INTRODUCTION

iii

MAP, of about 1540

xvi

LANDA'S RELATION:

Sec.

1.

Description of Yucatan. Variety of seasons

1

Sec.

2.

Etymology of the name of the province. Its situation

2

Sec.

3.

Captivity of Gerónimo de Aguilar. Expedition of Hernández de Cordova and Grijalva to Yucatan

4

Sec.

4.

Expedition of Cortés to Cozumel. Letter to Aguilar and his friends

6

Sec.

5.

Provinces of Yucatan. Its principal ancient structures

8

Sec.

6.

Cuculcán. Foundation of Mayapán

10

Sec.

7.

Government, priesthood, sciences; letters and books in Yucatan

12

Sec.

8.

Arrival of the Tutul-xius and the alliance they made with the lords of Mayapan. Tyranny of Cocom, the ruin of his power and of the city of Mayapan

14

Sec.

9.

Chronological monuments of Yucatan. Foundation of the kingdom of Sotuta. Origin of the Chels. The three principal kingdoms of Yucatan

16

Sec.

10.

Various calamities felt in Yucatan in the period before the conquest by the Spaniards: hurricane, wars, etc.

18

Sec.

11.

Prophecies of the coming of the Spaniards. History of Francisco de Montejo, first admiral of Yucatan

19

Sec.

12.

Montejo sails for Yucatan and takes possession of the country. The Chels cede to him the site of Chichén Itzá. The Indians force him to leave

21

Sec.

13.

Montejo leaves Yucatan with all his people and returns to Mexico. His son, Francisco de Montejo, afterwards pacifies Yucatan

22

Sec.

14.

State of Yucatan after the departure of the Spaniards. Don, Francisco, son of the admiral Montejo, re-establishes the Spanish rule in Yucatan

23

Sec.

15.

Cruelties of the Spaniards toward the Indians. How they excused themselves

24

Sec.

16.

State of the country before the conquest. Royal decree in favor of the Indians. Health of the admiral Montejo. His descendants

26

p. ii

Sec.

17.

Arrival of the Spanish Franciscan friars in Yucatan. Protection they gave to the natives. Their contests with the Spanish element

27

Sec.

18.

Vices of the Indians. Studies of the friars in the language of the country. Their teachings to the Indians. Conversions. Punishments of apostates

29

Sec.

19.

Arrival of Bishop Toral and release of the imprisoned Indians. Voyage of the Provincial of San Francisco to Spain to justify the conduct of the Franciscans

30

Sec.

20.

Construction of the houses of Yucatan. Obedience and respect of the Indians for their chiefs. Headgear and wearing of ornaments

32

Sec.

21.

Food and drink of the Indians of Yucatan

34

Sec.

22.

Painting and tattooing of the Indians. Their orgies, wines and banquets. Their comedies, music and dances

35

Sec.

23.

Industry, commerce and money. Agriculture and seeds. Justice and hospitality

37

Sec.

24.

Method of counting of the Yucatecans. Genealogies. Inheritance and tutelage of orphans. The succession of the chiefs

40

Sec.

25.

Divorces frequent among the Yucatecans. Nuptial customs

41

Sec.

26.

Method of baptism in Yucatan; how it was celebrated

42

Sec.

27.

Kind of confessions among the Indians. Abstinences and superstitions. Diversity and abundance of idols. Duties of the priests

45

Sec.

28.

Sacrifices and self-mortifications, both cruel and obscene, among the Yucatecans. Human victims slain by arrows, and others

47

Sec.

29.

Arms of the Yucatecans. Military chieftains. Militia and soldiers. Customs of war

50

Sec.

30.

Penalties and punishments for adulterers, homicides and thieves. Education of the young men. Custom of flattening the heads of children

51

Sec.

31.

Clothing and ornaments of the Indian women

53

Sec.

32.

Chastity and education of the Indian women of Yucatan  Their chief qualities and their household economy. Their devotion and the special observances at the time of childbirth

54

Sec.

33.

Funerals. Burials of the priests. Statues to preserve the ashes of the chiefs, and the honors they paid to them. Their belief regarding a future life, with rewards and punishments

56

Sec.

34.

Count of the Yucatecan year. Characters of the days. The four Bacabs and their names. Gods of the 'unlucky' days

59

p. iii

Sec.

35.

Festivals of the 'unlucky' days. Sacrifices for the beginning of the new year Kan

62

Sec.

36.

Sacrifices for the new year of the character Muluc. Dances of the stiltwalkers. Dance of the old women with the terra-cotta dogs

64

Sec.

37.

Sacrifices for the new year with the sign Ix. Sinister prognostics, and manner of conjuring their effects

65

Sec.

38.

Sacrifices of the new year of the letter Cauac. The evils prophesied and their remedy in the dance of the fire

66

Sec.

39.

The author's explanation of the various things in the calendar. His purpose in giving these things notice

68

Sec.

40.

Months and festivals of the Yucatecan calendar

70

Sec.

41.

Cycle of the Mayas. Their writings

81

Sec.

42.

Multitude of buildings in Yucatan. Those of Izamal, of Mérida, and of Chichén Itzá

85

Sec.

43.

For what other things the Indians made sacrifices

91

Sec.

44.

The soil and its products

93

Sec.

45.

The waters and the fishes found in them

96

Sec.

46.

How there are serpents and other poisonous animals

100

Sec.

47.

Of the bees and their honey and wax

101

Sec.

48.

Of the plants, flowers and trees; of the fruits and other edibles

101

Sec.

49.

Of the birds

107

Sec.

50.

Of the larger animals, and of the smaller ones

109

Sec.

51.

The author's conclusion and appeal

111

Sec.

52.

Criticism and correction of certain statements

113

LETTER IN MAYA to the King, Feb. 12, 1567; with facsimile

114

LETTER TO THE KING from Montejo Xiu and others, April 12, 1567

115

LETTER TO THE KING, from Diego Bibanco, Defender of the Indians, March 8, 1563

117

THE XIU FAMILY PAPERS:

    Facsimile of genealogical tree, 1380 to 1685

120

    Their genealogy down to 1918

125

    Character of the colonial domination

126

    Official duties of Juan Xiu, as governor of Oxkutzcab, 1665

130

    The 1557 Map, and the meeting at Maní in that year

133

    The 1685 page of Juan Xiu, on the chronology

134

MAP OF YUCATAN IN 1579, showing the pre-Spanish Maya chiefdoms, with the remains of the Eighth century occupation of the southern Sierra region

136

p. iv

YUCATAN IN 1549 AND 1579: the Tax List of 1549 and the Relaciones of 1579-81

138

Statistics of population in 1549

142

ORDINANCES OF TOMAS LOPEZ, in 1552, for the regimentation of the Indians

157

PROCLAMATION of invading captains on disembarking

159

IDENTIFICATION of plant names mentioned in text of Landa

161

PRONUNCIATION of Maya words

162