were made expressly for the purpose of
emitting sound and employed like the huehuetl or wooden drums of the
ancient Mexicans to summon the people to the temple and to guide the
sacred dances.

The existence of the word tun-kul, which is either "stone-bowl" or
"sound-bowl," seems likewise to indicate that hollow stone vessels were
used at one time as gongs. At the present day the Mayas name the small
wooden drum of the Mexicans a "tunkul," whereas its Nahuatl name is
"te-ponaxtli," the prefix of which, curiously enough, seems also to be
connected with tetl=stone. A curious light is shed upon the possible use
of some of the many stone vessels found in Mexico and Yucatan by the above
linguistic evidence.

In conclusion I quote Mr. Maler's authority for two points concerning
Chichen-Itza which are not generally known. First, that its name should be
pronounced "Tsitsen-itsa," and, second, that he saw there no less than
five recumbent statues, holding circular vessels. Each of these figures
exhibits the same form of breast-plate as the Le Plongeon example now at
the National Museum of Mexico (pl. IV, fig. 1). Mr. Maler states that it
seems to have been the tribal mark of the Cocomes, the whilom rulers at
Chichen-Itza; but it is interesting to note the general resemblance of
this ornament to the blue plaque worn by the Mexican "Blue Lord," the Lord
of the Year and of Fire, "Xiuhtecuhtli," who is also usually represented
with a Xiuh-tototl or "blue-bird" on the front of his head-dress.

These facts seem to indicate that the characteristic breast-plate, instead
of being a mark of the Cocomes, may have been that of the Tutul-Xius, and
that this title has some connection with that of Xiuh-tecuhtli, the
Mexican "Lord of Fire." It has been already set forth in the preceding
pages that the sacred fire was kindled in the stone vase held by the
recumbent figures, a fact indicating that the identical form of cult was
practised in Mexico and at Chichen-Itza. This identity is satisfactorily
accounted for and explained if we accept the simple native records of the
invitation extended to Mexican warriors by a Maya chieftain and their
subsequent permanent residence in Yucatan.

The limitations of my subject do not allow me to do more than mention two
other important ruined cities of Yucatan, Izamal and Uxmal. I will however
note that, judging from the illustrations I have seen, Uxmal seems to be
the "Serpent-city" of America, par excellen