Edward Thompson's 1904 diagram of Edifice 1, Chacmultun
"Edifice 1, or The Palace, was evidently built upon the crown of a hill lower than any of those supporting the other great structures. The hill had also been cut down, the top levelled off, and the base terrace built out to a degree unusual among the neighboring groups of ancient structures.
This was rendered necessary by the number of chambers that the ancient architect evidently intended the structure to contain, 6 chambers outlined but not built and not shown in the plan. From the number of structures, all over Yucatan, that I find in this condition, I am beginning to believe that the plans of the old architects did not call for absolute completion, but that they left a certain part to be worked upon as the needs of the time called for.
The higher tier of chambers, forming the superstructure, were, like those similarly placed at Labná, few in number, insignificant, and withal so ruined that a detailed description is impossible.
A wide, well-made stairway on the south connects with the tier of chambers below, in the first story of the Palace edifice. In this first story some of the chambers are double, and several have handsome corridors with circular pillars instead of plain sustaining-walls. This, as will be seen by reference to the photograph, gives a pleasant artistic effect to the whole front.
This effect is heightened by the recurring serpent motive that forms the chief ornamental zone of the façade. At regular intervals are niches in which were once placed stone figures which were undoubtedly pregnant with religious meaning. The curious adornment upon the narrow projecting band, or directly over the ornamented zone of the façade, is very unusual.
It may well be, as I am inclined to think, a symbol of phallic worship. The symbol is not regularly recurrent, but, as will be seen, there is a motive when the continuity is broken.
The extreme right wing of this story, facing the east, is so destroyed that only a portion of a wall and two doorways still stand. The extreme left wing is also reduced to dislocated masses of masonry."
E. Thompson, "Archaeological Researches in Yucatan" 1904: p. 11-13)