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Rh designate as follows: Northern Mexico, Central Mexico, State of Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Panama. Northern Mexico is the area of which we know least, so that its demarcation is rather an expression of ignorance than otherwise. The best-known site is Casas Grandes, which has striking similarities to the Pueblo culture north of the Rio Grande, suggesting that ultimately we may find this to be an intermediate area.

14. Central Mexico. This was the seat of Nahua, or Aztec culture, and has been sufficiently characterized in the preceding chapter and in the section dealing with architecture.

15. State of Oaxaca. The most distinctive ruins in this area are those at Mitla, supposed to have been the center of Zapotec culture. While the roofs of these buildings were of the flat beam type characteristic of Areas 19, 13 and 7, the stucco mosaics are of the Maya type, or Area 16. Thus the intermediate position of this trait is clear. On the other hand, Mitla takes the lead in stone masonry and, in fact, rises almost to the level of Peru. Of particular interest is the discovery of the original quarries, with the half-cut blocks, revealing all the essential details of the process. All this stone cutting was with stone tools, as was the case in Area 16. A unique architectural feature is a cross-shaped tomb. 28 The pottery is of good quality, but frequently unpainted. So far, very little metal work has been f6und here. Of a somewhat novel interest are several striking parallels to Peruvian traits. 29

16. Yucatan. This area covers the range of Maya culture whose characteristics have been outlined in the preceding chapter and under the head of architecture. The most impressive archaeological remains are the great ruined cities, the best-known of which are shown on the accompanying map. The carved monuments, or stelæ, bear hieroglyphic inscriptions, many of which are dated. This characteristic makes them by far the most important antiquities in the New World, since it is from these alone that we get our safest idea of time perspective. 30

17. Panama. In the classification of historic cultures, we placed this geographical section with Colombia, but archæologists usually regard it as distinct. Yet no one attempts to