New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-24
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
AZTEC PICTURE-WRITING.
Observations on the Ammo uncement of the Dis
covery in Mexico of Thoroughbred Books
containing Greek characters.
DY z. G. sQUIET


DY Z. G sQUIER
[The following interesting paper was read by Mr..
seuier, al the meeting Of the American chronological
Society, on wednesday night;
Some months ago, an account appeared IN IAe
TieGsEHe newspaper Of NewOTleans, relating 10 the
dn oCyeTy Of CERTAIN extraordinary books IN M'x'eO'
written chiefly IN heroeyphcs, OF which hal been
put possession OF the Editor by gentleman recently
TetuTnCu from Tchuanepec. IL was described by nun
ooLfi ting Of "a number OF layers OF pr hm mt,
hound together with brazen Chaps, and pre,eHans An
appearance Of great antiquity IL was Obtainel, says
the Editor, "Iom lnGian Citrate, VINO represented
tat b, LaG purchased it from native trader WAC was
Ia the habit Oh annually Writing cry toward the SOUTH
wholly inhabited by AZtecs" (ndia n % the name OF
which was Ccaxchencngo; that Ia the grand emple OF
the town kept ABOUT fifty volumes OF the same
kind, said b. be the remnants OF large collection IN ex
Lrenee at the time OF the Conquest Inc contents OF
the volume described consisting OF heTo9ypAical
cha raCters but il l. added remark ble crcd-tancc
which, IN tie opinion OF the Editor tends 20 connfn
tie theory tlgt tie Az;ecs were the descendants OF
u race which migrated from the eastern shores oil
Asio moe than twenty centuries ego that ION one Or
two pages OF the vcluIne Immediately beneath the nero
glypcf, there are inscriptions IN Greek characters,
ming words in tat language but written bac kward
in tie Oriental style. On the st page cont nus the
Editor, Tho Greek inscription runs tnus n0adP not
,oeoL which reversed reads cgos ton pdatO lit rally
'Woid OF all OF O all thngs. On another page jhee
II picture Cf winter, and under Greek word whi,h,
e!eed above is tkalasses sea- representation Of
syefsei full OF men accompanies th-, and gives t., I'M
preston that it refers TO avcyage or emigration from
bey ond the ses.'
Lesc are the essential facts embraced in the entire
account, which is crowded with edtornl uectures
ard speculutons oil eight importance IN tins injection
The has been widely copied III the United Sntes
and has found It's way 10 Europe where 1t has eNctei
eonfid. rsbls interest ind gwen 20 some curious,
rot very valuable specuations Here It mas, believe
been very generally regarded as one OF those clever
hCaxes 70 IA cur newspaper press, and viii h.
on more than OccasOn have lel pectng schOl
ar, very wild chase. 1t has, however, straghtior
ward air about H. which might induce u to believe that
the Edtor Of the newspaper referred 20 what he de
scliles not aware OF the iact that dOcu
ments Of very nearly not precisely this character
In existence in Mexico and were, until recently they
are not now, IN sOme parts actually IN use
Tie origin and use Of these documents form very
curoue aud interesting epsode in the history OF the art
ocCnyoying ideas and knowledge OF ;act 10 the mnd
through the OF signs letter. and some account
Of them will di-pel any mystery which may at
tAch 70 the particular Ms III question: as wen az illustrate
the 6I hcaton and capacity OF hTogyphcal represent
alton and incidentally the wide and thorough measures
adopted by the Church OF Rene et the period OF the
CoIques the Indians TO IT. tenet and attach
tn Ia to lite forms and fnih.
Tits well known that among the sem-civlized nations
Of Mexico end Central America, previous % the dis
ooyely of America there existed system OF repre-
seItat!on by some called hierOgyphca. and by others
denomipsted picture writing Recent inve tigalonr
Lsye convinced me that no single term can adequately
characterize this fytem or rather systems Tor mere was
more than one and that among the nations when had
their D. ncpe around Nachan or Peien9ue there
existed pure hieroglyphical system while among the
natit around Mexico in the Valley OF Anahuac, leoS
perfect or mixed ,y,tem prevailed, which was composed
Of condensed pictures, and arbitrary or derivatSe rep
refcntstion OF thing, having herogyphlcd approach
and clear phonetic value. The capacity even Oh IL
least perfect or mixed system was considerable by
means Of the hexicans cOmpendlOusy recorded ther
history compoCed their rituals and civil and religious
smHnHcs recorded titles to property, the judgments Oh
courts Gssessed taxes defined genealoge~, etc Nncn
Cortez landed full accounts of him. his equipment men,
and far he indicated them by word or acton OF MS
purposes were thus recorded and sent 20 JnteZums
The spsriar1s not little surprsed athe accuracy
attained under system obviously so imperfect Ana
the eccesst,ics who followed in the train OF the con
quering armies, animated by zeal not surpassed II
eeuAlod BY the martial spirit OF the military chie resdy
conceived tie purpose of using this system among ma
tCus whom it would have been hopeless task 10 at
tempt instruct in the Spanish language and Appliance
a means OF communicating and disseminating Iner
doctrines very considerable, IN iEct al lne Auen
tal Part Of the native pOpul On the officer AMI sscer
dota body were thoroughly instructed IN ther Nero
syphical system and the Catholic priests rgnty VHued
TIE influence which their tAih wouidh II coal DC
conveyed 10 the navee in what mi ht be called NAIVE
gaib They therefore exerted themselves 70 the utmost
10 acqubini themselves with this system and adapt 70
their PuIpo.er.
the fret use of pictorial representations IN elching me
Indians out OF which ths adaptation gradually grew
within eight nine years alter ine capture %
co by Ttera OF Bayonne brother Of the Cnarnoerain
of Francis the let According 70 Torquenada not DO
ing able learn the language OF the Indians % 4ucAy
a. he wshed and impatient q delay, he took new
nods of preaching BY OF interpreter, taxing
with hun the rnyEeries Of the faith painted on cotn
which the interpreter explained 10 the Indians - in
structed by the servant Of the Lord. Aud thus ne con
yerted numbers awaiting hirnseh greatly OF the repre-
septsfons or pictures which he carried with him Tow
CHSnddG hb IL c. ~, &c) -
Tetera became aftcrward Com isesry General OF the
Indiana and his ioll0wers-,he celebrated Sahazln
Notolinis Peter Of Gaent and al the Frenciscans-
adopted his example Of using pictures N their teach
ings They extended the application o. these paniing
(wh doubtless originally simple exAzgeT mons
OF thoee which s day MI the churches d Italy SPAN
native figures. And a. Tcstera went all over New
sUsn through Central America and Yucstan, and even
T. Peru II Is bot improbable hst trsce- or remains Of
his paintings may exist IN al those countries. where. &C
eoTeug GOnzaga the memory q estera Vas long
preserved, snd where n the tune Of Bsrezzo bare<L
the Irdisrs every year celebrated ieasi N nonor Oh
tier hoy md glorious friend. Il may nave oeen on
oue Ci those festivals when the books 81 C0axchelcnzo
were brought cut
IL thero.irceE neer Mexico, as soon a. the F'eaci
commenced thH adaptation the interpreters saa
greet number Of naves employed missionaries, lent
themselves zetlously to promote H. AoooloniA n ~
MSS informs us that he literally oyerTneimed VIII
Indiana who presented Themselves with their c0nies
SIGN. in fcrrss From this time the adaptation al
vAuced ard yaldez in 1879. aad Torquenads, nearly
century after the conquest received similar eoaiessions
In their time indeed this SYSTEM preferred 70 alpha
teticsl writing BY Indians who were perfectly Tersed N
the letter.
There rul exit IN the Museum Of Mexico and else
where several kinds Of ehAsecarcd compositions under