Fig. 32.—Plans of remains at Quiengola, Oaxaca.
- A. Court with terrace supporting buildings.
- B. Pyramid with Temple.
Fig. 33.—a. Stone slab from near Xochicalco.
b. Pottery beaker, bearing the date 2. xochitl, Zapotec.
c. Stone head, Oaxaca.
The characteristic Oaxaca slabs, with their dates in mixed Mexican and Maya style, have their parallel in the carvings on what must have been an extremely beautiful temple at Xochicalco in the Tlalhuica region. This ruin, though in the same district as the Aztec temple of Tepoztlan, is of an entirely different type and the style of its rich ornamentation bears a close resemblance to the remains at Tulan, one of the Toltec cities. Its present condition is shown on Pl. [XIII] together with a restoration by Holmes. It is only fair to state that this distinguished archæologist has since modified his ideas regarding its original form, and it should be said that the pillars dividing the doorway would almost certainly have had perpendicular faces. With this exception and with the further exception of some doubt attaching to the exact form of the roof, the picture gives a very good idea of what the temple must have been. The substructure, with the noticeable “batter” of its walls and projecting cornice, is over four yards high, of rubble faced with andesite; the carving represents great undulating snakes, between the coils of which are human figures, and glyphs in the style of those of Oaxaca described above. Originally the details of sculpture were emphasized by coloured stucco and therefore appeared far less complicated than in a photograph. In this building again the stairway was on the west side.
Fig. 34.—Plan of a court and buildings at Mitla. The building to the right is shown on Pl. [XV].
PLATE XV