- Agriculture in Yucatan, 6
- Aguilar, Gerónimo de, first of the Spanish conquerors, 166, 167, 170
- Akab Tzib, or House of the Writing in the Dark, 62, 63, 64
- Alphabet of Landa for employing Maya glyphs to denote Spanish letters, 41, 42
- Alvarado, José, Silver King of Mexico, 235
- Ancient cities, condition of at time of Spanish Conquest, 43, 44
- Animal figures and carvings recovered from Sacred Well, 135, 137
- Annexes, unnamed temples near Nunnery, 69, 70
- Arches, Maya, 195
- Atlantean figures, 78, 79, 85, 86
- Atlantis theory of Mayan ethnology, 36
- Bal-che, an ancient intoxicating beverage, 115, 137, 244
- Balustrades with serpent motif, 77, 78, 80, 238
- Bas-reliefs and full-relief works, 79, 80, 81, 82, 219, 220, 221, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 32, 233, 234
- Bas-Reliefs, Temple of, 81, 82, 219, 220, 221, 228, 229, 230
- Beams, sapote, 78
- Bells of copper from High Priest’s Tomb, 246
- Bells of copper and gold recovered from Sacred Well, 131, 132
- Boa-constrictors, 95, 96, 182, 241, 242
- Bolshevism among natives, 17
- Bowls and disks of gold recovered from Sacred Well, 133, 134
- Brooches recovered from Sacred Well, 135
- Caluacs or ceremonial wands, 135, 143
- Caracol, or Snail-shell, 71, 72, 73
- Carnegie Expedition in Chi-chen Itza, 87, 279, 280
- Casa Real, home and estate of Don Eduardo,
- Ancient gateway, 55, 56, 57
- First view by Don Eduardo, 55, 56
- Looting by unruly natives, 17
- Size of estate, 60
- Caves, 33, 97, 139
- Cenotes (see Wells), 135, 143
- Chac Mool figures, 82, 182
- Chich-an Chob, Red House, or Strong, Clean House, 73, 74, 75
- Chilan Balam, Maya writings in Spanish characters, 37, 38, 40
- Chi-chen Itza,
- Arrangement of buildings, 60, 61
- Distinction between old and new cities, 47, 60, 280
- Lack of streets, 60, 61
- Location and how to get there, 3, 5
- Montejo’s military headquarters, 172, 173
- Retreat of Spaniards from, 70, 71, 173
- Chisels,
- Recovered from Sacred Well, 132, 133
- Of nephrite found near Great Pyramid, 192, 193
- Chronicles, Maya, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42
- Church, or Iglesia, 69, 70
- Cisterns, 98, 99
- Codices, Maya, rare books written in hieroglyphs, 37, 38, 39, 232
- Conquest of Yucatan by Spaniards, a brief history, 166 to 178
- Construction of Maya temples, 189 to 197
- Copal, 107, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113, 119, 121, 139, 140, 142, 246
- Copper and gold objects recovered from Sacred Well, 131 to 137
- Córdoba, Francisco de Hernandez, commander of second Spanish expedition to Yucatan, 167, 168
- Cortes, Hernan, commander of Fourth Spanish expedition to Yucatan, 146, 147, 169, 170, 171, 174, 175
- Costume and arms of ancient Mayas, 20, 22, 227, 228, 229
- Costume of modern Mayas, 11, 12
- Cotton, 248
- Cruelties of Spanish conquerors, 175, 176
- Cuzmil, ancient city of, 169, 170
- Dances, native ancient, 22
- Dances, native modern, 18, 19
- Dates, earliest recorded Mayan, 37
- Date-stone of Chi-chen Itza, 184, 185
- Deities of the Mayas,
- God of Death, 53, 246
- Rain God, 53, 54, 55
- Disks and bowls of gold recovered from Sacred Well, 133, 134
- Diving operations in Sacred Well, 118 to 131
- Dredging of Sacred Well, 55, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 119, 122, 123, 124, 125
- Earthen jars from High Priest’s Tomb, 257
- El Castillo, or the Great Pyramid of Kukul Can, 50, 51, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79
- Elephant head controversy, 214
- Embroidery, 12
- Fabrics recovered from Sacred Well, 121, 144
- Fiestas, ancient Maya, 21, 22
- Finds in Sacred Well, 107 to 115, 121, 129 to 146
- Fuentes, Francisco de las, lieutenant of Montejo, 28
- Geological formation of Yucatan, 97
- Gold and copper objects recovered from Sacred Well, 131 to 137
- Gold, value (compared with jade) to ancient Mayas, 146, 147
- Golden Age of Maya Art, 211, 212
- Gourds and gourd implements, 121, 140, 141
- Great Pyramid of Kukul Can, or El Castillo, 50, 51, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79
- Grijalva, Juan de, commander of third Spanish expedition to Yucatan, 168
- Gymnasium, or Tennis-court, 82, 83, 84, 85
- Henequen, from which rope and twine are made, 6
- Hieroglyphs, 41, 42, 213, 214
- Homes, ancient Maya, 20, 21
- Homes, modern Maya, 15, 16
- Homes in Mérida, 8, 9
- House of the Writing in the Dark, Akab Tzib, 62, 63, 64
- Hul-che, or throwing-stick, 108, 109, 110
- Humor, Maya sense of, 18
- Iglesia, or Church, 69, 70
- “Incidents of Travel in Yucatan,” by John L. Stephens, 5
- Itzamna, mythical founder of race, 34
- Jade, value (compared with gold) to ancient Mayas, 146, 147
- Jade from High Priest’s Tomb, 247, 249, 257
- Jade recovered from Sacred Well, 130, 141, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148
- Jewelry, modern Mayan, 13, 200, 201
- Knives, sacrificial, recovered from Sacred Well, 136
- Kukul Can, hero deity of the Itzas, 34, 46, 50, 217, 260
- La Casa de las Monjas, or the Nunnery, 52, 64 to 69, 227, 233
- Lance poles and other wooden objects recovered from Sacred Well, 141, 142, 143
- Landa Alphabet for employing Maya glyphs to denote Spanish letters, 41
- Landa, Diego de, 19
- Legends,
- Itzamna, 34
- Ix-lol Nicte, 150 to 163
- Kukul Can, 34
- La flor de Calentura, 24 to 31
- Lorelei, 198 to 207
- Misfortunes of Mayas prior to the Conquest, 44 to 47
- Present of jade from Montezuma to Cortes, 146, 147
- Sacrificial pilgrimage, 261 to 276
- Wizard Potters, 207 to 210
- Xkan-xoc, 163 to 165
- Le Plongeon, Maya archæologist, 92
- Lintels, 63, 64, 195
- Maler, Teoberto, 214, 221, 222, 223, 224
- Marital customs of modern Mayas, 14
- Masks of copper and gold recovered from Sacred Well, 132
- Maya Chronicles, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
- Maya Codices, rare books written in hieroglyphs, 37, 38, 39, 232
- Maya, derivation of name, 33, 34
- Maya language, 10
- Mayas, ancient,
- Costumes and arms, 20, 21, 22, 227, 228
- Dances, 21, 22
- Deities, 54, 55, 246
- Homes, 20, 21
- Music, 21, 22
- Occupations, 22
- Physical characteristics, 20
- Pride in genealogy, 23
- Tattooing, 21
- Mayas, modern,
- Cleanliness, 13
- Costume, 11, 12
- Dances, 18, 19
- Homes, 15, 16
- Honesty, 14
- Hospitality, 14, 15
- Humor, 18
- Improvidence, 18
- Jewelry, 13, 200, 201
- Language, 10
- Laziness, 18
- Marital customs, 14
- Music, 18, 19
- Physical characteristics, 10, 11
- Religious outlook, 15
- Treatment by plantation-owners, 16, 17
- Unconquered tribes (Sublevados), 17, 18
- Mayas, earliest mythical wanderings, 34, 35, 36
- Later legendary history, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47
- Mayapan, invasion of, 43, 46
- Medallions recovered from Sacred Well, 133, 134, 137
- Mérida, capital of Yucatan,
- American Club, 9
- Ball, 8
- Carnival, 8
- Description of, 6, 7, 8
- Homes, 8, 9
- Palace of Montejo, 9
- Monoliths, 78, 79, 80
- Montejo, Francisco de, 169, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175
- Retreat from Chi-chen Itza, 70, 173, 174
- Montejo the Younger, 174, 175, 176, 177
- Montezuma, King of the Aztecs, 146, 147
- Mortuary urns, 139
- Murals, 80, 81, 82, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229
- Music, native ancient, 21, 22
- Music, native modern, 18, 19
- Nahuatls, 43, 47
- Nahuatl influence on Maya culture and art, 47, 64, 197, 211, 212, 217, 218
- Names of persons indicated in murals and bas-reliefs, 232, 233
- Nunnery, or La Casa de las Monjas, 52, 64 to 69, 227, 233
- Padres, coming of, 176, 177
- Phallic cult, 143, 144
- Physical characteristics of ancient Mayas, 20
- Physical characteristics of modern Mayas, 10, 11
- Pigments used by ancient Mayas, 191, 192, 194, 195, 220
- Plaster or stucco used in Maya buildings, 191
- Pottery and potsherds, 107, 113, 119, 136, 138, 139, 244, 245, 246, 247, 257, 258, 259
- Progreso, only seaport of Yucatan, 73, 74, 75
- Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan, the book by Diego de Landa, 19, 20
- Rings recovered from Sacred Well, 130, 132, 137
- Roads, ancient construction, 89, 90, 91
- Location, 60, 61, 88, 90
- Rock-crystal beads from High Priest’s Tomb, 247
- Rubber finds in the Sacred Well, 110, 111, 112
- Sabua skull, 115, 116
- Sacca, an intoxicating drink, 245
- Sacred Way, linking the Sacred Well and Temple of Kukul Can, 52, 53, 54, 55, 97 to 102
- Sacred Well,
- Diving operations in, 122 to 149
- Dredging, 59, 103 to 122
- Finds in, 107 to 149
- Sacrifice of maidens, 53 to 55
- Sacrificial knives recovered from Sacred Well, 136
- San Isidro, Church of, 24
- Sandals recovered from Sacred Well, 114
- Sapote beams, 78
- Scorpions, 240, 241
- Semitic features of some ancient Mayan sculptures and murals, 35, 36, 83
- Serpents, 95, 96, 182, 241, 242
- Serpent balustrades and monoliths, 78, 79, 80, 238, 239
- Skeletal remains in Tomb of the High Priest, 244, 245, 246, 247
- Skeletons from Sacred Well, 114, 115, 116, 121
- Snail-shell, or Caracol, 71, 72, 73
- Sounding device for discovery of hidden cavities, 239, 240
- Spiders, 257
- Stairways, 74, 77, 78, 190, 238
- Stelæ, 196, 214
- Stephens, John L., American traveler and writer on Yucatan, 5
- Stone point-work of ancient Mayas, 141, 142, 226, 234
- Strong, Clean House, Red House or Chich-an Chob, 73, 74, 75
- Sublevados, unconquered tribes, 17, 18
- Tattooing in ancient times, 21
- Temple of Columns, 86, 87
- Temple of Cones, 86
- Temple of Owls, 230
- Temples in Chi-chen Itza,
- Annexes, unnamed temples near Nunnery, 69, 70
- Construction of, 189 to 197
- Great Pyramid of Kukul Can, or El Castillo, 50, 51, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79
- Iglesia or Church, 69, 70
- House of the Writing in the Dark, Akab Tzib, 62, 63, 64
- Nunnery, or La Casa de las Monjas, 52, 64 to 69, 227, 233
- Red House, Strong Clean House, or Chich-an Chob, 73, 74, 75
- Snail-shell or Caracol, 71, 72, 73
- Temple of Bas-Reliefs, 81, 82, 219, 220, 221, 228, 229, 230
- Temple of Columns, 86, 87
- Temple of Cones, 86
- Temple of Owls, 230
- Tiger Temple, 79, 80, 81, 214, 215, 216
- Unnamed Temples, 87
- Tennis-court, or Gymnasium, 82, 83, 84, 85
- Tiger Temple, 79, 80, 81, 214, 215, 216
- Throwing-stick or hul-che, 108, 109, 110
- Tomb of the High Priest, 75, 236 to 260
- Tools used in construction of Maya buildings, 190 to 197
- Totanacs, 215, 216, 217
- Treatment of an ancient painted stone to restore its colors, and the story it tells, 230, 231, 232
- Treatment of natives by plantation-owners, 16, 17
- Tuxtla statuette, 37
- Ulumil, chieftain of the Itzas, 43
- Unconquered tribes (Sublevados), 17, 18
- Unnamed Temples in Chi-chen Itza, 87
- Uxmal, founding of, 43
- Vase of alabaster-like substance from High Priest’s Tomb, 256, 257
- Velasquez Diego, Governor of Cuba, 168, 171
- Wasps, 182, 183
- Wells or cenotes,
- Chen ku (see Sacred Well)
- General, 97, 98, 99
- Tol-oc, 58, 59, 99, 100
- X-Katum, 100
- Yula, 101
- Whipping-post, 16, 17
- Wooden objects recovered from Sacred Well, 141, 142, 143, 144
- Xtavantum, an intoxicating Maya beverage, 201
About This Book
The narrative recounts Edward Herbert Thompson’s decades of archaeological work at Chichén Itzá, detailing excavations of plazas, pyramids, tombs, and the deep Sacred Well and the recovery of artifacts and inscribed stones. It combines vivid field episodes and local legends with clear descriptions of Maya art, architectural techniques, religious practices, and interpretive commentary, supported by photographs and chaptered reports of specific discoveries such as bas-reliefs and ceremonial buildings. Personal anecdotes and assessments of cultural development frame the technical observations, offering both adventure-driven storytelling and accessible archaeological explanation.