Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-04-18

a very. singular thing is that among
the ruins of Palenque there are
found a number of crosses made III
exactly the same shape as those used
by the Christians of to-day. Some
of them are of stone, and some of
obSidian, 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 polished stones
which were used as ornaments, 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 ex-
tremity of each arm. The mirrors,
which are said to have been made
for the use of Kings, are well worthy
of attention. They are made OF
plates polished copper pyrites, and
are to-day as bright as when they
were used by their royal owners
years ago. One of them is fiat and
polished on both sides, and is about
half an inch thick and three inches
in diameter. 1t has a hole in the
circumference through which to pass
cord. The others are polished OH
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unpublished and convex.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. 1t is about ten inches long
and is of an exceedingly hard green
ish, mottled stone. 1t is composed
of some eight ur ten different pieces.
The part meant to be held i'll the
hand is round, and the end repre-
sents grotesque head with crown
upon it. The musical instruments
are of the most rude and primitive
description, and are principally OF
earthen-ware. The stamps for ma
king cloth are Of very intricate ana
grotesque designs. Some of them
are evidently intended for making
borders, and can be applied contin-
ously in exactly the same way as
those used by the makers of en-
broidery patterns Of to-day. Among
the water-jars i'll the collection there
are some which are particularly no
lIceable from the hideousnesS Of the
races which form the upper part OF
the jar. There is one also of pecu-
liar style of ornamentation, consist
tng of interlacing veins or cords.-
This jar has very fine glaze or pol
lsh over the outer surface, and indi-
Gates high degree of perfection i'll
the potter's art. Another most sim
gular article is an etfigy cut out OF
Il hard black stone, which resem-
bles a negro. 1t represents the
Ethiopian type, not only i'll the
shape of head and in the chizeling o1
The features, but also in the conform
alton of the figure. 1t is highly
polished, and is about eight inches
IN height. When it is remembered
that the people who carved these
idols were ignorant of the use OF
ron, and had no tools except thOsy
which they made themselves OF
stone or copper, it is difficult to con
:eive how they achieved the de-
gree perfection to which an in
spectiOn of their works evidently
proves they have arrived. 1t is i'm
possible to give more than very
orief description of the articles COM
posing this rare collection, for there
are in it more than thousand OBJ
jects, all well worth a careful i'll
opection. A most wonderful curl
osity, was procured in Ecuador. IL
is the mumihed head of an Indian
warrior reduced to the size of
small orange. There are only three
of these known to be in existence.
One in the museum of Madrid,
which was presented by Admiral
fopete, another in the Museum a.
Florence, and the third in possession
of Mr.. Ortiz. The tradition is that
the Ecuadorian warriors were accus-
toned to preserve the heads of their
enemies slain in battle in this man-
ner, and to wear them as trophies.
In order to reduce the size, the
bones of the head were carefully re-
moved, and the skin and part of the
lnteguments and tissues carefully
dried and preserved. The head in
question is certainly not more than
three inches in diameter in the
widest part, and yet the features are
wonderfully well preserved. The
nose and ears are perfect, and the
eyebrows are distinctly Marked
The eyes and mouth are sewed up,
rs it was supposed by the Indians
that unless this were done the eyes
could see and the mouth talk. The
PARTIES sunken in, and the hair,
which is long and coarse, slightly
interspersed with gray, nearly COW
ers the whole head, like mop, ow-
ing to the contraction of the scalp.