Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo17amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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THE RUINS OF TULOOM, YUCATAN 201 stoneciitting, all of which was done with stone tools. All walls, both exterior and interior, were originally treated with painted decorations. In some places, particu- larly on interior walls, these paintings have been partially preserved. The subjects depicted are the different deities of the Maya pantheon in acts of sacrifice. The famous red hand found by Stephens at so many places in Yucatan fre- quently occurs here. Dr. Gann made a number of tracings of these wall paintings, al- tliough in the lim- ited time available it was possible to undertake littlf more than a be- ginning upon this important work.^ Stucco was exten- sively employed in fagade decoration. Discs, rosettes, and scrolls adorn the medial cornices and sometimes ser- pent or grotesque heads are used in the upper zones. The most elaborate de- velopment of stucco work is the large human figures in the niches over the exterior doorways. These stand three feet high, and probably represent the principal Maya deities. About half of them are in a diving position, that is, 1 In the accompanying color reproductions, the background color, a deep purplish red, has been omitted in order to simplify the designs. In the originals the black outlines and the more delicate pale blue decorations are almost lost against the solid darker color of the background.
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Human figures in stucco adorn the niches over tlie doorways of the principal temples at Tuloom. Some are erect, others are in a diving posture. They probably represent the principal deities worshiped at the place the feet are elevated above the head, with the arms together under the chin. Several buildings show different periods of construction, and careful study would doubtless develop different periods of building activity throughout the city. The liieroglyphic monument was found where Dr. Howe had left it on the beach, and its inscription was drawn and photo- graphed. His read- ing of the date, "9.6.10.0.0 8 Ahau 13 Pax," approxi- mately 290 A.D., was verified, there- by developing an exceedingly com- plex problem. The occurrence of such an early date as 290 A.D. at such an obviously late Maya city as Tu- loom is difficult to explain. Geograph- ically, architectur- ally, stylistically, and historically considered, Tu- loom is a thou- sand years later than the date on this monument. Indeed, barring this one early date, there is nothing at Tuloom to connect it with the Old Empire; on the contrary, its location, art, and archi- tecture strongly indicate that it is to be referred to the close of the New Em- pire, probably after 1200 a.d.^ This 2 Dr. Gann, who has published tracings of wall paintings at Santa Rita Corozal that show a strong Kahua influence, probably felt subsequent to 1200 A.I)., declares that the Tuloom and Santa Rita fres- coes are very similar in treatment.

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