, 1886-12-26
N HE MEXICAN MUSEUM.
The Gods of tho A~steos-Shield of MOI
KelIos of Antiquity.

teIuma-Other Relics oil
The museum is located in one of the
many apartments of the National palace,
and is free to the public each day from 10
to IL a. m. As we enter, the scene in the
court yard is one peculiar to the tropics,
there being a number of very large
palms, and in the bushy top of n of
these there may be seen a very large
Mexican lizard crawling over the giant
leaves. 1t is about two and a half feet
long. and to us was a partial realization
Of the tropical picture in our old geog-
raphy, only we looked in vain to find the
playing monkeys. the spotted, crouching
tiger and the big snakes. Passing on,
we enter the first room IN the lower floor,
where we find the calendar stone of the
Aztecs. 1t is a large circular stone,
twelve feet in diameter, three feet thick,
and weighs about twenty-five tons. In
the center there is cut in relief q large
head with the tongue hanging out; other
wise it is similar to the face representing
the full moon in our almanac. Around
this head there are five circles inclosing u
graduated scale of points similar to those
used in making the cardinal II subordi-
nate points of the compass. Besides
these, there are other carvings which
might be regarded as the signs of the
zodiac. The whole is a fine specimen Of
workmanship, and is said to be geomet-
really correct in its lines.
The sacrificial stone is nine feet in di-
ameter and three feet thick. The top
and side nave many fine carvings, repre-
senting idols, weapons Of war and Indian
warriors. In the center on top there is n
round depression. in which the head Of
the victim was placed; from this there is
u gutter leading to and down the edge,
which served to carry off the blood. 1t
is estimated hat more than 60, 900 per-
sons were sacrificed upon this rock, and
as it was in use when Cortez entered the
city its history is better known than
many other relics; hence these figures
may be correct. In the same department
there is to be seen many OF the most re-
nowned gods Of tho Aztecs. They are
hewn out of very hard stone n in n few
cases the carving is fine, while in many
it is as rough and grotesque as it well
could be and retain the name of art. In
appearance they differ widely. Some are
intended to resemble monsters of ven
geance, while others have n good natured
look about them that would seem to
grant almost any request. They occupy
oil positions, from that of sleeping, sit
ting, standing and on the run In one
place we saw a powerful looking, sleep
ing god, who wore a horrid frown on
his face which seemed to say:
If l am aroused before my time l will
raise war in the wigwam.' Close to him
was what is regarded as the god of wrath.
This idol seemed to embody in its features
about all that is low and vicious in the
human makeup. He had the gross form
Of a robust savage, with short neck, full
throat, low brow and wide face. He
seemed in a furious rage, for his face was
deformed with the wrinkles of wrath, his
eyes half shut and his lips curled in ugly
frowns, showing his teeth, while his
mouth was half open, as i'll the act of
taking breath in the midst of his exhaust
ing passion. In fact, it was an excellent
idea of the ..buggers and the bad men, y
which mothers sometimes use to scare
their naughty children into obedience, and
which afterwards calls around to see the
dear little ones in their dreams, and
wakes them up with violent spells of fits
and spasms. but which apparition, by the
way, is usually charged to late suppers.
TuItltI Oh WE Stt lIt WdlCI QOh " liit
gods. He has struck a very striking
attitude. and with open. hideous eyes is
staring far away in the distance, as if
watching the approach of some calamity.
Next we see M inquisitive. astrological
sort Of god, gazing intently into the
heavens, "a if seeking in the skies Ii re-
Elected shadows Of coming events. Thus
we passed on, examining the character
of many gods, each seeming TO represent
and superintend a particular field of ac-
ion.
The cross of the Aztecs, so called for
the want of "A better name, is also to DO
seen here yet its maker, use and age are
all unknown. 1t is nearly six feet high
and is n true type of the Christian cross.
There is II large bird perched upon the
top, to which an Indian is presenting an
offering, which many have pronounced
a small child. The whole is cut on II
large slab and all is richly carved in
various designs, and from il one may
Justly conclude that the country was
once peopled by Il Christian ace, who
may have been exterminated by n race OF
new world vandals who, as i'll the old,
brought about u long. dark age of idol
airy.
In one of the rooms on the second floor
we find the historic feather shield of Mon
tezuma. 1t is about three or four feet
square, and is made by laying feathers on
n plane surface in such u manner M to
represent a large spread eagle, surrounded
by n wreath of feather flowers, and at the
foot OF which there is a flag, bows and
arrows and other weapons of wal then in
use.5City Of Mexico Cor. Detroit Free
Press.