El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-03

Copyright, 1913, by Frank G. CarPenter)
lava. The obsidian weapon had a
razorlike edge, and the contest cOnse-
quently was very unequal Neverthe-
less, the wooden sword sometimes pre-
vailed, and the man won his freedom.
Il he failed or was wounded his body
was carried to the stone Of sacrifice
and there offered TO the war god Of
the AZLecS.
The full bIooded Aztecs Of four cen
turtles ago had cruel fortunes, and their
most famous sacrifice was typical OF
them. This occurred once every year,
when the most handsome youth that
cOOuld be found was the victim. II
sically perfect, and the priests who
made the selection insisted on his be-
ing without blemish and in possession
OF all the graces Of youth He was
chosen a year prior to the sacrifice.
and from that time until his death he
lived like a prince. He was wined and
dined and had four of the most beau
tiful girls in the land as his mis-
tresses- He was the great young man
o. his time, and with music and feast
ing upon flowery beds Of ease he rode
gayly to his doom
Priests Cut Ont Hearts.
When the final day came he said
goodbye 10 has sweethearts, and, dec
GRATED with flowers. took his place on
this sacr1flctal stone Then the priests,
dressed in red drove their knives into
L.
They held il aloft before the eyes OF
the multitude and they fell on their
knees and shouted out their alteration
Later on, the body was cut into pieces
and distributed to the more favored of
the people, who cooked and served il
on their dining tables as the udbit Of
the year.
Human sacrifices began in Mexico
200 Os 800 years before the Spaniards
landed, and at the time of the con-
quest IT has been estimated that the
annual sacrifices were about $4,000.
In addition to the TeOcaI in Mexico
City, there were pyramids and mounds
in different parts Of the country and
sacrifices increased in number when
ever drouths plaques or other ca
lamiues came
An Aztec God.
The idol in whose honor much of the
sacrificing took place was the god OF
war and Of blOOdshed, whose chief rep
resentation is here in the National
museum. This is a block of stone nine
Ieet IN height covered with carving
II represents a SQuatty figure with a
great Ilat head, out Of the TOP of
which peeps two cylindrical eyes,
above four little horns which serve {
as the noses The mouth is large and
the head rests without a neck on the
shoulders This statue stood not far
from the sacrificial stone when Cor
Jez, in company with King NontezU-
ma first saw IL It was then covered
with gold and studded with jewels. 1
Golden serpents were wound about
its waist, and q necklace Of human [
heads and hearts, lifesize, made of
gold and silver, encircled the neck. /
Before II a pan OF incense was burn !
ing, and in this pan the hearts Of Z
three human beings were roasting.
After the Spaniards had conquered, ]
they tore off the gold, silver and Jew
els. They threw down the statue, and Z
II was years later that it was brought {
forth as an archaeological relic
Mexico City Excavations.
The Mexicans Of today are thor
Oughly alive to the archaeological pos
sibilitieS Of their own country. They
are anxious to have it explored, and
have given concessions to foreigners
to do much of the work. Not a few
have been given to Americans con-
nected with the Smithsonian institu-
ton and our societies of archaeology
and they have made great discoveries
The MeXicans themselves have done a
great deal. Their work began with a
yicerOy who lived more than 100 years
ago. He ordered that all the relics dug
up in Mexico City should be sent to
came to the National museum. Max
imilian was also interested in such
and Diaz encouraged
them.
There is no doubt but that a great
many interesting things still lie IN
der the Mexican capital Every time
a new sewer is dug OF great fOunda-
tiCn excaYated 8 netting new is dis
covered I have before me a print
made by Mr.. Waite, the American
photographer, of a great stone tiger
which was unearthed a year or so
ago, and he tells me that he frequent
" makes pictures Of similar objects