MEXICAN Al ICHITECTURE, is remarkable chiefly as forming a specimen of the style and mode of building adopted by the aborigines of the New World. Their resem blance to some of the ancient edifices and forms of building prevalent in the eastern continent is curious, and worthy of comment. The only Mexican buildings of which we have any remains are the teocallis, or houses of God, which are almost universally of the pyramidal form, resembling the pyramids of Egypt, but bearing, it would seem, even a inure striking similarity to the famous tower of Babel, as described by Herodotus and modern travellers. See BABYLONIAN ARCHITECTURE. This resemblance is especially pointed out by Humboldt, to whom we are indebted for the greater part of our information on the subject.
These teocallis were solid masses of earth raised up in a pyramidal form, having the shape of a truncated pyramid, and faced either entirely or partially with masonry. In the interior were small cavities similar to those discovered in the Egyptian pyramids, and which were evidently intended for places of sepulture. The sides of the pyramid often face the cardinal points, and are divided into steps or stories on the exterior, in both which particulars they resemble those of Egypt. Their similarity to the tower of Babel is noticed further in the temple at the top of the pyramid, and, the use to which both erections were put as observatories for astro nomical purposes.
The largest temple in Mexico is the great pyramid of Cholula, which is constructed of alternate layers of unburnt bricks and clay, and consists of four stories. In the interior are cavities of considerable size, one of which, upon being laid open was found to contain skeletons and a number of curiously painted and varnished vases, thus proving their sepulchral character. The height of the pyramid is 177 feet, the length of a side of the base 1,423 feet, the area on the top 3,500 yards, and the number of steps to the top 120.
At Papantla, in the northern part of Vera Cruz, is a small pyramid, SO feet square at the base and 60 feet high, divided into seven stories, and ascended by a flight of 57 steps. It is constructed of immense blocks of stone laid in mortar, the faces of which are covered with hieroglyphics, amongst which are to be seen serpents and crocodiles. There are also a number of niches regularly disposed round each story.
A mass of ruins known as the Casa Grande are situated in the gulph of California. on the banks of the Rio Gila : the sides fitcing the cardinal points are of irregular size, those from north to south measuring 445 feet, while those from east to west are only 276 feet. They are composed of unburnt bricks of irregular size, the walls being 4 feet in thickness, and divided into three stories.
"in the district of Oaxaca, south of Mexico, stands the palace of contracted from Nignitlan, signifying, in Aztec, the place of woe. By the Tzapotec Indians the ruins are called leoba or luiva (burial or tomb), alluding to the exca vations found beneath the walls. It is conjectured to have been a palace constructed over the tombs of the kings. for retirement, on the death of a relation. The tombs of Mitla are three edifices, placed symmetrically in a very romantic situation. That in the best preservation, and, at the same time the principal one, is nearly 130 feet long. A staircase formed in a pit, leads to a subterranean apartment SS feet in length and twenty-six in width. This, as well as the exterior part of the edifice, is decorated with fret and other ornaments of similar character. But the most singular feature in these ruins, as compared with other Mexican architecture. was the discovery of six porphyry columns, placed for the support of a ceiling in the midst of a vast hall. They are almost the
only ones which have been found in the new continent, and exhibit strong marks of the infincy of the art, having neither base nor capital. The upper part slightly diminishes. Their total height is 19 feet in single blocks of porphyry. The ceiling under which they were placed was formed by beams of sabine wood, and three of them are still in good preser vation. The roof is of very large slabs. The number of separate buildings was originally five, and they were disposed with great regularity . The gate. whereof some vestiges are still discernible, led to a court 150 feet square, which, from the rubbish and remains of subterranean apartments, it is supposed was surrounded by four'oblong edifices. That on the right is tolerably preserved, the remains of two columns being still in existence. The principal building had a terrace, raised between three and four feet above the level of the court, and serving as a base to the walls it surrounds. In the wall is a niche with pillars four or five feet above the level of the stone lintel over the principal door of the hall is in a single block 1:2 feet long and 3 feet deep. The excavatiim is reached by a very wide staircase, and is in the firm of a crass, supported by columns. The two portions of it which intersect each other at right angles are each 8:2 feet long by ?5 feet wide. The inner court is surrounded by three small apartments having no communication with the fourth, which is behind the niche. The interiors of the apartments are decorated with paintings of weapons, sacrifices, and trophies. Of windows there are no traces. Humboldt was struck with the resemblance of some of the ornaments to those on Etruscan vases of I.ower Italy. In the neighbour hood of these ruins are the remains of a large pyramid and other buildings." Tue only remarkable monuments in the valley of Mexico, Mr. 1 [umboldt tells us, are the remains of the two pyramids of San Juan de Teotihua•an, on the north-east of the lake Tezenco, consecrated to the sun and moon, and called by the Indians Tonatiuh Ytzaqual, (house of the sun,) and Metzli Ytzaval, (house of the moon.) dr. Bullock visited this site on his return from Themasceltepee. For seine time before he reaches the gate of Tezeueo, the traveller is apprised of his approach to a place orancient importance by a large aqueduct still in use, and the ruins of several stone buildings. The Spanish quarters, built for Cortes, are still entire. Several tumuli are seen on entering the gates, which are supposed to have been teecallis. The nlost important ruin is what N r. Bullock calls the site of the palace of the ancient caziques of Tezcuco, which, though in ruins, far surpassed every idea he had firmed of ancient Mexican architecture. It extended 300 tbet, forming one side of the great square, and was placed on sloping terraces, raised one above another by small steps. Sonic of these terraces arc still entire, and are covered with cement, very hare ,and equal in beauty to that found in ancient Ionian buildings. Fr on what is known of the extensive foundations of this palace, it 1111.1.4 have occu pied some acres of ground. It was composed of large blocks of basaltic stone, of about 4 er 5 feet long and :21 or 3 feet thick, ea and polished with the utmost exactness. The sculptured stories from these ruins have been used in build ing the modern churches and houses. Heaps of ruins stir roiled it on every side, and Tezeueo, the Athens of Anahuac, as it is called by a Spanish historian, would seem to invite, above all others in Mexico, the attention ef the antiquary.