Structure 7F-32-2nd underwent two minor modifications, the first of which was the walling up of the doorway between Rm. 1 and 3 (Fig. 12:7 and 39b,c). The masonry used for this duplicates that of the building walls, so perhaps this took place not long after construction of 1st-C. It rests directly on Fl. 1 of 2nd and, in Rm. 3, rises without a break to the top of the doorway. In Rm. 1, however, there is a square niche 0.40 m deep and 1.30 m above Fl. 1 of 2nd (see Fig. 19a:1; 39c and 40a). Both faces of the doorway masonry were plastered.
Later, an interior platform (U. 3) was built in the NW corner of Rm. 1 against the masonry in the doorway. Based on Fl. 1 of 2nd, from which there is a secondary turnup (Fig. 12 and 19a), its walls abut those of the building. Although the top of U. 3 was paved, this was torn out in the course of later construction.
STRUCTURE 7F-32-1ST
The only major modification of 7F-32 seems to have come after an extended period of use, judging from the amount of debris that accumulated against its N wall (Fig. 17:30, 31). Actually, there were several alterations, which are best to examine room by room, following discussion of external changes. The discussion will conclude with a “summing up” of the sequence of events.
With the addition of a stairway along its N side, a major change was effected in structure orientation; previously, it could be entered only from the S but now it could be entered directly from Plat. 7F-1 (Fig. 16). For this, a series of broad, deep steps were built, the end walls of which abut the old N face of 2nd, concealing all but 0.75 m of the original wall at either end. The masonry used for this construction consists for the most part of well-dressed rectangular blocks installed as stretchers and is quite different from that of the earlier walls, including that which seals the doorway between Rm. 1 and 3, or that of U. 3. At least three steps were built, leading up from the level of Fl. 1 of Plat. 7F-1-1st. A wall (U. 2) found beneath that plaza pavement, parallel to and 1 m N of the first riser from Fl. 1 (Fig. 17), suggests the presence of a lower step, however. This had the same tread depth as the others, and was later covered by a new floor. It could have been associated with Plat. 7F-1-2nd:Fl. 1, and indeed, there is a break in the fill beneath the stairway at about the level of this plaza surface. Thus, three broad steps seem to have led up from Fl. 1 of Plat. 7F-1-2nd; beneath them is a primary midden that probably was leveled off (at the elevation of Fl. 1 of Plat. 7F-1-2nd) to allow their construction. Structure 7F-32:Unit 2 was evidently based on this, and gray earth was dumped behind it to serve as fill. As the next two risers were set in place, gray earth and rubble were loaded in behind them against the old structure wall. Plaster surfaces, long since destroyed, were undoubtedly provided for the treads, and the top one is thought to have abutted the leading edge of the original platform, which served as an upper riser. There is no evidence that a new room floor was laid.
A limited test by the W wall of the building platform (Fig. 18a) seems to indicate that broad, deep steps were constructed against the structure in a manner similar to those on the N (probably at the same time). Preservation was poor in this area, but U. 4 and 5, a wall and floor remnant respectively, suggest a step with a tread 2 m deep built against the original end wall of the building platform. Above this tread, that wall may have continued to serve as another riser with the original end plinth as a top step. Later on, another wall (U. 6) extended the lower step by 0.44 m, and a new floor (U. 7) was laid above U. 5, which was partially demolished at the time. Still later, a riser (U. 8) was built on U. 7, extending the tread depth of the upper step beyond that of the old end plinth.
A probe along the E face of the building platform disclosed some slight evidence of another outside stairway (Fig. 16), in the form of a wall (U. 9) that abuts the building platform on the N end of its central outset. Because post-abandonment destruction was extensive in this area, there were no other remains. Since the later surface of Plat. 7F-1 apparently did not extend this far S, and since stairways were added onto the N and W of the structure, it is fairly certain that U. 9 represents the N end of one that was added onto the E.
It is not known if there were changes to the S exterior of 7F-32, but the S stairway may have been altered, for the construction of the basal steps seems different from those above (Fig. 17). Perhaps deeper and higher steps were built over the original ones; if so, the more recent upper steps have left no traces. Considerable excavation would be required to verify this suggestion.
Room 1 was the only one of 7F-32 that was not completely excavated, but even so a sequence of at least three modifications is apparent. As the first (Fig. 13 and 19a), two new interior platforms were built, one expanding existing U. 3 in the W end of the room (U. 10) and one in the center rear (U. 11). For U. 10, the E wall of U. 3 was extended all the way to abut the S room wall. The doorway into Rm. 2 was eliminated at this time (Fig. 39d); above U. 10, all but the uppermost 0.50 m or so is blocked by masonry, but below, the stone and sherd fill of U. 10 extends into the doorway. Construction of U. 10 terminated with removal of the original pavement of U. 3 and the laying of a new one on the enlarged platform.
Also built on Fl. 1 of 2nd was U. 11, and like the contemporary interior platforms of Rm. 1 and 4 of Str. 7F-29, it had a cornice. Retained by its walls is a fill of stones of assorted sizes, over which was laid plaster paving that abuts the building wall and the top of U. 11. The total length of U. 11 is unknown (its E end was not excavated), but it was evidently rectangular.
With U. 10 and 11 in place, Fl. 1 of 1st was laid in Rm. 1, directly over Fl. 1 of 2nd. This new pavement, which averages 6 cm in thickness, turns up to the S building wall, U. 10 and 11, and the N wall between these two platforms (Fig. 17 and 19a).
The second alteration in Rm. 1 saw replacement of U. 10 by a new room-end interior platform (U. 12) and conversion of U. 11 into a thronelike “bench” (Fig. 14 and 19a). Following partial demolition of U. 10, a new N-S wall 4 cm higher than the old one was built 0.60 m farther E, on Fl. 1 of 1st. The space between the old and new platform faces was then filled, and the new enlarged platform was paved. On U. 11, a wall 0.34 m thick at its base, vertical on its W side but sloped on the other, was put up on the W end of the existing platform, which (assuming a comparable wall on the E end) gave it its thronelike appearance. Floor 1 of 1st was given a secondary turnup to both U. 11 and 12.
As a last alteration in Rm. 1, U. 11 and 12 lost their separate identities to be incorporated into a single large and complex interior platform, U. 13 (Fig. 15 and 20a). From the face of U. 12, a new wall was built on Fl. 1 of 1st—patched to turn up to it—that runs eastward 0.24 m in front of the E-W wall of U. 11. Behind this new wall the Maya placed a distinctive mixture of sherds and small stones, which they then covered with a plaster surface 0.16 m thick. This pavement also covers U. 12 fill (its floor having been torn out), and runs 2.10 m E of the W wall of the room, whereupon it turns up and over a vertical wall 1 m thick, and then down to join the sloping surface of the old raised end wall of U. 11 (Fig. 19a and 40d; the old floor of U. 11 was extended out to the new E-W wall of U. 13). It is likely that a similar pavement in the unexcavated portion of Rm. 1 matched this raised area of the platform.
At this time, or perhaps previously when U. 12 was built, two ceramic inserts were placed in the N wall of the room (Fig. 19a:U. 14 and 15 and Fig. 39b,c, 40b,c). The smaller of the two, U. 14, is located 0.84 m E of the W wall, 0.55 m above the surface of U. 13. Unit 15, the larger, is located 1.67 m E and 0.59 m above the surface of U. 13. Their placement raises questions as to their purpose. Did they support a wall hanging between them? Or were there at one time matching inserts in the now-collapsed opposite wall so that a curtain could be hung along the front of U. 10, and later, U. 12? Ceramic analysis indicates contemporaneity between these and the fill sherds of U. 12 and 13. Both were specially made, rather than recycled jar necks, and one is illustrated in TR. 27A (fig. 149b). Interestingly, no ceramic inserts were found near any outside doorway of 7F-32.
Five modifications of Rm. 2 are evident, the first being the closing of the doorway to Rm. 1, discussed above. That this predates by some time the construction of U. 17, the second modification, is indicated by the finished door masonry that extends all the way down to Fl. 1 of 2nd. Probably at the same time, but perhaps earlier, U. 16 (Fig. 13) came into being in the NW corner of the room. This small interior platform was also built on Fl. 1 of 2nd, of a bricklike masonry; patchwork around the base of U. 16 produced a secondary turnup from the floor. The fill of the new platform consisted of