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indian history. Which nation has it build is doubtful, but about the time of the construction there is extensive clarity: El Tajín has its origins in the 4th and its downfall on the end of the 12th century. Scanty the half of the once 50.000 citizens counting town meanwhile is secure from the archeologists. That most fascinating building maybe the seven-storeyed pyramide of niches; travellers without time pressure can count the niches: there are 365, for each day of the year exactly one. The climbing to the staircase is forbidden for visitors, maybe also a considerable venture - the steps are so steep, that an ascent has got for free-climbers only. El Tajín once was abound in places for ball games; the least, equiped with interest sacrale flat reliefs, is lain in the south of that construction. Northern will be crowned the discovered zone through a partly on a raised hill with daring static erected Complejo de las Columnas (columns complex). The eastern lain Papantla is comming to a definite fame through its flyer game, where Voladores called artists with a rope on its feet twist around a pylon. Tabasco and Chiapas Villahermosa is called in English "the Beauty Town" - if the capital of Tabasco that name is earning at least is doubtful. Befor long the town has it done to get a boomtown, while it was befor a swamp village; so it can't take wonder that one's in vain to search for old mexican flair. But on the other hand have money streams provided for an exquisite touch in the face of Villahermosa. The climate couldn't be improved by the petro-dollars - in fact of oppressive the town is demanding something from its visitors.

Nevertheless there are two reason, which making the stay to a experience in Villahermosa: first the anthropologic museum, which is named after the untire historian Carlos Pellicer, southern lain on the shore of the Rio Grijalva. Here is present the possibility to dive into the fascinating mystery of the olmecic huge-head culture. That museum is somewhat unorthodox, so it is recommendable to start the round tour in the upper floor, where soon one's getting the right overview, with which one can understand the exponated preciousness. The other "must" in Villahermosa is the impressessive open-air museum called Parque-Museo de La Venta, lain on the Laguna de las Ilusiones northeastern of the centre. Here is exponated many of them, what the impenetrable jungle of Tabasco had gave away on old treasures. But there is somethings new about the Olmeces and Mayas; namely that is to say, that both nations had neglected to save their stony sculpture against smog, why one's consider to exchange the origins against synthetic copies. For each admirer of the Maya-culture is offer a trip to the ruins of that in 50 kilometers distant from Villahermosa lain Comalcalco. Without a doubt Palenque is one of the nicest - if not even that nicest - of all Maya-towns. First is enchanting its situation on the foot that from tropical rainforest overgrown mountains of Chiapas, secondly here has the Maya style reached its highest heyday - which were only for a short while go on: the recognizable origins of that town are lain in the 6th century; but already at 800 were the mighty ruins abandoned to the wild growing vegetation. The European mostly understand at "pyramide" (see Egypt!!!) the huge tomb of a sovereign and is astonished, if he get the experience, that the mexican pyramides are nothing else than temples. From the pure temple-theory was assumed the archaeology for a long time - until the year 1949, where the researcher Alberto Ruz l'Huillier - more by coincidence, than by