Of nearly equal interest with Uxmal is Chichen-Itza, “ the 
mouths of the wells of Itza,” in the same wonderland of Central 
Yucatan. There is no single ruin in this most interesting group—a 
panorama of which we give—that compares with the Palace or the 
great Nunnery quadrangle of the former place, yet Chichen-Itza excels 
Uxmal in the extent and variety of its remains. Mr. E. H. Thomp- 
son, still a young man and entirely familiar with every point of interest 
in the peninsula, is so impfessed with the importance of Chichen as a 
point for the study of old Maya civilization that he has decided to give 
all his time to the examination of this place, till he has exhausted it, 
or is himself exhausted. 
Like Uxmal, Chichen is situated in the midst of a level forest. 
The place—it is of the late pliocene formation—would be of interest 
to the geologist were it not for its greater archeological interest. 
The principal groups of ruins are included within an area of about 
one square mile. The buildings vary much in character, no matter 
their original unity of purpose, though it is safe to infer that this was 
the site of a Maya city of importance. Here there are ten or twelve 
pyramid temples in every state of ruin. Among the striking structures 
is one known as the “‘ Round Tower,” because of its form and its re- 
~ semblance to similar buildings still numerous in Ireland, and the origin ; 
of which has so long been a puzzle to European archeologists. 
| The material at Chichen is the soft limestone, so abundant in 
the neighborhood, and the well-made mortar is as fully and skilfully 
used here as at other points of interest. The weak features of 
these and similar buildings were the wooden lintels, which, decaying 
first, have caused the doors to fallin. This is the more surprising, for 
er 
the Mayas knew the arch in its older forms, and frequently used stone | 
for lintels. 
The skill of the sculptors at Chichen invites our admiration. The . 
_ designs were drawn and the blocks for the most elaborate work were _ 
cut before being placed in position. Yet no mistake is evident. The 
parts, when'placed in position, made a harmonious whole. Snake-like 
columns, balustrades, Atlantian figures, and graphic relief sculptures 
were all made up of stones cut in advance, and individually small, as 
compared with the whole design. An outline drawing of one of the 
sculptures, a grand face, with its framework of hyeroglyphic design, is 
given herewith; but, good though this is, it can only suggest the 
massiveness and perfection of the whole work. 
In the foreground of the panorama is the group of the Nunnery, 
or Palace, A, with its annexes, B and C. To the right, D, is Akab- 
tzib. The Round Tower is marked E. Nearby is the Red House, F, | 
and beyond the Palace the Ruined Temple, G. Near the centre is the 
i 
pt 
