The Carnegie Maya IV: Carnegie Institution of Washington Theoretical Approaches to Problems, 1941-1947

No. 34. A Round Temple and Its Shrine at Mayapán

433 During the 1955 season at Mayapán, the small ceremonial group in Square H, next to Cenote Itzmal Ch’en, was partially excavated and mapped. The original purpose was to remove enough of the overburden so that the plans of the buildings would be evident, but preliminary excavation of one of the structures, H-18, revealed so many features of interest that it was investigated in more detail (Fig. 34.1). Str. H-18 stands near the center of the plaza and is depicted on the map of Mayapán as a round structure facing and connected with the large pyramid, H-17, to the north of it (Jones 1952). Excavation revealed no physical connection between the two structures. The superstructure and upper part of the substructure of H-18 were badly fallen, but in spite of the debris there were indications of four doorways . This fact was particularly interesting because none of the three round buildings in the Main Group agrees in this respect with the report in Landa of a “building of a round form, with four doors” at Mayapán (Tozzer 1941:25; cf. Jones 1952, Square Q; Proskouriakoff 1953, Fig. 1; Shook 1954:17 and Fig. 1). It seems evident, however, that Landa was referring to a building in the Main Group. In the course of excavation of H-18, the surface of the structure, except for parts of two staircases, was completely cleared. Investigation of earlier constructions was confined to the exposure of part of the exterior of a buried substructure, and a narrow trench inside the west doorway of the temple. The Itzmal Ch’en group is set on a natural knoll which is highest at the center of the plaza. The area had been built up so as to form a relatively level plaza floor, but even at the latest period, the base of Str. H-18 is only 20 cm above bedrock. A plaza floor was laid down here, apparently before any structure was built; it is visible under the west side of H-18, and traces of it appear under the east side. The plan of the lowest structure found is uncertain, and it will be considered in relation to what was presumably C u r r e n t R e p o r t s Carnegie Institution of Washington Department of Archaeology No. 34 February 1956 A Round T emple and Its Shrine at Ma yapán ANN CHOWNING 34.1. Strs. H-18 and H-18a. a. Plan and sections. b. Str. H-18a. Stucco figure. c. Str. H-18a. Sculptured stone after removal of stucco. A Round Temple and Its Shrine at Mayapán 435 the second structure erected in the middle of the plaza. This second structure was a square platform, with its sides oriented to the cardinal directions (Fig. 34.1). Its height was about 1.7 m but on the east, where bedrock is not so high, the walls are based on a slightly lower level. The construction of the walls shows minor variations from one side to another; on the east, the lowest course consists of rectangular stones averaging 15 by 35 cm, above which are narrower, roughly cut stones, laid in mortar and chinked with small stones. A heavy layer of plaster, much of which still remains, covered this wall. The central section of the upper part is intact on the east and west sides. On the west, it consists of a line of dressed stones, 10 cm high and set back 5 cm from the lower part of the wall, surmounted by rectangular stones, 40 cm high which rise vertically and flush with the lower line (Fig. 34.2b). Both sections of this cornice are composed of re-used, plain, Puuc type stones, including boot-shaped vault stones. The lower course is covered on top by a heavy layer of smooth plaster, which extends almost the depth of the stone, and the outer surface of both sets of stones is covered with plaster. The eastern cornice is similarly composed of two layers of Puuc style stones, but in this case the lower course, which is again 10 cm high, projects 10 cm from the face of the wall below it. The upper course, which is only 35 cm high, is set back 10 cm at the bottom and then slants forward so that the top is even with...