Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-06-05
Mexican Curiosities.
ANTIQUITIES FROM PALENoUE AND Eo
UADOR

Mr.. Jose Ortiz de Tapia, Spanish
gentleman who has for many years been
engaged in collecting antiquities in Mex
ico, Ecuador, Peru, Central America,
and other Spanish-American countries,
arrived in New York short time ago
from Mexico, bringing with him large
and valuable collection of antiquities
obtained principally from the ruins of
the ancient City of Palenque, in the
State of Chiapas, Southern Mexico.
The most important object of the coll
lection is stone idol, which is supposed
to have been made by the primitive race
that inhabited that portion of Mexico.
From the traditions handed down by the
Indians, and from the Popolvuh, or sa-
cred 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 Quetzal-
coatle, This idol is about two feet high,
and eighteen inches in diameter. 1t is
cut from block of chocolate colored
porphyry, and represents a feathered
serpent in a solid coil From its mouth,
which is widely distended, the head of
woman emerges, her arms and legs ap-
pearing from between the coils. This is
supposed to represent the origin of wo-
man. 1t is in a perfect state of preser-
walton, and is highly polished. The
type of the face of the woman hears no
resemblance to that of the race that in
habits that portion of Mexico to day,
and is very much like the carved faces
seen among the Egyptian ruins. The
idol is thought by the Mexican antigua
ries to be at least two thousand years
old.
The stone masks, of which there are
some fifteen or twenty, are made from
different kinds of stone, and are of va.
ried types. There is one which deserves
special mention it is of jade or neph-
rite, q mineral not found in Mexico !;
whether it was originally taken to that
country from Asia, or how it came to
be there, is question which has still to
be settled. 1t is of 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 evidently made to
represent death. On one of these, eyes
made of blush stone had been fastened.
The gold ornaments in the 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 projection upon one side in the
shape of the head dress or crown worn
oy the ancient Kings or Emperors, 1t
measures about one inch and quarter
in the widest part. The other is of plain
beaten gold, and is about an inch and a
half wide. They are both of very small
diameter, and could only have been worn
by person having very small hand.
Besides the rings, there are ornaments
of beaten gold, evidently intended to be
worn ON the head, number of golden
beads, and a small plate of gold in the
shape of sandal, which is supposed to
have been worn by the Kings son, be-
tween his foot and his sandal, which up
to this day is used by the low er classes
in all parts of Mexico. The articles Fl
copper are very few. Among them are
a hstchet, of the exact shape of those
found among the ruins of the cities of |
ancient Greece; four bells, made on the
same principle as cur sleigh.bells and
a number of needles.
A very singular thing is that among
the ruins of Palenque there were found
a number of crosses made in exactly the |
same shape as those used by the Chris
tians of to day. Some of them are of |
stone, and some of obsidian, and were
worn as we wear them, suspended frcm
The neck.
Mr.. Ortiz has also bro ught with him
4 most wonderful curiosity, which was
procured in Ecuador. 1t is the mumi-
led head of an Indian warrior reduced
o the size of small orange. There
ire only three of these known to be in
existence. One in the Museum of Mad
nd, which was presented by Admiral
ropete, another in the Museum at Flor
'nce, and the third in the possession of
Mr.. Ortiz.
The tradition is that the Ecudorian
warriors were accustomed TO preserve
he heads of their enemies slain in bat
lie in this manner, and to wear them as
rophies. In order to reduce the size,
he bones Of the head we're carefully re-
moved, and the skin and part of the in
eguments and tissues carefully dried
md preserved. The head in question
3 certainly not more than three inches
n diameter in the widest part, and yet
I