ANCIENT REMAINS MITLA. 



213 



San Dionisio, Totolapa, San Carlos, Villa de Nejapa, Quijechapa, 

 Quiegolani, Tequisistlan, Villa de Jalapa, Tlapalcatepec, Tehaun- 

 tepec, San Francisco de la Mar, Petapa, Juchuitan, Niltepec, 

 Yshuatan, Zanatepec, Tepanatepec, Xoro or Xojocatlan, Cuylapa, 

 Zachila, the ancient Teozapotlan ; San Bartolomeo de Zapeche, 

 Zimatlan, Villa de Santa Anna, Chilateca, Santa Cruz Mistepec, 

 San Juan Elotepec, Etla, San Juan del Estado, San Pablo Huizo 

 or Guajolotitlan, Ejutla, Ocotlan, Chichicapa, Ayoquesco, Miahuat- 

 lan, Pochutla, Santa Cruz de Huatulco, Juchatengo Tonamaca, 

 Jamiltepec, Acatepec, Juquila, Sacatepec, Santa Maria Istapa, Teo- 

 jomulco, Huajuapan, Justlahuaca, Chicahuastla, Achintla, Teita, 

 Villa de Teposcolula, Talaxiaco, Santa Maria Chimalapa, Yanguit- 

 lan, Los Pueblos de Almoloyas, San Miguel Chimalapa Nochistlan, 

 Tilantongo, Xaltepec, Teutitlan del Camino, San Antonio de los 

 Cues, Tecomavaca, Quiotepee, Cuicatlan, San Pedro Chiezapotl, 

 Donomingullo, Coyula, Teutila, Villalta, Zoochila, Zolaga, Quet- 

 zaltepec, Totontepec, Chuapan, Chinantla, Istlan. 



Ancient Remains in Oajaca. 



* MITLA. 



About ten leagues from the capital, on the road leading to Te- 

 huantepec, are the remains of what antiquarians have styled the 

 sepulchral palaces of Mitla, lying in the midst of a rocky granitic 

 region, and surrounded by sad and sombre scenery. According to 

 tradition, these edifices were erected by the Zapotecs, as palaces 

 and sepulchres for their princes. It is asserted that at the death of 

 members of the royal family, their bodies were laid in the vaults 

 beneath, while the sovereign and his relatives retired to mourn the 

 loss of the departed scion in the chambers above these solemn 

 sepulchres, which were screened from the public eye by dark and 

 silent groves. 



Another tradition declares that these edifices were the abodes of a 

 sect of priests, whose duty it was to dwell in seclusion and offer ex- 

 piatory sacrifices for the royal dead who reposed in the vaults 

 beneath. 



The village of Mitla was called Miguitlan, signifying, in the 

 Mexican tongue, a place of sadness ; while by the Zapotecs it was 

 named Leoba, or " the tomb." 



The palaces or tombs of Mitla, form three edifices, symmetrically 

 arranged in an extremely romantic site ; the principal and best pre- 

 served edifice has a front of nearly one hundred and fifty feet. A 



