The state herald., 1915-10-29

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. "ox' 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 is unknown
Concerning the foundation of UxmaI the fol
lowing tradition is related by Diego de Landa
me second bishop of Yucatan who wrote in the
nrst generation after the conquest and who
claims to have gathered his information from ma.
uVes well versed in the former history of their
country; After the discovery and OCCUPATION of
Ch'cneh tZa, which seems to have been the first
piace OF any Importance to be settled in Yucatan
sitieS sprang up everywhere. and there followed
IN era oil great prosperity. How long those DIFF.
ieTent cities lived at peace with one another wa
are not told. but in time dissensions arose and
quarrels became frequent that the differopt
iorus OF the country found II necessary TO take
some concerted action in order to SUPPRESS vim
IenSe ana 10 restore order and peace Il wos
men decided TO build joint capital whore nil
those In authority should reside and from which
s.aeh one agreed to administer the affairs of his
own particular domain Without loss M ,in,o
!hese plans were carried out. Joint canI,aI
was built In new and unoccupied region. and
was called Mayapan" meaning the standard of
the Mayas. Thther all the lords assembled
ana as the final step in the formation OF the new
>onfederacy an overload one Cocoon was eIected
and duly Installed in the new capital as tbe
supreme ruler These cucuts laid the foundation
or an era OF prosperity, which endured for many
years. Later, after interval not specIged nv
Landa in his history. there entered the country
from the south an alien people under the Leader.
ship OF their chief. Tutul Xiu. The Newcomers
previous to their arrival. had wandered for 40
years In the wilderness without water other than
that which had fallen from the skies This co
Incidence OF a "4Oyears wandering In the wilder.
ness is sufficiently striking to arouse the suspi.
cion that the worthy bishop. in this part of his
narrative, has been at some pains to force a
pious 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 new home
for themselves, which they called uxmal. Far
from being angered. however. by this appropria.
tion 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 It's size and magnihcence IN. Xiu
capital must have played very important role
In the history OF Yucatan before the Spanish con
quest Indeed. Landa says Is much
After a time We 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 outdo his preds
cosRors In acts OF tyranny and violence. How.
ever. there came day at last when the other
chiefs OF the confederacy could no longer endure
this despotic rule and a conspiracy was hatched
to overthrow the opprcssor with one accord
the oonppirators turned to the then lord OF us.
NAL = deccndent OF the original Tutul xiu. 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 n true friend OF the public veal. ms
his ancestors before him all Of whom had held
rcsolutcly aioof from the tyrannicn OF the Cocoon
family on an appointed day the conspirators.
led by the lord Of uKmal met at Mayapan and
entering the palace Of Cocoon slew him and all
his progeny. save one son only. who happened
20 be absent from the city NJ the time on u mis-.
sion TO distant province After this sanEuln
Efy ropriaa which avenged at one blow the or.
prosaiouA Of many years the property Of the dead
ruler was seized and divided among his murder.
orr and the capital was destroyed. whcroupon
each chief departed Into his own country once
more and the confcdcrucy was dissolved After
the deHtruction OF Mayapan the Tutul Niu aban,
doned uNmnl and founded n new capital some 80
tniioa distant which they called Mani" meaning
IN Maya II In passed emphanElng by this name
that the old order was over. These events oc.
Cured about the middle Of tho fifteenth century,