Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-11-05

about 100 miles from Chichen Itza
writes Sylvanus G. Morley in Pan American
Union. The derivation of the name Uxmal or
Oxmal, some of the early historians wrote it.
is rather obscure. OK Is the Maya word for
three, and NAL" In the same language means to
pass; to pass thrice" therefore. would seem to
be the meaning of the word, though why the
Tutul xiu should have applied this name to their
capital lie unknown
concerning the foundation OF Uxmal the fol.
lowing tradition Is related by Diego de Landa
the second bishop OF Yucatan who wrote in the
nrst generation after the conquest and who
claims TO have gathered his information from ma
lives well versed in the former historv ~ thair
country; After the discovery and occupation Of
Cnichen TIA, which seems to have been the Ar.t
place OF any Importance to be settled In Yucatan
cities sprang up everywhere and there followed
an era OF great prosperity. How long these dif.
rerent cities lived at peace with one anothar wa
are not told, but in time dssensions Sarose and
quarrels became SO frequent that the dioerent
IOFus OF the country found II necessary to take
some concerted action in order TO supnreas Vic
| lence and to restore order and peace u mo.
then decided TO build joint capital WHARF II,
those In authority should reside and from, ,yhtoh
each one agreed to administer the affairs og Sts
own particular domain. Without loss OF TINA
THESE plans were carried out. A Joint canitai
was built in new and unoccupled region "a
was called "Mayapan." meaning the standard of
the Mayas. Thither all the lords assembled
ana as the final step in the formation of the nav
| NS%A-NN~ASSys Cocoon. pfad
| ana duly Installed In the new capital AZ fha
supreme ruler These cucuts laid the foundation
TOT an era OF prosperity. which endured for MANY
years Later, after an interval not specified by
Lanoa IN his history, there entered the country
from the south an alien people under the Leader
ship of their chief Tutul Xiu The newcomars
previous to their arrival, had wandered for 40
years In the Wilderness without water other than
that which had fallen from the skies This On
incidence of "40-years' wandering In the wilder
1 qufHrfanfIv afr
cion that the worthy bishop, in this part OF his
narrative, has been at some pains to force a
pi0us coincidence with similar episode IN the
Old Testament Immediately after their arrival
the wanderers began building in the mountains
not 30 miles distant from the capital a new home
for themselves, which they called Uxmal Far
from being angered. however, by this appropria.
ton of his territory SO near at hand. Cocom the
ruler OF the Mayapan. welcomed Tutul Xiu and
! his people, and entered into an alliance with
them. Landa thus describes the event:
THE people of Mayapan formed a great friend.
| ship with the Tutul Xiu, rejoicing to see that
they cultivated the land like themselves In
this manner the Tutul Xiu became subject to
the laws OF Mayapan, and allied themselves with
the Older inhabitants of the country. and their
lord was highly esteemed by all"
Judging from its size and magnifcence the Xiu
capital must have played very important role
in the history OF Yucatan before the Spanish con.
quest. Indeed. Landa says much
AFTER q time, we are told the supreme power
held by the Cocoon family seems TO have turned
their heads. They became successfully more and
more oppressive each striving to Guido his prede-
cessors in acts of tyranny and violence. How
ever there day at last when the other
chiefs of the confederacy could longer endure
this despotic rule. and a conspiracy was Matched
to overthrow the oppressor. With accord.
the conspirators turned to the then lord of Tx.
NAL decendent of the original Tutu Kid who
had founded the city the natural leader In this
movement for liberty. in spite OF the fact that
he was OF foreign descent. He Is described ar
having been a true friend of the public veal as
his ancestors before him. all Of whom had held
resoutely aloof from the tyrannies OF the Cocoon
family. On an appointed day the eonspirators
led by the lord of Uxmal met al Mayapan. and
entering the palace of Cocoon slew him and all
his progeny. save only. who happened
to be absent from the city at the time on a mis-
sion TO a distant province After this sangUin
airy reprisaI. which avenged at one blow the OPP
pressions of many years. the property of the dead
ruler was seized and divided among his murder
ers and the capital destroyed Nhereupon
zach chief departed into his country once
more and the confederacy dissolved. After
he destruction OF Mayapan the TbtuI Kin sban
Toned Uxmal and founded new capital 20
niles distant which they called Mani meaning
Maya 1T is passed. emphasizing By this name
hat the old order over. These events &c
urred about the middle OF the fifteenth century
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