MacAddict 1/MacAddict_001_1996_09.iso/Demos/Maya Demo/DATA/TEXT2/UXM.TXT

Text File | 1996-04-01 | 6KB | 72 lines

Located in western Yucat·n, Uxmal was a large and important Maya capital, especially
well known for its superb Puuc-style architecture. Uxmal reached its apogee during the
Terminal Classic period (circa A.D. 800-1000) and declined during the Early Postclassic
period.
     Central Uxmal is dominated by multiroom palace quadrangles that were once the
residences of the ruling elite. The most famous of these is the so-called Nunnery
Quadrangle, which has been extensively restored. It consists of four buildings with
sculptured facades arranged around a 250-by-200-foot court that was entered through the
southern palace via a central corbeled arcade. The northern palace is the highest, and is
reached by a broad stairway. All four palaces are beautifully adorned with Puuc-style
upper facades. The famous mosaic facade on the western building includes feathered-
serpent motifs, models of thatched-roof houses, and a central throned pavilion that once
held the image of a ruler. The eastern wing is built with the simplest-and in a way the
most elegant-geometric formalism of the Puuc style. The southern wing with its high
archway provides what must have been the main egress from the Nunnery compound.
From its doorway the House of the Turtles and the Governorís Palace can be seen.
     West of the Nunnery is another quadrangle known as the Cemetery Group, facing a
pyramid on its north side and a better reconstructed temple on its west side. The
Tzompantli in this group is made up of alternating skull-and-crossbones bas-relief
thought to represent symbols of the Tlaloc or Venus God cult.
     The badly ruined South Group is the largest of the palace complexes. It consists of
three palace quadrangles built on a series of ascending terraces; the highest and
southernmost is constructed around a terraced pyramid. The inner doorways in the
temple at the top of the pyramid are formed of monster masks. The corners of the
pyramid are formed by three-tiered masks that have the unique combination of a conical
projection protruding from between the eye and the nose and a warriorís head emerging
from the mouth of a serpent between the masks. Also included in this group is the House
of the Pigeons, so called because its ruined facade is reminiscent of dovecotes. The
northern view of the entire site from the edge of the Grand Pyramid at the South Group is
the most comprehensive of the site, showing from right to left the Governorís Palace, the
House of the Turtle, the Adivino, and the Nunnery Quadrangle.
     Just to the east of the Great Pyramid is the Governorís Palace, often considered the
finest single example of Puuc architecture. Built in the final phase of Uxmalís
occupation, it supersedes an earlier building now buried beneath it. The Governorís
Palace sits on a large five-acre platform, contains 24 rooms, and measures 330 by 40 by
26 feet. The elaborate mosaics that cover its four upper facades include mat motifs that
may identify it as Uxmalís popol na, or ruling council house. Tiny full-figured human
torsos, although much damaged, are still visible across regular intervals on the facade.
The high corbeled arches that remain in the Governorís Palace are among the finest
known at any Maya site. On the platform extending from the eastern facade, a unique
double-headed jaguar throne sits in its original place.
     Immediately north is a small building known from its upper-facade decoration as the
House of the Turtles. A small turtle design runs around a cornice on all sides of the
building. Below the upper facade is a course of bamboolike stalks that also surrounds the
building. There is a dramatic view to the south over the ball court and toward the
Governorís Palace.
     The eastern side of Uxmal is dominated by a high temple known as the Adivino or
House of the Magician. Built in many stages, this structure incorporates earlier buildings
within its mass. The next-to-last construction is a west-facing temple that crowns the first
terrace of the platform and is reached by a steep staircase. The entire length of the
staircase is lined with large Witz (monster) masks and is elaborately decorated to
represent a giant monster, its mouth forming the west-facing doorway. The uppermost
temple, in Puuc style, is reached by a higher eastern staircase that has extraordinary stone
mosaics in geometric patterns. The eastern facade is much simpler in design and is
broken by a single door and a temple located near the summit.
     A small complex of temples between the Adivino and the eastern wing of the
Nunnery Quadrangle contains one partially reconstructed wall that was designed to
replicate the thatched roof of a house together with the birds and animals that might rest
there.
     Uxmal possesses a quantity of phallic sculpture, such as on the rear facade of the
Nunnery Quadrangleís north building and on the front facade of its west building. There
are also phallic sculptures east of the platform supporting the Governorís Palace and on
the facade of the aptly named Temple of the Phallus, located farther south.

     Uxmal provides several historical texts that record the name of king Lord Chac and
his parents, Chac Uinal Kan and Lady Bone. These texts have few dates but belong to the
Terminal Classic period. It is likely that both the Governorís Palace and the Nunnery
Quadrangle are associated with Lord Chacís reign.