[V-44] The illustrations of the Serpent front are in Waldeck, Voy. Pitt., pl. xiii., xviii., which latter shows some of the detached faces, or masks; Charnay, Ruines Amér., phot. 40, 41, 44; and Stephens' Yucatan, vol. i., pp. 302-3. Rattlesnakes are common in this region. The proprietor proposed to build this serpent's head into a house in Mérida as a memorial of Uxmal. 'Toward the south end the head and tail of the serpents corresponded in design and position with the portion still existing at the other.' Id., vol. i., pp. 302-3. 'The remains of two great serpents, however, are still quite perfect; their heads turned back, and entwining each other, they extend the whole length of the façade, through a chaste ground-work of ornamental lines, interspersed with various rosettes. They are put together by small blocks of stone, exquisitely worked, and arranged with the nicest skill and precision. The heads of the serpents are adorned with ppluming feathers and tassels.' Norman's Rambles in Yuc., p. 162. 'Son nom lui vient d'un immense serpent à sonnettes courant sur toute la façade, dont le corps, se roulant en entrelacs, va servir de cadre à des panneaux divers. Il n'existe plus qu'un seul de ces panneaux: c'est une grecque, que surmontent six croisillons, avec rosace à l'intérieur; une statue d'Indien s'avance en relief de la façade, il tient à la main un sceptre; on remarque au-dessus de sa tête un ornement figurant une couronne.' Charnay, Ruines Amér., p. 367. 'Un ornement, imité d'une sorte de pompon en passementerie terminé par une frange, se voit au-dessus de la queue du reptile. On découvre également dans la frise ces rosettes frangées comme celles signalées dans le bâtiment de l'est.' Viollet-le-Duc, in Id., p. 69. 'En voyant pour la première fois ce superbe édifice, je ne pus retenir un cri de surprise et d'admiration, tant les choses originales et nouvelles émeuvent l'imagination et les sens de l'artiste. J'ai cherché à rendre, dans ce qu'on vient de lire, mes premières impressions. Pourquoi n'avouerais-je pas qu'il s'y mêle un peu de vanité? Un pareil sentiment n'est-il pas excusable chez le voyageur qui révèle au monde civilisé des trésors archéologiques si longtemps ignorés, un style nouveau d'architecture, et une source abondante où d'autres, plus savants que lui, iront puiser un jour?' Waldeck, Voy. Pitt., p. 100.
[V-45] Cut of one of these projecting curves in Norman's Rambles in Yuc., p. 162.
[V-46] 'The whole, loaded as it is with ornament, conveys the idea of vastness and magnificence rather than that of taste and refinement.' Stephens' Yucatan, vol. i., p. 304. 'The northern front, no doubt, was the principal one, as I judge from the remains, as well as from the fact, that it is more elevated than the others.' Norman's Rambles in Yuc., p. 161. Norman's general view of the Nunnery includes a view of this northern front, but the decorations are omitted and the turrets also. 'Chaque porte, de deux en deux, est surmontée d'une niche merveilleusement ouvragée que devaient occuper des statues diverses. Quant à la frise elle-même, c'est un ensemble extraordinaire de pavillons, où de curieuses figures d'idoles superposées ressortent comme par hasard de l'arrangement des pierres, et rappellent les têtes énormes sculptées sur les palais de Chichen-Itza. Des méandres de pierres finement travaillées leur servent de cadre et donnent une vague idée de caractères hiéroglyphiques: puis viennent une succession de grecques de grande dimension, alternées, aux angles, de carrés et de petites rosaces d'un fini admirable. Le caprice de l'architecte avait jeté çà et là, comme des démentis à la parfaite régularité du dessin, des statues dans les positions les plus diverses. La plupart ont disparu, et les têtes ont été enlevées à celles qui restent encore.' Charnay, Ruines Amér., pp. 364-5, phot. 36-7. 'Les grosses têtes forment la principale décoration des dessus de portes; les treillis sont historiés, les encorbellements empilés supprimés.' Viollet-le-Duc, in Id., p. 67.
[V-47] I append a few general quotations concerning the Nunnery: The court façades 'ornamented from one end to the other with the richest and most intricate carving known in the art of the builders of Uxmal; presenting a scene of strange magnificence, surpassing any that is now to be seen among its ruins.' Stephens' Yucatan, vol. i., p. 300. 'All these façades were painted; the traces of the colour are still visible, and the reader may imagine what the effect must have been when all this building was entire, and according to its supposed design, in its now desolate doorways stood noble Maya maidens, like the vestal virgins of the Romans, to cherish and keep alive the sacred fire burning in the temples.' Id., p. 307. The bottoms of the caissons of the diamond lattice-work are painted red. The paint is believed to be a mixture in equal parts of carmine and vermilion, probably vegetable colors. Waldeck, Voy. Pitt., pp. 200-1; Zavala, in Antiq. Mex., tom. i., div. ii., pp. 33-4, describes a building supposed to be the Nunnery on account of the serpent ornament, which, however, is stated to be on the exterior front of the building. Cogolludo, Hist. Yuc., p. 177, describes the court and surrounding edifices, stating that the serpent surrounds all four sides. 'Vn gran patio con muchos aposentos separados en forma de claustro donde viuian estas doncellas. Es fabrica digna de admiracion, porque lo exterior de las paredes es todo de piedra labrada, donde estàn sacadas de medio relieue figuras de hombres armados, diuersidad de animales, pajaros, y otras cosas.' 'Todos los quatro lienços de aquel gran patio (que se puede llamar plaça) los ciñe vna culebra labrada en la misma piedra de las paredes, que termina la cola por debaxo de la cabeça, y tiene toda ella en circuito quatrocientos pies.' Jones, Hist. Anc. Amer., p. 93, accounts for the superiority of the sculpture on the court façades by supposing that it was executed at a later date; its protection from the weather would also tend to its better preservation.
[V-48] Although Zavala says, speaking of the Uxmal ruins in general: 'Celles qui forment l'arête à partir de laquelle les plans des murs convergent pour déterminer la voûte prismatique dont j'ai déjà parlé, sont taillées en forme de coude dont l'angle est obtus.' Antiq. Mex., tom. i., div. ii., p. 34. 'In the rear of, and within a few feet of the eastern range, are the remains of a similar range, which is now almost in total ruins. There appear to have been connecting walls, or walks, from this range to the Pyramid near by, as I judged from the rubbish and stones that can be traced from one to the other.' Norman's Rambles in Yuc., p. 162. Cuts from Stephens' Yucatan, vol. i., pp. 311, 430; one of them reproduced in Baldwin's Anc. Amer.
[V-49] So say Stephens' text and plan, Viollet-le-Duc, and Charnay's plan; but Stephens' views, except that in Cent. Amer., Charnay's photographs, and Waldeck's plan and drawings, do not indicate an oval form. I am inclined to believe that the corners are simply rounded somewhat more than in the other Uxmal structures, and that the oval form indicated in the plan is not correct.
[V-50] M. Viollet-le-Duc says it is 'entièrement composé d'un blocage de maçonnerie revêtu de gros moellons parementés,' in Charnay, Ruines Amér., p. 70.
[V-51] Cogolludo, Hist. Yuc., p. 193. 'La subida principal está á la parte del oriente y se practica por medio de una grada, que á la altura referida, guarda, segun mi cálculo, el muy escaso declive de treinta pies á lo mas: esta circunstancia, como se deja entender, la hace en extremo pendiente y peligrosa. Si no me engaño, la grada á que me refiero, tiene de 95 á 100 escaloncitos de piedra labrada, pero tan angostos, que apénas pueden recibir la mitad del pié: la cubren muchos troncos de árboles, espinos, y, lo que es peor, una multitud de yerba, resbaladiza.' The author, however, climbed the stairway barefooted. L. G., in Registro de Yuc., tom. i., p. 278. 'Les côtés de la pyramide sont tellement lisses qu'on ne peut y monter même à l'aide des arbres et des broussailles qui poussent dans les interstices des pierres.' Waldeck, Voy. Pitt., p. 95. The eastern slope 70°, and the western 80°. Heller, Reisen, p. 256. Stairway has 180 steps, each 12 to 15 centimetres wide and high. Zavala, in Antiq. Mex., tom. i., div. ii., p. 33. 100 steps, each 5 inches wide. Waldeck, Voy. Pitt., p. 71. 100 steps, each 6 inches wide. Norman's Rambles in Yuc., p. 163. About 130 steps, 8 or 9 inches high. Stephens' Cent. Amer., vol. ii., p. 421.
[V-52] 'Une espèce de petite chapelle en contre-bas tournée à l'ouest; ce petit morceau est fouillé comme un bijou; une inscription parait avoir été gravée, formant ceinture au-dessus de la porte.' Charnay, Ruines Amér., p. 368. 'Loaded with ornaments more rich, elaborate, and carefully executed, than those of any other edifice in Uxmal.' Stephens' Yucatan, vol. i., p. 313.
[V-53] In the matter of dimensions, the Casa del Adivino presents the same variations as the other structures—Stephens, Yucatan, being the authority followed. Waldeck makes the platform 45 by 91 feet 8 inches, and the building 81 feet 8 inches by 14 feet 8 inches. Zavala calls the building 8 metres square. According to Norman the pyramid measures 500 feet at the base, and is 100 feet high, the platform being 21 by 72 feet, and the building 12 by 60, and 20 feet high. Charnay pronounces the pyramid 75 to 80 feet high. Stephens, Cent. Amer., vol. ii., pp. 421-2, gives the dimensions as follows: Pyramid, 120 by 240 feet at base; platform, 4½ feet wide outside the building; building, 68 feet long; rooms, 9 feet wide, 18, 18, and 34 feet long. Friederichsthal's dimensions: Pyramid, 120 by 192 feet and 25½ feet high; platform, 23⅓ by 89 feet; building, 12 by 73 feet, and 19¼ feet high. Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1841, tom. xcii., p. 307. Heller's dimensions: Pyramid, 135 by 225 feet, and 105 feet high; platform, 20 by 70 feet; building, 12 by 60 feet, and 20 feet high.