return to Contents

Introductory Images


Click images below to enlarge. Images will open in new windows.
You may open two or more images for comparisons.

Uxmal

1843. "Casa del Gobernador"
Front (south-east) facade of Governor's Palace and Platform, from the road south to San Simón.

Scanned from foldout print in Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, 1843; closely based on Frederick Catherwood’s 1841-42 on-site drawing.
Governor's Palace, looking south along restored front facade; this frieze is the largest, most impressive example of all Maya architectural sculpture, composed of over 15,000 mosaic pieces of carved stone, complexly but coherently organized.
photo Jan. 2002
Front (south-east) facade of Governor's Palace, one portion extensively restored (cf. 1843 print above).
photo Jan. 2003 (24mm lens)
Governor's Palace; sculpture above central doorway, representing the greatest Uxmal ruler, Lord Chaak (head and arms missing), sitting on semi-circular throne, with unusually elaborate feather headdress, against a trapezoidal tier of 7 double-headed serpents.
photo Jan. 2003
Passageway between left wing and central structure, seen toward left in print at top of this page; sides of passageway are very slightly convex, suggesting enormous drapes, a unique feature within Maya architecture.
photo Nov. 1999

"Fig. 5. Transverse Section of an Ordinary Yucatec Building", with brief description of each part.
Scanned from W.H. Holmes, Archaeological Studies among the Ancient Cities of Mexico, 1895; fig. 5.

Painted stucco head found in room of Governor's Palace.
Scanned from 35mm slide, ©Dumbarton Oaks, Pre-Columbian Collection, Washington, DC; reproduced with permission.
Central front room of Governor's Palace, looking south, mostly as survived; showing exceptionally fine quality of veneer stones and form of vault.
photo an. 2003 (24mm lens, flash)
Central back room of Governor's Palace, looking north; showing high quality of stonework even in back room; these two central rooms are the longest at Uxmal.
photo Jan. 2003 (24mm lens, flash)
Doorway into back room of third pair of rooms from left; showing typical collapsed area above collapsed lintels, with new lintels and core of wall above restored; also showing undersides of deeply tenoned soffit stones.
photo Jan. 2003 (24mm lens, flash)
 

return to Contents