THE RUINS OF TULOOM

BY GEORGE P. HOWE

HE ruined city of Tuloom is situated on the coast of Yucatan, Province of Quintana Roo, just south of the south end of Cozumel Island, and slightly north of Ascension Bay, and is marked on all charts of the coast. It was first mentioned by Juan de Grijalva in 15181 who says: "We ran along day and night, and the next day towards sunset we saw a burg or village so large that Seville would not appear larger or better. The same day we arrived at a bay, near which was a tower, the highest we had seen. We discovered a bay where a fleet would be able to enter." Ascension is the only bay on the coast that would answer this description. In 1840 the city was visited by Stephens and Catherwood.2

A body of Mexican troops is said to have landed there in 1900. Beyond this I do not know that it has ever been visited.

I believe that Tuloom is the center of a distinct archeological province consisting of the coastal area south of Cape Catoche, extending probably to the Rio Hondo on the borders of British Honduras, including the islands along the coast and reaching some distance inland. The other cities known to be in this area are El Mecco, Tamul, Ina, north Tuloom, and Boca Pilar and Bacalar to the southward. In addition we have the less important ruins on the islands of Cozumel and Mugeres and vague reports of large ruins in the interior.

Until the area has been more thoroughly explored, it would be rash to say what its most characteristic features are, but the unique characteristics of Tuloom and the ruins of Cozumel may be taken as indications in this respect. One feature of interest in this area is the probably long period of occupation. These ruins are the only ones definitely mentioned as inhabited at the time of the coming of the Spaniards; and perhaps later, for at the taking of Boca 1 Report published in Paris in 1838.

2 Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, vol. 2, page 387.

Pilar, after the destruction of a chicle camp by the Indians (in 1903 I think), a sailor who was with the attacking force says they found "candles burning in the Indian church." I can not make out from him whether the Indians actually occupied the large buildings of the city or merely had a village near by. As regards antiquity an initial series found at Tuloom, which I shall discuss later, leads me to believe that it was a city of very early date.

Tuloom may be reached from Progreso by getting a passage either on a Mexican government vessel (about two days slow steaming) or by an occasional trading sloop (three to five days sail) to San Miguel village on the island of Cozumel. At Cozumel

FIG. 77.-Map of Tuloom after Stephens: A-A walls, B-B gates, C-C watch towers, D mound with no building on it, E-E casas, F-F casas, G-G buildings not explored by us, K cenote, J large guard house, M shrine measured, L-L thick woods, H completely ruined house, R-R route from ravine V to south beach.

there are several vessels for charter at from twelve to twentyfour dollars (Mexican) a day. This price includes the crew and their provisions. Plenty of laborers can be obtained at two dollars. (Mexican) a day and their food.

Tuloom is about twenty-four hours sail from San Miguel. It would be well, however, to be well supplied with permits from higher Mexican authorities before attempting to carry on any work in this region, as otherwise the local port authorities would be very troublesome.

On arriving at Tuloom a safe anchorage for vessels not drawing more than four or five feet of water will be found just south of the Castillo, formed by a coral bar that, starting from a point half a mile to the southwest, makes out in a northerly direction until almost abreast of the Castillo. The tides in this region are slight and need not be taken into account. There are two possible beaches for landing. The one lying north of the Castillo would be the most convenient, but unfor

tunately, just missing the shelter of the coral bar, suffers the disadvantage of considerable surf at times. The south beach lying at a quarter of a mile south of the Castillo is shelered by the bar.

The circuit of the walls that surround the city on three sides is about a mile. In addition to this, there are said to be more buildings outside than there are inside the walls, but

these I did not see with

the exception of two small watch towers on shore, apparently duplicates of one inside.

As is shown in Stephens' chart (fig. 77), the walls on three sides and the sea on the fourth form a rectangle of which the Castillo is the center. Beyond the wings of the Castillo, which face west, are a series of smaller buildings, facing south, north, and east respectively, about a court, in the center of which is a mound with no trace of a building on it, but with traces of steps on all four sides. Stephens' chart (in so far as I was able to check it up) seems remarkably accurate, considering the difficulties of work in so dense a jungle and the short time he was able to give to it. I should

care to amend it only by saying that the buildings marked E, E on the north side of the court are more extensive than one would infer from his chart, making the arrangement of the court slightly more symmetrical.

The buildings at Tuloom show two types of construction, namely, the typical Maya vault, and the flat roof supported by columns. The build

ings using the Maya vault are for the most part in an excellent state of preservation, while all the flat roofs have fallen. A feature of Tuloom is the complete absence of high pyramids. The buildings rest on rather low foundation mounds, steep on all sides and approached by one or more flights of steps. These mounds are faced with smooth cut stone, often panelled at the sides. The backs of the buildings are almost flush with the back of the mound.

Exterior stone stair

ways with low stone balustrades are used wherever it is desirable for an ascent, and are for the most part in good condition. No interior stairways were seen. The sacrificial pyramid in the center of the court shows steps on all four sides.

There were no buildings that can be described as typically residential unless, perhaps, the guardhouse at the northeast angle might be so regarded. The walls are still in an excellent state of preservation, except at the points where they approach the sea. They are made of comparatively small flat pieces of rough-cut

stone without mortar (fig. 78). At the northwest and southwest angles small guardhouses are built on the walls (figs. 79 and 80). The southeast gate described by Stephens has completely fallen, but the others all remain. The gates, which are about three feet wide, strike one as being very narrow until one reflects that these people had no beasts of burden. The lintel of the gate is always a single flat stone. On each side of the entrance the wall projects slightly outward and inward,

making a narrow passage through which people could enter in single file. No traces of wooden gates for closing these entrances remain.

The wider doorways are supported by columns. The lintels are of wood, stone, or wood and stone combined, where wall thickness makes greater breadth desirable. The stone slab lies in the center with wooden slabs on both sides. No suggestion of carving was seen on any of the lintels.

The rectangular wall openings for ventilation occurred in the upper chamber of the Castillo on the sea side.

Stone benches seem very much in use around the sides and back walls of the rooms of the larger buildings.

Stone altars for burning copal in the form of basins are common, usually found full of ashes.

Where the Maya vault is employed, it is identical with that found throughout the area, having the typical shoulder and zapote poles set in the walls as supports.