The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-08-25
FIND AZTEC RELICS
Gold MoIds Buried in Mexico Are
Unearthed.
One Of Most Remarkable Discoveries
In Archaeology and Ethnology Of
Prehistoric Tribes Made Re-
Gently Near AtzcapotzaIco.

City of Mexico, Mex.-One Of the
most remarkable discoveries in the
archaeology and ethnology of the pre-
historic tribes of Mexico was made re-
Gently when complete gOldsmith's
outfit, primitive, yet much used, was
dug up from the gravel bed of a small
stream near Atzcapotzalco. Found
near the site on which were unearthed
numbers of finely carved idols, molds
from which clay artifects were made,
and complete factory for pottery.
this last discovery leads to the be-
lief that there was once 1ourishing
city of the Aztecs or Of some other
ancient Indian race on the land now
occupied by the suburb of Atzcapot-
zalco.
This latest find, which is now in
the possession of Prof. William Niven,
in this city, consists of furnace, re-
tort and the long clay tube of the
blower, the leather portion of which
had. of course, long since rotted away.
All these article have metamorphosed
from clay into stone, SO many years
had they lain underground. All are in
perfect condition, and easily recogniza-
BILE, even yet some of the crude ore
being found clinging to the sides of the
pan of the furnace. They were buried
about fourteen feet beneath the sur
face, practically the same depth at
which the relics previously referred
| tn
With the remains of the furnace
and retort were found number OF
molds, evidently for silver and gold.
With each mold was a small image,
apparently a pattern OF the particular
ornament which the mold was de-
signed to reproduce. In every instance,
these small patterns, none more than
three or four inches in height, con-
sisted of the image of a man or
mans head, wearing the particular or
nament which was to be made.
One set of patterns is for head
Dress The largest pattern Is for the
great double feather which the chiefs
of the time were accustomed to wear
Just over the forehead, while there
are patterns for earrings, noserlngs
hair ornaments and tillet OF beautl'
full construction, with which to bind
! up the hair. Among the hair orna
! ments are designs of the fleur de lis
the first time such pattern has been
found among any of the Indian tribes
of the new world, according to Pro
lessor Niven, who is making an ex
tensive study of the collection.
| Among the most interesting patterns
discovered is one for huge breast
plate. evidently Of silver. This is
| rectangular in shape, Is by IL inches
with a large number of places for the
inset of precious stones. This 1s con
sidered one of the finest art1fects
found. and shows high stage OF ART
in it's making.
| Wrist bands, thick and wide, and
made for the wrists of powerful men
also appear in the molds, the interiors
of which show that the resultant gold
and silver castings must have had ele
CANT decorations plentifully scattered
| over their surfaces. 1t Is commonly
understood that the gold and silver
used by these Indian artisans came
from the district of Zacatula in Guer
zero, being carried on the backs o.
traders, from the far mining district
but Professor Niven believes, from
the abundance and size of these molds
that the two metals must have beer
secured in greater quantity nearer tt
the home Of the goldsmith. This opens
an interesting field Of search for the
ancient gold and silver mines OF The
valley or the nearby mountains.
Tn0AH IIIC DEn