The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North; and South AmericaKingston, William Henry Giles
History
The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North; and South America
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Natural history -- North America; Natural history -- South America
In the north-east of Guatemala are the ruins of another city, the
capital of the province of Quiche. It is surrounded by a deep ravine,
which forms a natural foss, leaving only two very narrow roads as
entrances, guarded by the castle of Resguado. The palace of the kings,
which stood in the centre of the city, surpasses every other edifice,
competing in magnificence with that of Montezuma in Mexico. It was
constructed of hewn stones, of various colours. So large was the city,
that it could send no less than seventy-two thousand fighting men to
oppose the Spaniards. The whole palace is now, however, completely
destroyed, and the materials have been carried away to build a village
in the neighbourhood. The most conspicuous portion of the ruins
remaining is called El Sacrificatorio. It is a quadrangular stone
structure, rising in a pyramidal form to the height of thirty-three
feet. At the corners are four buttresses of cut stone. Steps lead up
on the eastern side. On the top it is evident that an altar was once
placed, for the sacrifice of human victims, which struck even the
Spaniards with horror. The whole was in full view of the people who
collected round the base. The ruins differ entirely from Copan and
Palenque. Here no statues, carved figures, or hieroglyphics are seen.
It is therefore supposed that these cities are of a much older date, and
built by another race.
UXMAL.
The most magnificent and perfect remains in the country are those of
Uxmal, about fifty miles south of Merida, the principal city of Yucatan.
Here, amid the dense forest, are found walls of considerable elevation,
with very extensive buildings,--the walls still standing to their full
height, and even the roofs, in some places, perfect. The largest
building--supposed to be the palace of the sovereign--stands on the
uppermost of three terraces, each walled with cut stone. It is 322 feet
in length, 39 broad, and 24 high. The front has thirteen doorways; the
centre of which is 8 feet, 6 inches wide, and 8 feet, 10 inches high.
The upper part is ornamented with sculpture in great profusion, of rich
and curious workmanship. The walls are covered with cement; and the
floors are of square stones, smoothly polished, and laid with as much
regularity as that of the best modern masonry. The roof forms a
triangular arch, constructed with stones overlapping, and covered by a
layer of flat stones. It is remarkable that the lintels of the doorways
are of wood, known as Sapote wood. Many of them are still hard and
sound, and in their places; but others have been perforated by
wormholes, their decay causing the fall of the walls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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