With the exception of the pyramid at Teayo, described above, which seems to be an Aztec ruin, the architectural remains of the Huaxtec and Totonac appear in certain respects to resemble rather those of the Maya, their linguistic relations to the south. At the same time it is advisable to make some mention of them in this place, firstly because the coastal region in this direction had been subjected for some time to Aztec influences, and secondly because Aztec pottery cannot be adequately described without reference to the ceramic art of the Huaxtec and Totonac. Foundation-mounds occur throughout the whole region from the mouth of the Panuco to Vera Cruz, and afford a splendid field to future explorers. The Panuco district shows abundant traces of settlement from very early times; the mounds are of earth, sometimes faced with cut stone, but traces of walls are rare throughout the whole of the Huaxtec region. In the Cerro de Nahuatlan, the pyramids are again of earth or rubble, faced with more or less regularly squared sandstone blocks; some are circular in ground-plan, and the corners of the rectangular ruins are often formed of well-worked monoliths. At Papantla is a remarkable pyramid, faced with cut stone, the distinguishing feature of which is constituted by a series of niches, which may at some time have contained images. This is figured on Pl. [XVI], and further description is unnecessary, though it may be said that niches of this character may be found to be a characteristic of Totonac architecture.
PLATE XVI
Photo. Prof. Seler
TOTONAC
Temple at Papantla, Vera Cruz
In the neighbourhood of Cempoala a very interesting series of ruins is to be found. These consist of mounds on which traces of buildings remain, and which, owing to the lack of stone suitable for building in the district, are constructed of a core of waterworn stones set in concrete with good concrete facing. The highly polished concrete facing of Totonac buildings attracted the notice of the Spaniards, who thought at first that they were ornamented with silver plates. The mounds are either of the normal step-pyramid type, or are built in two very distinct tiers, each with a separate balustraded stairway, of the types Fig. [73, c and e]; p. 321. Both are erected on slightly-raised artificial bases, and the buildings found on the summits are rather more complicated than the simple shrines believed to be characteristic of the Aztec temples. In this respect they bear a closer resemblance to certain of the Maya remains which will be described later. One of these buildings consists of a series of chambers, like the buildings at Quiengola described above (Fig. [32, a]; p. 175), though on a smaller scale; another consists of a shrine standing free within an exterior building. Other similarities to Oaxaca remains include the presence of pillars to support a roof, found in a building in the neighbourhood, and again on a foundation-mound at San Isidro, immediately south of Misantla; and also numbers of heads, but in this case of clay, which appear to have been inset in the walls. At Texolo are mounds some of which are of earth alone, and these are occasionally arranged in a double row to enclose a court. Stone facing however is not unknown in this district.
Of architectural remains as a whole it may be said that the Aztec buildings show a tendency to simplicity and exhibit on the whole fewer traces of arrangement on a large and comprehensive plan, such as may be observed at Teotihuacan. Teotihuacan itself, as far as actual buildings are concerned, has many points in common with Tulan, and in its general arrangement shows a considerable similarity to Monte Alban. The last-named site is obviously closely connected with other remains in Oaxaca; and Xochicalco, from its decoration, has similar affinities, affinities which extend to the pre-Aztec remains of the valley. Mitla stands practically by itself as far as artistic ornamentation is concerned, though the arrangement of the buildings is quite Oaxacan in character. The Totonac ruins display a certain affinity with the ruins at Quiengola, though this affinity cannot be said to be direct. The true relation between the two will be more apparent after the Maya remains have been considered. It is unsafe to draw any conclusion from structural points alone, since so much depended upon the presence in the neighbourhood of suitable materials; it was, for instance, the presence of trachyte in the Mitla region which enabled its builders to make use of large masses of stone, and provided the long lintels which distinguish this group of ruins. Where suitable stone was lacking, the deficiency was usually supplied by cement, and much use was made of the latter to correct irregularities in construction, though its employment appears to have been more frequent in Oaxaca and the Totonac region than elsewhere.
Fig. 36.—Mexican pottery forms (see also Pls. [XVII-XIX]).