Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-25

found Here is situation somewhat
like that in the Old World, where doc
umentary evidence Of an ancient cul-
ture. Il literature, offers an important
aid To the study of "a people.
The manuscripts of Mexico are iii :
vded by Prof Tozzer into two classes.
those written before the advent of the
Spaniards, and those written during
early Spanish occupation Another
classification might be based ON the
localities where the manuscripts are
supposed Ia have originated and on the
nationality Of authors, but while the
work Of different localities and peoples
is distinguishable, the minor differ
ences do not prevent one from ohserV-
ing the great similarity both in the
subject matter and the treatment app
pearing in them all. The native cal
chdar, for example, and various fea
lures of the life of the peoples Of Mex
lea and Central America Indicate a
common origin and, to a certain ex i.
tent, q parallel development
Unfortunately. the material availabl +.
is very limited. The number of exist
ing manuscripts is exceedingly small.
for through their earnest efforts To
stamp out the religion, ancient. doc
trines and teachings of the natives, the
Spaniards destroyed large number of
manuscripts. The few remaining are
mostly in European museums. al
though few are in public ar private
collections in Mexico. Prof Tozzei
describes the manuscripts under dis
cnssion and follows the development ~
writing from the period of reminders
or mnemonics. to actual pictures. from
them To symbolistic and convention
al geographic system, thence to char.
acters expressing sounds as we'll as
| IDEAS. and the beginning Of svllaby
! the first step i'll the development al
| phonetic writing. The Spanish priests
made the last advance. in the form oi
an alphabet, by selecting syllable char
| acters To express initial sounds.
| Apparently the early history Of writ :
ing is cuflously alike over the greater
| part of the world. especially in The pre-
lIminary step which consists in the use
o. reminders. Such signs have no
significance in themselves, but serve as
an aid III recalling some event Ia mind
On THIS account. they are not universal
IKE many systems of picture writing
as they have no meaning 10 one not
| acquainted with the original event or
events. they serve to recall Examples
at TINS Kind are the notched stick and
the taliies of different forms. II Is
| Pfobabie that the Roman rosary is ot
| the same type, as we'll as the knotted
| S.fihss and cords Of Peru and Mexico
| manuscript of the Humboldt eel
, lection, dated 1863, shows the same
| device in connection with frue picture
! writing. 1t is the account of n baker
! VINO, instead of notchins a stick. has
recorded by a series of circles as tai.
| lies. the reminders Of the number 81
cakes or loaves baked each dav. Each
seventh circle is ornamented to fndi.
| cate sunday, and in several places the
! nag appears as sign of 20. The
| spanish system Of keeping time is, OF
| course, used here
| Next came pure pictures and there
Is no lack of examples in the manu-.
| scripts showing this phase. In thi.
stage pictures are nothing more thar
| pictures. y post Columbian specimen
| IN the Mendoza collection gives =
| cellar account of the education of .
| Mexican boy and girl from the age al
/ three To thai of Is. Two series arc
| shown by plates; the boy and his
father, and the girl and her mother
The Years of each are indicated by
circles. and the daily allotment o.
| bread appears in each picture before
| the1child. Increasing from one half a
cake. or torilla, at three years. 10 a
| Whole one AT four, ana SO on Other
Plates show the education of the chill
| dfeh, the tasks imposed and the nm
| iShments inflicted. while in another
| the marriage ceremony is illustrated
me author follows out carefully The
| development of picture writing into
| phonetic writing, where signs are rs
| ed without regard TO their meaning as
| pictures, but supply for their phonetic
| Nalue 1t was the missionaries whr
completed this last advance. but II &c
beiieVed by the author that had the
Nahuas been left unassisted thev
| would eventually have devised a rrus
/ dlpndhet of their own