THE MIDDLi: CIVILIZATIONS 



I I 



The 260 day cycle of the 

 time count, was subdivided 

 into tour period- of 65 days 

 and each period was under 

 control of a single god and 

 wa- associated with one of 

 the cardinal point-. Bach 

 period of sixty-five days was 

 further divided into five 

 groups of thirteen days for a 

 ceremonial reason. Some 

 authorities have considered 

 that the genera] form of the 

 ( Central American calendar 

 originated in the region of 

 the Isthmus of Tehuantepec 

 and spread to the north and 

 to the south. Hut depend- 

 able history in the Mayan 

 area goes l>ack much farther 

 than in the Zapotecan re- 

 gion and render- such a 

 - extremely hazardous. 



Mitla. The famous tem- 

 ples of Mitla are the best- 

 preserved examples of archi- 

 tecture on the highlands of 



Mexico and are peculiar in 

 form and decoration. The 

 word Mitla i- a corruption 

 of the Aztecan word Miction, 



place of the dead. Thi- -ite 



the burial ground of 

 Zapotecan kings ami may 

 have been a place of pilgrim- 



• 

 p J 



%j4 



— 





Fig, 

 Btniction at 



separately ( 



I). ■ il of Wall Con- 

 Mitla. Bhowing the 



'arvrd StOl 



