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570 570 ANCIENT AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE. Part III. tion. It has, however, with all the native buildings of the city, been swept away by the ruthless bigotry of the conquerors. Independent of its own interest, this is the more to be regretted as the jjossession of a single monument of authentic date would form a starting-point for our investigations and serve as a check on all our theories. Of these teocallis the largest, probably also the oldest, is that of Cholulu. Its dimensions, in so far as they can be ascertained, in its present ruinous state, are 144U ft. square and 177 ft. in height, divided in four stories, the fifth being formed by the cell or temple, which has now been replaced by a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The whole is composed of badly-1)urnt bricks and mud, and is now so overgrown with trees that it is difficult to make out its form, but in Humboldt's time it apparently was freer from obstruction and more easily traced. There are two pyramids at Teotihuacan, the largest of which is apparently a square of 045 ft., with a height of 171, and there are others at Tezcuco of about the same dimensions, and, like them, divided into five or seven stories, but the most interesting of those yet brought to light is that of Xochicalco. It is situated on the top of what appears to be a natural elevation, but which has been fashioned into terraces by art. The pyramid itself is in five stories, the stone facing of the three upper of which has been removed to repair a sugar-mill in quite recent times, but the two lower still retain their sculptures and architectural ornaments. Mr. Tylor gives the date of«945 to this building,^ and there does not seem to be any reason for doubting its general correctness. If it is so, the possession of photographs of its bas-reliefs and cornices would go far to clear up half the difficulties which beset the question.^ One mon- ument in the middle of the series, with sculptural and architectural details, and an authentic .date, is nearly all that is required for the pur- pose. Besides these great many-storied pyramids there are numerous ex- amples in various parts of the country, of one story only ; several of these have been de- scribed, but unfortunately not drawn. Their general arrangement may, however, be judged of from the annexed example from Oajaca. 995. Pyramid of Oajaca, 1'eluiantepec. rFroni the " Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge.") 1 " Anahnac," by Edward B. Tylor, 1861, pp. 188, 194. 2 The plate published by Humboldt, representing one of the bas-reliefs, is so incorrect as to be absolutely worth- less.