, a ( 'oUeotion of 



around their Decks, sustaining a gold medal set round 

 with ; . and having in its centre a Bmooth precious stone." 

 ., lib. viii. cap. i 



. ao confirming the definition of chalchihuiU as given 

 by Molina, I quote the exact words of Montolina, in his Letter 

 to which Sefior Ecazbalceta has given the first place in 

 his " Ooleccion de Documentor para la Historia de Mexico." I 

 quote from page L89, on which, enumerating the riches of 

 \\, . he says: " Baymucho oro yplata, y todoslos metales 

 1 especial turquesos, 3 otras que aca Be dicen ehal- 

 chiuitl; laafiruu ■!■ estas son esmeraldas." 



The chronicler Puentes, in hie unpublished history of the 

 old kingdom of Guatemala, Bpeaks of the Indians of Quiche" as 

 wearing "head-dr< of rich feathers and brilliant stones, 

 chalchiguites, which were very large and of great weight, un- 

 der which they danced without wearying." The Licenciado 



Palacio, in hifi account of the I'ipil Indians of San Salvador, 



-.. makes mention of these .-tones, which were worn on the 



wriste and ankles, and also BUppOSed, like the bezoa/T stone, to 



be a Bpecific against certain diseases. [Carta ai Rey d\ />- 

 « Coleci ion d\ /'■ umentos OrigmaUs^ etc." vol. 



It, 11,, ... icriptions, it will be Been that the ohalohihwiUa 



poken of a- ornaments, round or oblong beads, which 



informs with the representations in the paintings. Bui these 



or similar green stones were need for other purposes. The 



chronicler Villagutierre, in his account of the conquest of the 



of Yucatan. Bpeakfl of idolfl in their temples " of precious 



I, and of other CdlorS J " and, in describing 



th .t temple of Tayasal, mentions particularly an i<lol 



and in it, "a Bpan long, of rough emerald 

 which the infidels called the :_ r "d of Battles," 

 >nquering general, Ursua, took as pan of his 



•il. 



when the Spaniards first landed in Tabasco, 



