QUIOTEPEC, OR CERRO DE LAS JUNTAS. 211 

 QuiOTEPEC, OR CERRO DE LAS JUNTAS. 



In 1844, an examination was made by order of the Governor of 

 Oajaca of the ancient remains situated near the village of Quiotepec, 

 about thirty-two leagues north from the capital of Oajaca. These 

 ruins are found on the Cerro de las Juntas, or Hill of the Union, 

 so called from its vicinity to the junction of the rivers Quiotepec 

 and Salado. 



The eminence is covered in almost every direction with remains 

 of military works of a defensive character, calculated to protect the 

 dwellings erected on the hill, and the extensive temple and palace, 

 whose massive ruins still crown the summit. These remains are 

 said to resemble those of Chicocomoc or Quemada, in the State of 

 Zacatecas, which will be fully described in our notice of that portion 

 of Mexico. The similarity consists in the style of the architecture, 

 and the evident mingling of defence and worship. There is no re- 

 semblance, however, to the remains found in Yucatan as described 

 by Stephens, Catherwood and Norman, where the designs are all 

 highly ornamental, denoting a higher state of luxury, taste and 

 progress in civilization. The teocalli or temple of Quiotepec and 

 that of Chicocomoc or Quemada are both pyramidal, like most of 

 the Aztec religious structures; but the architectural style, generally, 

 at the former place, is rather more sumptuous than at Quemada. 1 



Besides these remains, there are many others in the State of 

 Oajaca, which are still inadequately known or described, such for 

 instance, as the turmuli and pyramids at Montealban, two leagues 

 south-west from Oajaca ; — the relics of many strong-holds ; — the 

 turmuli at Zachila ; — the ruins at Coyula and at San Juan de los 

 Cues. 



In the museum of the University of Mexico, and in the private 

 collection of the late Ex-Conde del Penasco, we found some re- 

 markable figures chiselled from a finely grained sand stone, two of 

 which are represented in the succeeding pages. They were found 

 in the State of Oajaca. Their use or their symbolical character 

 have never been accurately detected ; but in the last of the two we 

 may observe quite a remarkable resemblance to some of the idols 

 still to be seen in the temples of India. 



1 See Museo Mejicano, vol. 3d, p. 329, for lithographic sketches of the palace and 

 temple, and their monuments. See also vol. 1st of the same work, p. 401 ; and vol. 

 3d id., p. 135, for descriptions of Zapotec remains ; and vol. 1st id., p. 246, for an 

 imperfect account of military remains, fortifications, &c. &c, near Guiengola, near 

 Tehuan tepee 



