310 ARCiliEOLOGY OF MlCHOACllAN. 



pears to be addressing those about liiiuj the ceuser is within reach of 

 his baud 5 the staff is uot to be seeu : at his feet are the water jug, 

 l)orringer, aud liourish; at his sides the two trumpeters; there are ouly 

 two heads; four individuals are advauciug toward the pyramid, aud 

 tlie bird is seen perched ou a nopal (cactus) a short distance away; it 

 has no inscription. 



ISTo. 6. The attitude of the i)riest, the incensory, vessels, porringers, 

 flourishes, and trumpeters are as in the preceding; the staff is driven 

 in the ground, the bird resting likewise on the ground; there are four 

 individuals in a squatting i)osture and four on foot; the pyramid is pres- 

 ent and five heads are seen ; the inscription reads xiquipilco, a word of 

 Mexican origin. 



No. 7, Priest, trumpetei'S, incensory, staff, liourish, vessels, and bird 

 as in preceding ; near the pyramid are four individuals standing and 

 one seated ; there are only two heads ; we have also a new personage, 

 vvith a disk in the right hand, aud clotbed exactly like the first priest, 

 but smaller of stature and apparently younger, standing behind the 

 first. Perhaps it is the son of some one of the heads of families or of 

 the priest, who is initiating him in his ministry, seeking, perhaps, a 

 successor. The inscription, which is a Mexican Avord, reads, ayutzinco. 



No. 8. The old priest seated and the new one standing in his presence. 

 The trumi^eters, incensory, vessels, aud bird as before. Seven figures 

 are scattered about in tlie picture and the pyramid in the background. 

 The staff" and flourish are wanting. The latter is not again seen in any 

 of the remaining i)ictures. We notice, also, two foot prints which look 

 as if they were made by a person wearing the now i)opular huarache. 

 The inscription, the first genuine Tarascan we have met with, reads 

 tzacapo, and signifies " stony place," from tzacapu, stone in general, 

 and o, which indicates " place ol" This village exists now. We forgot 

 to observe that the priest holds in his left hand, supported ou his knees 

 and shoulder, the staff, which is perhaps a mark of temporal power as 

 the disk is of si)iritual. It api^ears that in this place he assumed alone 

 the authority which before he divided with the chiefs of the tribes or 

 families. The heads, separated from their bodies, are wanting. 



No. 9. The chief is seated, with the staff in his presence but not the 

 disk. We see the bird, the incensory, two porringers, and the prints 

 of two feet. Three persons are advancing towards the pyramids. Every- 

 thing else which appeared in the other pictures is wanting. The in- 

 scription, in Tarascan, vg-mXh phatsingo. We do not know what it sig- 

 nifies. 



No. 10. Wo see here only the priest seated with the disk in his 

 rigkt hand, the staff in his left. In his presence is the incensory and 

 three heads. We see, also, one of the trumpeters, apparently' on foot, 

 and an object like a torch, of which we know not the signification. The 

 inscription reads cupaquaro, place of meeting ; from ciqMtii or cum- 

 tani, to meet; aro, place o»f. 



