218 Hoiv Ancient America Wrote. 



emblems. The top and the sides show signs of a circular and oval 

 form crossed by lines. Several columns are seen in the town of David, 

 the characters on which diifer from those of the Piedra pintal by being 

 raised and are considerably smaller. * 



Of a similar character are the delineations found on the rocks in the 

 mountains of Urnan, though the assertion of Fray Ramon Bueno, 

 that they represent phonetic signs, is a mere hypothesis lacking all 

 proof More appropriately this could be said of the rock engravuigs 

 on the Waraputa river, copied by Sir Robt. H. Schomburgh in his 

 "Travels in Guiana and on the Orinoco." 



In the northern part of our continent the inscriptions are as equally 

 numerous as in the South. Wuttke, in his work on the " Origin of 

 Writing," has collected a completelist of these Muzzinabics. We find them 

 in the Pacific, Middle and Eastern states where the Dighton rock is their 

 last outpost, along the shores of Lake Erie, and as high up as the 

 straits of Michilimackinac. The figures, either representative or fan- 

 tastical, often of gigantic size, are engraved or painted, many of them 

 well preserved, others nearly efl^aced. A great number are perfect in 

 shaiDC and color, the various parts of the body are clearly defined, thus 

 excluding the idea that they are mere freaks of nature or accident. 

 Others are rude and imperfect in outline. The conformity of style 

 and design points to a common origin, while the diversity in execution 

 assigns them to diflTerent eras. Some, representing objects like fire- 

 arms and garments, known only to the Indians after the arrival of the 

 Europeans, undoubtedly belong to the post-Columbiau era. 



The inscriptions in New Mexico are strangely different from those of 

 the northern latitudes. Instead of the free and plain juxtaposition of the 

 principal figures, the lines have a mathematical stiffness and regularity, 

 and the frequent repetition of parallel zigzag points and alphabet- 

 like characters, gives them a resemblance to those of Central and South 

 America. 



Although the key for deciphering these mute epitaphs of vanished 

 generations is entirely lost, their prominent position renders it evident 

 that they were designed to commemorate important events. They 

 mark the earliest period of pictorial writing. In later times, matters 

 of minor import were cut on less conspicuous material, such as trees and 

 posts. The native mind did not, however, stop with immovable 

 inscriptions, but sought for means to render the information portable, 

 to circulate it in public, and preserve it in families and tribes. For 

 this purpose, smooth bowlders, wooden tablets, flat bones, pieces ot 



••'Bollaert "Besearches," page 30. 



