n in significance as the expressive symbol of a
central ruler. The recorded custom to cover the body of the Mexican ruler
with the raiment of the "four principal gods," proves the prevalence of
analogous symbolism.

From the following data we gain an interesting view of the events which
transpired in former times in the Yucatan peninsula. Resuming Landa's
account we see that, after Kuculcan had departed for Mexico, the lords of
Mayapan decided to confer supreme rulership upon the Cocomes, this being
the most ancient and the wealthiest lineage and its chief being
distinguished for bravery. They then decided that the inner circle should
hold only the temples and houses for the lords and high-priest. In
connection with this it is well to insert here how Landa states, in
another passage, that there were "twelve priests or lords at Mayapan,"
which with the high-priest constituted the sacred 13. "Outside the wall
they built houses where each lord kept some servitors and where his people
or vassals could resort when they came on business to the town. Each of
these houses had its steward, entitled Caluac, who bore a staff of office
and he kept an account with the towns and with their local rulers. The
Caluac always went to his lord's house, saw what he required and obtained
from the vassals all he needed in the way of provisions, clothing, etc."
(_op. cit._, pp. 34-44).

The chronicle goes on to relate how the lords of the inner circle devoted
their time to the affairs of government, the regulation of the calendar
and the study of writing, medicine, and the sciences.(56)

It seems significant that, throughout Central America, two ruined cities
of about equal size are usually found in comparatively close proximity to
each other, and seemingly pertaining to the same culture. Thus we have
Quirigua, in the valley of the Motagua river, and Copan its sister-city,
situated at a distance of about twenty-five miles, but nearly 1,800 feet
above it, in the wooded hills. Between Palenque and Menche (Lorillard
City) there are about fifty miles, whilst Tikal and Ixkun are forty miles
apart. In Yucatan, as we have learned from Bishop Landa's "Relacion,"
there were Mayapan and Zilan, and as the latter name also signified
"embroidery" it looks as though it had been a noted centre of female
industry.

Then, after a lapse of years, "a large number of tribes, with their lords,
came to Yucatan from the south." Bishop Landa conjectures that, alth