70 



of the Hercules found by Cesnola at Cyprus and believed 

 to be an Ass^^'ian representation of the god. In each the 

 animal's head has been drawn over the human head in 

 such a manner as to represent the upper jaw of the lion 

 resting on the forehead of the human head. The mere 

 fact that an ancient Mexican god, or distinguished person, 

 should be represented with a head-dress of the skin of the 

 puma, or of any other animal, would in itself be of little 

 moment, as it is well known that the skins of animals have 

 been and still are used by several American peoples in 

 this way ; but there is in this Mexican relic an additional 

 resemblance to the Assyrian specimen in the long, four- 

 sided pendant hanging from the top of the head down to 

 the shoulder just behind the left ear. AVhat this pendant 

 represents is difficult to say, and in the Assyrian Hercules 

 there is one on the right side of the head also. This 

 coincidence, added to the general resemblance in the man- 

 ner in which the animal's head is drawn over the human, 

 is certainly interesting, and seems to indicate the possi- 

 bility of the origin of the idea involved and expressed 

 one from the other, while at the same time the distinc- 

 tively Mexican features are as well preserved in the one, 

 as the Assyrian in the other, showing that while the idea 

 may possibly have had a common origin, or have been in 

 some way transmitted, the work of the Mexican was not a 

 copy in very recent times. This singular coincidence is, 

 possibly, of some importance when taken in connection 

 with several other resemblances between old and new 

 world productions, and the many little things which, from 

 time to time, have been observed as indicating resem- 

 blances between the ancient nations of America with those 

 of Egypt and Assyria, and with the oft recurring mention 

 of the white man in the old myths of the new world. 



From what I have said I beg not to be misunderstood 

 as conveying the impression that I think there are facts 



