Chalchihuitls from Central America. 947 



all his vassals for the Spanish crown, which he proceeded at 

 once to do; and, at the end of twenty days, handed over to 

 Cortez all the treasures he had got together, amounting in value 

 to 600.000 ^,$05. Bernal Diaz reports that Montezuma apolo- 

 gized for the smallness of the amount, on the score that his 

 time for collecting the tribute had been too short ; but that he 

 would make it worthy of the acceptance of the Spanish king 

 by adding to it the treasures of his father, and also " a few 

 chalchihuis of such enormous value that I would not consent 

 to give them to any one save such a powerful emperor as 

 yours ; each of these stones is worth two loads of gold." (lb., 

 vol. i. p. 278.) 



Sahagun mentions four of the Mexican gods who were the 

 especial patrons of the lapidaries, and honored as the inven- 

 tors of the art " of working stones and chalchiuites, and of 

 drilling and polishing them." He does not, however, describe 

 the process made use of by the Indians in cutting precious 

 stones, " because," he says, " it is so common and well under- 

 stood;" an omission which his editor, Bustamente, regrets, 

 " since the art is now entirely lost." 



Quetzalcoatl, the lawgiver, high-priest, and instructor of the 

 Mexicans in the arts, is said to have taught not only the work- 

 ing of metals, but " particularly the art of cutting precious 

 stones, such as chalchiuites, which are green stones, much 

 esteemed, and of great value." (Torquemada, lib. vi. cap. 

 xxiv.) Quetzalcoatl himself, according to certain traditions, 

 was begotten by one of these stones, which the goddess Chi- 

 malrna had placed in her bosom. Indeed, both among tin- 

 Mexicans and the nations farther to the southward, the ohalchi- 

 huitl seems to have represented everything that was excellent 

 in its kind. Its name was used in compounding designations of 

 distinction and honor, and was applied both to heroes and 

 divinities. The goddess of water bore the name of ChaZ- 

 chiuitlci/ye, the woman of the chalchiuites; and the name of 

 Chalchiuhapan was often applied to the city of Tlaxealla, from 



