The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-25
AZTEC WRITINGS IN iowa.
Another Manuscript Left by That His
tOriCal Race.
1t Was Unearthed by a Workman
Near Fairfield Three Feet Be-
low the Surface.

The archaeological museum at the
Ohio State University has been en-
riched by find of great rarity and
value. A fortunate chance has placed
it in possession of an Aztec manuscript,
the fifth SO far known to be in exist
ence in the entire world. and the only
one now in America, the others all be-
ing in European museums.
The story of the unearthing of this
remarkable relic and the manner in
which it came into the hands of the
university is highly interesting. on
September ID last, j. T. Griffith. a la
boring man of Fairfield, Ia, in the EN-
ploy of the Water Works of that city,
while engaged in eXcaVating, brought
to light what was apparently an or
binary chunk of wood, except that its
surface was encruSted with a coating
of pitch. The object was found about
three feet below the surface. the di-
mansions being a foot in length by
eight inches in width and five or six
inches in thickness. A stroke with the
pick caused it to break open, revealing
space that had been scooped out of
the center, in which lay a shell of
birch bark, covered on one side with
strange looking hieroglyphics.
The laborer was intelligent enough to
realize that the find was of some value,
and refrained from the vandalism Of
which many uneducated w0rkmen
might have been guilty. He carefully
preserved the curious object, and later
it was brought to the attention of Miss
Emma Clarke of the same city. who
became interested in having scientific
judgment passed upon it. She laid the
matter before Professor Edwin Sparks
of the University of Chicago The lat
ter gentleman, knowing of the valuable
collection in the possession of the Ohio
Archaeological Society and the State
University, and of the zeal of the cura-
tor of the same, Professor Warren
MOorehead, to secure additions to the
museum, referred Miss Clarke to him
From the description which the lady
sent to Professor Moorehead, he con
Guided that the find was nothing less
than an Aztec manuscript, and with
the instinct Of the true archaeOlogiSt,
his fingers itched to get hold of the
treasure. Several letters passed be-
tween the curator and Miss Clarke,
with the result that the relic was final
ly forwarded to the Ohio AarchaeO-
logical Society. being received at the
college a few days ago.
The bark is of extreme thinness. and
is of the character which was ordinar-
lily employed by the Aztecs in their
writings. The hieroglyphics are made
with reed pigment, and remain fresh
and distinct. The natural color of the
bark is also well preserved. The
three pieces into which the manuscript
is divided are from three to four inches
long and from two to three inches wide.
The edges are broken in two or three
places, imrairing a portion of the writ
ing. AS soon as Professor Moorehead
received the relic he telegraphed to Mr..
Griffith, asking him to dig again and
see if he could not find the missing
fragments. The latter replied that he
had made a search for them at the time
of the discovery but without success.
The wooden case in which the manu-