The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-26
THE CALENDAR STONE
Model of a Mexican chronological
Mystery in the StatehOuse.
Reproduction Of a Famous Stone Over
Which Scientists Have Spent a Great
Deal Of Study and Time.

20 be taken in that famous monument OF
antiquity by American ethnolOgists. Mad
am Nuttall. who Is professor of ethnology
at the University OF Overwhelmingly
center OF learning-and an authority in
that branch Of science. spent two years in
Mexico, and in her lecture gave the re-
suits Of her studies of the hieroglyphics to
which Albert Gallatin, Professor Putnam
and others have devoted SO much time.
Her Interpretation, while differing only in
detail from others that have preceded 1t,
has brought the subject into prominence.
and 1t is now being discussed in scientific
circles and in schools. In Harvard partic-
ular attention is being given to it by stu
dents. In view of these facts, 1t is a mat
ter OF Importance to Indiana ethnologists
and antiquarians to know that a model of
this calendar stone, together with a docu-
ment outlining it's history and meaning,
is one Of the treasures OF the museum at
the Statehouse. 1t was presented TO the
State by Hon. Thomas II. Nelson, then
minister to Mexico, in ISL. Mr.. Nelson,
who was in Indianapolis last week, has a
fund of chronological lore and is interested
In all discoveries in this line. On being
asked about the matter he said that repre-
sentatives Of the chronological Bureau
at Washington complained at the time that
hC III - StnQ 1t IlOuCl y IniL Depart
ment, but he preferred to make the gift
to his own State. Inasmuch as the mu-
scum has not received especial atten-
ton by Statehouse attaches, and as dur
ing the years while the new Statehouse
was in process of building all the valu-
eb'es it contained were stored away.
he doubted If many scientists or educators
or Indiana knew of its existence. A visit
TO the museum in a measure confirmed
this theory. The model was there in good
preservation, but the memorial belonging
with IT Was missing, and was only found
after some search and in 4 dilapidated
condition. showing that it had not recently
the assistance Of Mr.. Nelson a resume of
thl5 paper was prepared and is given be-
low. II viii. no doubt, be read with inter-
est by scientists and Students:
City of Mexico, July q, 1871.
His Excellency. Conrad Baker, Governor Of
Indiana:
NY Dear Sir-By the steamer which will
leave Vera Cruz on the 18th inst. i will
send to your address an admirable model
Oh the celebrated calendar stone. one OF
tne lew relics now remaining Of Aztec
the most familiar objects TO the ewes of
travellers In the City OF Mexico. from its
conspicuous position in the exterior wall
OF the cathedral, underneath the right or
southwest tower, had remained buried from
the time or the conquest Until its accident
al discovery towards the end Of the last
Century. In the year 1890 the Viceroy Re-
villa Gigedo ordered the principal Square
S1 Mexieo to De newly paved. and, in the
the most interesting monuments of Aztec
antiquity were discovered. The first is a
COLOSSAL statue or the war god, Huitzilopo-
chill said TO be the same that was wor-
ehlped on the summit Of the principal
temple or Teocalli of Mexico at the time
OF its destruction by Cortez. By a Singular
coincidence II Was found on the 18th of
August, Il9O-the .twenty-ninth anniversary
OF the taking or the City OF Mexico. 1t was
taken to the court yard of the university
ADJOINING the National Palace to the south,
by side with the immense sacriic.al stone
The calendar stone was discovered on
the 18th OF December of the same year
QfSV, not far from the center OF the prin-
cipal square and directly in front of the
entrance to the palace. 1t was lying fiat,
with its sculptured face downwards and
the upper part only eighteen inches from
the level or the ground. By order of the
Ntceroy, and at the request of the authori-
ties or the cathedral IL was delivered TO
them on condition Of being placed in some
position easily and constantly accessible to
the public. This was complied with, as
above mentioned, by its being built into a
sort OF buttress projecting from one of
the angles OF the cathedral.
Inc Interpretation OF the hisroglyphicS
upon this stone, representing the Aztec d.
VISION or time, Is a work which has en-
gaged the attention Of several learned
writer's, both Mexicans and foreigners. Don
Antonio Leon de CANA, soon after the dis
covery or the two stones above mentioned.
though severely criticised by Father al,
zarte, another well-known ANTIQUARIAN of
that time, has been generally accepted as
the best source of informal ton. The emil
nent American ethnologist, Albert Gallatin.
also gave a satisfactory description and in
depreciation, which u to oe found in Vol
ume L OF the transactions of the American
chronological Society.
The material of the calendar stone is an
exceedingly hard stone OF baSalt, found only
at a great distance from the City of Mex
tco- II Is eleven feet and eight inches in dt-
ameter and about two feet six inches i'm
1nlCknHGZ- The Ayfdn civil - NOnGtc%a6 -
eighteen months OF twenty days each, to
which were added five complementary DAYS
that were not considered as belonging to
any month. and We're regarded as unlucky
by the AztecS. At the expiration Of each
cycle of ffty-two years twelve days and a
half were interpolated to compensate for
the SIX hours annually lost. The conclusion
OF each cycle was a memorable event in
temples and all the fires in private dwell
tngs were extinguished; the people de-
stroyed much OF their property, and literally
es." At midnight Of the first day of the new
cycle imposing religious ceremonies were
celebrated by the people in mass, including
the sacrifice OF human victims and the light
Ing of a new fire by friction from a wooden
Shield placed on the breast of the victim.
This IRE was then communicated to torches
borne by thousands OF runners, who con-
Aztec emnire.
en- Mexico, a description OF the hieroglyph-
fcal figures engraved upon the Calendar
StOuc, VI WHICH the FOLLOWING Is a SynOp-
sis: Around the principal central figure, rep
reSentlnS the sun, are delineated in a circu-
lar form the twenty days of the Aztec
months, each named for some animal or
natural object, the rude pictures of which
form the hlerog1yphics of that day. The tri-
angle above the circle inclosing the en-
blem OF the sun denotes the beginning OF
the year. Around the circumference. which
bounds the symbols OF the days and months.
are found the places OF hfty-two small
squares, or which only forty are actually
visible. the other twelve being covered by
the four principal rays OF the sun. These
doubtless denote the cycle OF fifty-two years,
and each or these squares contains five
small oblongs,. making, in all. two hundred
and sixty for the hfty-tWO squares. The pOr-
ton between the outer circumference of the
$50 days and the external zone has not been
deciphered with any certainty. The exter-
mai zone consists, except at the eXtremities,
of a symbol twenty times repeated, and is
alleged by Cana TO represent the milky
way. The waving lines connected with il
are supposed by this writer to represent
clouds. while others imagine them TO be the
symbols or mountains The whole circle is
divided into eight equal parts by the eight
riangles, which designate the rays of the
sun, and the intervals between these are
divided into two equal parts by the small
circles. At the top OF the vertical raw is
found the hierOglyphic Is Acatt, which de-
notes the middle of the cycle of ffty-two
years. and beneath this is the sign, > Acatt,
corresponding with the 21st of December
and Is undoubtedly the date OF the winte
sOlSttce IN the Mexican calendar. The small.
er interior circle contains the image of the
sun, and 10 IL are united four parallelo-
grams, the hieroglyphics OF which are sup