THE DAIS OF THE TEMPLE OF THE WARRIORS[1]

JEAN CHARLOT

While digging on the south side of the West Colonnade, a rectangular Altar Table was discovered.  It was two meters eighty by five meters.  It is of the truncated pyramid shape with square over-hanging moulding.  It is easily climbed by a rough staircase, evidently added later.  In front, in its original place, was found a sort of square stool, which though independent of the Altar was surely connected with it in use.  Two of the sculptured columns are partially imbedded in the table, so that the altar is evidently of later date than the building itself.  The three visible faces are finished carefully with carving and painting, but the staircase covers most of the front carvings at present.  

The striking feature of this piece is the excellent state in which the paintings were found.  The floor of the altar is painted red like the floor of the temple.  The moulding presents as subject matter gods in human shape holding arrows and atlatls.  They are seen only to the West, emerging from the open jaws of feathered serpents.  They seem to receive the smoke of copal offered in painted sahumadores or ceremonial bowls.  The snakes are alternatively green and black and white with yellow underneath.  The background is red, and the frame blue.  On the diagonal faces are processions of men, likely warriors and priests, going from the back wall towards the front and from the sides to the center.  They vary greatly in costume and attributes.  Behind some of them stand rattlesnakes curved in an ÒSÓ shape, while others have in their head-dresses blue feathered masks of the long-nosed god, and they carry long ceremonial sticks tipped with flowers.  They have flowers also on their heads, and their short dancing skirts, curved like petals, probably suggest the same motif.  The background is full of ornamental devices; the dominant tones are blue, red, yellow, green, black and white.  This is one of the best and most well-preserved examples of art found in ChichŽn to date.  A good copy in original size and colors was procured shortly after this was uncovered

 



[1] On the top right corner of the first page of the two-page typescript is written in Jean CharlotÕs hand: ÒRapport 1926.Ó  Edited by John Charlot.