Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-04-23

My, MINNESOTA, I'll
MEXICAN CURIOSITIES.
A"''I"t'i"" from Palcnuuo aud Esun dor.
From the New York Times.
MIR. Jose Ortiz do Tapia. a SDanisl,
gentleman who had for MANY wears
been engaged in collecting antiquities
III Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Central
America and other Spanish American
countries, arrived in this city short
time ago from Mexico, bringing with
him large ind valuable collection of
antiquities obtained principally from
the ruins of the ancient city of Palen-
que, Ill the state of Chiphas, Southern
Mexico. Yesterday reporter was
favored with a private view of the col
lection, which, SO soon as it can be
properly arranged and the objects
classified, will be opncd to public in
spection. 1t will he a rare treat to the
arch@ologists and lovers of curiosities,
as these arc 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, cornelian, obsidian and
other materials, spear md 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
q 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 DOR
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. It is cut
from a block of chocolate-colored Dor
phyry, and represents feathered ser
pent in a solid coil. From it's mouth.
which is widely distended, the head of
a 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 twen-
ty, are made of deterrent kinds of stone,
and are of varied types. There is one
which deserves special mention; it is of
jade or nephrite, q mineral not found in
Mexico; whether it was originally taken
to that country from Asia, or how it
came to be there, is q question which
still has to be settled. It is of light
apple-green, and semi
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 a blush
stone had been fastened. The geld or
naments in possession of Mr.. Ortiz are
the only ones that have been found up
to the present time. They consist Of
two rings, one of open-work, of very
delicate description, which has a pro-
lection upon one side in the shape of
the lead-dress or crown worn by the
ancient kings or emperors. It meas
ures about one inch and a quarter in
the widest part. The other is of
plain beaten gold, and is about one
inch and a half wide. They are both
of very small diameter, and could have
been worn only by person having a
very small hand. Besides the rings
there are also ornaments of beaten gold,
evidently intended to he worn on the
head, a number of gold beads, and a
plate of gold in shape of sandal,
which is supposed to have been wornby
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 a Ratchet,
of the exact shape of those found
among the cities of ancient Greece;
four bells, made on the same principle
of our sleigh bells; and number of
needles. A very singular thing is that
among the ruins of Palenque there were
found a number of crosses made in ex-
actly the same shape as those used by
the Christians of to-day. Some Of
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 to have been made for
the use of the kings, are we'll 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 flat and polished on both sides,
and is about half an inch thick, and
three inches in diameter. It has holes
in the circumference through which to
pass 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 copper rod,
which passes from one extremity to the
other, is also very curious. It is about
ten inches long, and is of an exceeding
~ hard, greenish notified stone. 1t is
composed of some eight or ten different
pieces. Tha part ment to be held in
the hand is round, and the end repre-
sents grotesque head with a crown np-
on it. The musical instruments are of
the most rude and primitive descrip-
ton, and are principally of earthen-
ware. The stamps for marking cloth are
Of very intricate and grotesque designs.
Some of them are evidently intended
for making borders, and can be applied
continuously in exactly the same way as
those used by the makers of embroid-
cry patterns to-day. Among the water
jars in the collection there are some
which are particularly noticeable from
the hideousness of the faces which form
the upper part of the jar. There is one
also of a peculiar style of ornamental
tion consisting of interlacing veins or
cords. This jar has very fine glaze or
polish over the outer surface, and indi-
Gates high degree of perfection in the
potter's art. Another most singular
object is an eftigy cut out of hard
black stone, which resembles a negro.
1t represents the true Ethiopian type.
not only in the shape of the head and
in the chiseling Of the features, but al
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