THE HOME OF A FORGOTTEN RACE 



587 



On the north, facing a few degrees 

 east of north, is the Ceremonial Stair- 

 way, with its two great serpent heads 

 leading up the pyramid to the entrance 

 of the sanctuary. 



Thick stone pillars, fashioned always 

 in the conventionalized serpent form, 

 sustain the carved and paneled fagade 

 above the entrance to the outer corridor 

 and inner chamber, the sanctuary of the 

 temple. In the semi-gloom of this sanc- 

 tuary are two square pillars of stone, 

 each supporting massive twin beams of 

 thick sapote wood richly carved. These 

 in their turn help to support the strange 

 triple-vaulted roof of the chamber (see 

 page 588). Sapote wood, like the East 

 Indian teak, is as strong and almost as 

 durable as stone. 



Wooden beams, stone pillars, and en- 

 trance posts are all carved in low relief 

 (see page 589). Symbols and human 

 figures, some in mask and bearded, and 

 all clothed in ornate regalia, with strange 

 weapons and the flowing plumes of the 

 quetzal, cover their paneled surfaces. 



The symbol of the feathered serpent — 

 the body of the rattlesnake, covered with 

 the plumage of the quetzal bird — was to 

 this old civilization what the Cross was 

 to the Christian and the Crescent to the 

 Saracen. 



Under this symbol the culture hero 

 Kuk-ul-can (Feathered Serpent) of Yu- 

 catan, Quetzacoatl of the Aztecs and 

 earlier people, was first reverenced, then 

 deified and worshipped. 



Most of the carvings on stone surface 

 were painted, but the wooden lintels, 

 carved or plain, were apparently dull 

 finished in their own natural color — a 

 rich red brown. 



On the south, east, and west a single 

 high-vaulted but narrow chamber was 

 formed [-shaped, with sapote lintels and 

 carved doorways facing each of the stair- 

 ways. 



Large serpent masks, each flanked by 

 sunken paneled squares, are the only or- 

 naments of these three facades, and, ex- 

 cept that on the western facade, are 

 placed directly over the entrances. The 

 mask of this western fagade is several 

 feet to the south of the entrance. 



This was not a random work, neither 



did the conformation of the structure 

 make this lack of symmetry a necessary 

 fault. 



Is it true that the ancient builders of 

 the East were wont to leave one stone 

 missing or one carving misplaced in an 

 otherwise perfect work because only the 

 Supreme One should produce perfection? 



On the roof are ornaments of carved 

 stone cut in curious angles and placed 

 like battlements. These probably served 

 as shelters to the fighting men and pro- 

 tection to the priestly watchers of the 

 stars and planets as they traced the celes- 

 tial orbits and read the omens thus re- 

 vealed. 



THE HOUR OF SUNRISE 



The writer stood upon the roof of this 

 temple one morning last December just 

 as the first rays of the sun reddened the 

 distant horizon. The morning stillness 

 was profound. The noises of the night 

 had ceased and those of the day were not 

 yet begun. All the sky above and the 

 earth below seemed to be breathlessly 

 waiting for something — just waiting. 

 Then the great round sun came up flam- 

 ing splendidly, and instantly the whole 

 world sang and hummed. The birds in 

 the trees and the insects on the ground 

 sang in a grand Te Deum. 



Nature herself taught primal man to 

 be a sun-worshipper, and man in his 

 heart of hearts still follows the ancient 

 teachings. 



A gentle breeze sprang up, and then he 

 seemed to be upon a sea-bound rocky 

 promontory, high above all things. The 

 calm sea surface stretched away to where 

 the sky-line met it, and there they fused 

 into an opalescent something, seemingly 

 born of the union of a rainbow with the 

 white sea-foam. 



The sun rose higher and the sea of 

 mist dissolved into nothingness. In its 

 place was an ocean of verdure, with a 

 foam of bright blue flowers, the bloom 

 of the jungle morning glory. As he de- 

 scended the steps worn by the sandal 

 tread of a thousand years, he thought : 

 "Can this world show a more beautiful 

 sight ?" 



From the northern edge of the level 

 terrace at the base of the temple pyra- 



