River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-04-28
MEXICAN CURIOSITIES.
Antiquities from palenomo aud Ecuador
From the New York Times.

vose OrtlA Gle lapla, Spanish
gentleman who had for many years
oeen engaged in collecting antiquities
IN Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Central
America and other Spanish American
[ countries, arrived in this city n short
time ago from Mexico, bringing with
hlm large and valuable collection of
antiquities obtained principally from
the ruins OF the ancient city of Palen-
que, III the state of Chiphas, Southern
mexico. Yesterday reporter was
favored with private view of the col
lection, which, SO soon rs il can be
properly arranged and the objects
classified, will be opned 10 public in
spection. 1t will be rare treat TO the
arch@ologists and lovers of curiosities,
as these are some of the objects which
are supposed to be 10000 years old.
There are idols of stone and earthen-
ware, stone masks, ornaments of gold.
stone sceptre, mirrors of copper
pyrites, necklaces of beads made of
polished agate, comedian, obsidian and
other materials, spear and arrow heads
OF quartz and obsidlan, hatchets and
knives of stone, stones for grinding
colors, water Jars and vases of earthen-
ware, tobacco pipes, stamps for stamp
ing figures ON cloth, musical instru-
ments of wood aud clay, spindles, and
a host of other things of most inter-
esting character.
The most important object of the
collection is stone idol, which is
supposed to have been made by the
primitive race that inhabited that por-
ton of Mexico. From the traditio ms
handed down by the Indians, and from
the Popolvuh, or sacred book of the
tribes of the Quiche Nation, this idol is
supposed TO represent the God
Cucumaz, or the God of the air, also
called by the Indians Quetzalcoatle.
This idol is about two feet high, and
eighteen inches in diameter. 1t is cut
from block of chocolate-colored por-
phyry, and represents feathered SER
pent in a solid coil. From its mouth,
which is widely distended, the head of
q woman energies, her arms and legs
appearing from between the coils.
This Is supposed to represent the orr
gin OF woman. 1t is in perfect state
of preservation, and is highly polished.
The type of the face of the woman
bears no resemblance TO that of the
race that inhabits that portion of Mex
leo to day, and is very much like the
carved faces seen among the Egyptian
ruins. The idol is thought by Mexican
antiquarians to be at least twenty
thousand years old. The stone masks
of which there are some fifteen or TWEEN
ty. are made of different kinds of stone,
and are of varied types. There is one
which deserves special mention; it is of
jade or nephrite, mineral not found i'll
Mexico; whether it was originally taken
to that country from Asia, or how it
came to be there, is question which
still has to be settled. 1t is of a light
apple-green, and semi-transparent.
Some of the masks are highly polished,
while others are quite rough. Two of
them, both of white marble, were evil
IDENTIFY made to represent death. On
one of these, eyes made of blush
stone had been fastened The geld or
naments in possession of Mr.. Ortiz are
the only ones that have been found APP
to the present time. They consist of
two rings, one of open-work, of very
delicate description, which has pro-
lection upon one side in the shape of
the head-dress or crown worn by the
ancient kings or emperors. 1t meas
ures about one inch and quarter in
the widest part. The other is of
plain beaten gold, and is about one
inch and half wide They are both
of very small diameter, and could have
been worn only 10y person having a
very small hand. Besides the rings
there are also ornaments Of beaten gold
evidently intended to be worn on the
head, number of gold beads, and a
plate of gold IN shape of a sandal,
which is supposed to have been worn by
+ the kings son, between his foot, and
the sandal, which up to this day is
used by the lower classes in all parts OF
Mexico. the articles of copper are
very few. Among them are Ratchet
/ of the exact shape of those found
/, among the cities of ancient Greece
{ four bells, made on the same principl,
of our sleigh bells; and number o.
needles A very singular thing is tina
among the ruins of Palenque there wer,
, found a number of crosses made i'm ex
! actly the same shape as those used bl
the Christians of to-day. Some o.
them are of stone, and some of obsid
ian, and were worn as we wear them,
suspended from the neck. Several OF
the idols, also, have necklaces of beads
with pendant crosses. Among the pol.
ished stones. which were used as orna-
ments, or insignia, there are two which
bear the regular Greek cross inlaid
with silver. In one of them, stars,
made Of copper pyrites, are set in the
extremity of each arm. The mirrors,
which are said 10 have been made for
the use of the kings, are well worthy
attention. They are made of plates Of
polished copper pyrites, and ale to-day
as bright as when they were used by
their royal owners years ago. One OF
them is Hat and polished ON both sides,
and is about half an inch thick, and
three inches ia diameter. lt has holes
in the circumference through which 10
pass a cord. The others are polished
ON one side only, the reverse being left
unpublished and convex. A sceptre Of
polished stone, made in sections, and
held together by means of n copper rod,
which passes from one extremity 30 the
other is also very curious. II is about