A gouache drawing depicting the Teocallis, also called House of the Diviner or Dwarf's House, sitting on a pyramidal mound. It is a grand stone structure with intricate stone carvings at the gateway. Several people and a dog gather outside the entrance.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Biographical Note:
Frederick Catherwood (1799–1854) was an English artist and architect known for his meticulously detailed drawings of the ruins of the Maya civilization. In 1839 and 1841, Catherwood and John Lloyd Stephens toured dozens of archaeological sites in Central America and Mexico. Together they published two books describing their discoveries: Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan (published in 1841, after the first voyage) and Incidents of Travel in Yucatan (published in 1843, after the second voyage).
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 211,351
USNM Accession Number 38171
Variant Title:
Drawing of a ruined temple in Yucatan
House of the Magician
House of the Dwarf
Publication Note:
A lithograph of a portion of this drawing was published in:
Catherwood, F. (1844). Views of ancient monuments in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan. London: Published by F. Catherwood.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
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Rights:
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Genre/Form:
Works of art
Watercolors
Citation:
Frederick Catherwood drawing of the great Teocallis at Uxmal (MS 211351), National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution