XXVI Congreso Internacional de Americanistas

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P-7, as numbered 011 the expedition's map (1). 'Ihis is the same building­
.of which Teobert Maler, the first archeologist to visit the site, shows
a highly imaginative plan under the name "The Temple of the Eight
Chambers" (2). A report on this building is in preparation by Dr. Mason,
who has kindly consented to the reproduction here of a plan and
section of that strl1cture in Figs. 1 and 2. A number of features appear
to be unique in that particular building, but we are here concerned only
with other peculiarities which have been found in other structures anrt
which seem to establish the type to which it belongs.
We are concerned with eight buildings, al! of which, with the exception
of Structl1re P-7, had be en reduced to mere mOl1nds. Unfortunately
the central chamber of the laiter had beenentered by treasure­
:c;eekers and the fire chamber 'within i t badly damaged. Structure N-1
was completely excavated in 1935 by Mr. Francis M. Cresson Jr. under
thewriler's c1irection, with knowledge of what, in general, was to be
expected. NIr. Cresson al so excavated trenches up to the doorways n Í
the central chambers of Structures R-I3 and S-I9 in the 'same year, as
the writer had done in 1933 in the cases of Strl1ctures 0-4 and S-4.
The writer is also responsible for trenching the center of the central
chamber of S-2 in 1933 and for completely excavating the inside of the
central chamber of Structure J-I7 as we ll as partially clearing its outer
ga llery during the previous season. Much information was there los!
through failure ta realize thar he was digging buildings of the same essenti
al type as Structure P-7.
We have then, reasonably complete knowledge of two units (P-7
and N-I); incomplete knowledge of the interior arrangements of central
chambers of two more (]-I7 and S-2); while in the other four, 0-4,
• R-I3, S-4 and S-19, the interiors of the central chambers are untouched,
but we know something of their doorways and outer gal leries or rooms.
Mueh can now be understood from mere surface examination and we
believe we have enough information to define the type.
Following is a clescripti ve list of fea tures COl11mOI1 to both completely
known units. Many of th ese we have found or expect to find in all the
others. Since the dated history of the eity extends over about three
centuries it is probable that our buildings are by no means contemporary
one with another, ancl it is not surprising that we already know that
arrangements outside the central chamber are not uniformo The list,
therefore, probably holcls good in its entirety only for a given time
( 1) Masan and Satterthwaite, Piedras Negras Preliminary Paper Na. 1, University
Museum, Philadelphia, P enna., 1933.
(2) Teabert Maler, Researches in the Centra! P ortian af the Usumacinta
Valley : Peabady Museum Memairs, Vol. 2, No. I ,p. 53, Bastan, 190I.