MEXICAN ANTIQ UITIES. 



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extreme pain being evident both in his face and from his attitude. A 

 cast of what is believed to be a statue of Chahhiuhtlicue, Goddess of 

 Water, was also shown us. The statue came from a mountain near 

 Tlalmenalco. This divinity was sister to the gods of water, Tlaloques. 

 A yoke from Orizaba is in the collection. This is made of stone and 

 is of a green color. At the top of the yoke is a head, like that of a 

 snake, and the entire yoke is polished. These were used on the occa- 

 sion of human sacrifices, and were placed over the heads of the victims 

 whose hearts were to be taken out. Next in order is the cast of a 

 statue of a woman who, by her costume, appears to have belonged 

 to the Aztec nobility. Around her waist is a rattlesnake, and this 

 fact leads to the supposition that the statue is that of the " snake- 

 woman " the goddess Cihnacoatl, from whom the Aztecs believe the 

 entire human race has descended. There are also in the collection 

 casts of two feathered serpents and other mythological animals ; of a 



Leathered Serpent. 



humpback, who is supposed to have been a son of KingTizoc, to whom 

 reference has been made ; of the water-goddess, etc. Conspicuous, too, 

 are two funeral urns, beautifully carved inside, and with skulls upon 

 the convex surface. A great vase or tub is in this series. From vari- 

 ous water-animals sculptured on the base it is supposed to be com- 

 memorative of the deluge, but little is known of its meaning. A large 

 grasshopper ( Ghapolin) stands near the " tub," and is supposed to be 

 commemorative of the end of the wanderings of the Aztec tribe which 

 terminated at Chapultepec (hill of the grasshopper). 



Neither time nor space will allow a detailed description of some of 

 the smaller casts in the collection. It is, however, safe to say that 

 every piece has connected with it an interesting history. 



