chronicles the land of Chakanputun 
was abandoned by the tribe of Mayas known as the 
Itzas and Chichen Itza was re-established. About 
the same time Uxmal and Mayapan were also 
founded and a league between these three principal 
cities was instituted. Many other cities, such as 
Kabah, Labna, Sayil, and Izamal also seem to have 
flourished at this time but we have no traditions of any 
except Izamal. The architectural styles of decoration 
during this period are more formal than those of earlier 
times. The mask panel, a face reduced to a rectangular 
area and built up mosaic-like out of separately carved 
blocks, is the most important motive but there is also 
a great use of geometric figures such as fret meanders, 
banded columns, and imitation diagonal lattice work. 
At Uxmal and Chichen Itza are found highly modified 
and scarcely recognizable examples of profile mask 
panels such as occur in realistic forms in earlier cities. 
Several of the large communal buildings show different 
stages of growth. 
PERIOD OF MEXICAN INFLUENCE 
1195 A. D. to 1442 A. D. 
This period lies between the first serious outbreak 
of civil war under the league of the three cities and 
the final destruction of Mayapan about a hundred 
years before the Spaniards settled at Mérida. The civil 
war was begun by a warrior called Hunac Ceel and 
Chichen Itza was loser. This chief seems to have called 
for aid upon seven foreigners with Mexicannames. These 
foreigners may have later acquired Chichen Itza as the 
spoils of war. There is no definite statement to this 
effect, but the architecture and art of Chichen Itza 
