THE MIDDLE CIVILIZATIONS 149 



black upon a white base. Various gods and ceremonies 

 are represented in these frescoes, but only the upper 

 portion of the bands can be made out in detail. 



Cruciform tombs are found under several of the 

 temples at Mitla as well as at a number of neighboring 

 sites such as Xaaga and Guiaroo. In these tombs the 

 designs in panels appear on the inside and are carved 

 directly on large blocks of stone. Pottery remains are 

 rare in the cruciform tombs of the Mitla type but a few 

 examples of gold work have been discovered in them. 



Within a short distance of Mitla is a fortified hill 

 with several heavy walls that still stand to the height of 

 perhaps twenty feet. In the flat valley between this 

 hill and the ruins a considerable number of potsherds 

 are plowed up in the field. 



Totonacan Culture. In the central part of the 

 state of Vera Cruz are found the remains commonly 

 referred to the Totonacan Indians. These Indians are 

 southern neighbors of the Huastecas who are an outly- 

 ing Mayan tribe. The Totonacan language is accord- 



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12 3 4 5 



Fig. .54. The Eyes of Totonacan Figuring. 



ing to some authorities thrown into the Mayan stock. 

 If not truly Mayan it contains many loan words. This 

 apparent connection in language is all the more inter- 

 esting in view of the character of Totonacan art which 

 also show- a strong strain of Mayan feeling and tech- 

 nique in certain products but an unmistakable likeness 

 to the archaic art of the Mexican highlands in certain 

 other products. The pottery faces in the archaic style 

 are advanced beyond the average of such work and 

 probably represent a late phase. It is possible to bring 



