316 AKCILEOLOGY OF MICIIOACHAN. 



it to us. Tlic woid litiamu^ or tlamu, coiresuoiuls to tlic generic word 

 uietiil. TliU.s tliey call iron phdcajictl tiatiui; silver, taijacata ; copper, 

 iiamu charapcti^ oi red metal ; tin, hoij tayacata, watered silver or water 

 of silver; lead, inilixa peti tjUl iai/dcata ; and gold, tiripi. It maybe 

 seen Irom from this that the Tarascans almost e<]ualled the Europeans 

 of their epoch in metallnrgic knowledge. The other peoples of the 

 greater part of America supplied themselves with metals from Michoa- 

 can, aud if we are to heed the light ati'orded us by some objects found 

 in the capital of the Tarascau kingdom, the Miehoacans carried their 

 commerce as far as Nicaragua. In the second session of the interna- 

 tional congress of si)ecial students of xVmerica, held at Luxemburg in 

 the year 1877, Dr. Sanchez, with bold reasoning, refuted some theories 

 put forth byM.de llelhvald regarding native copper. A short time 

 ago a plate of native copper, weighing G arrobas (150 i)0unds), was ex- 

 tia(;ted from a mine, an<l frequently pie(;es of different sizes are found 

 in alnu)st all the luimerous mines of tliis metal in Michoacan. In ad- 

 dition to the objects of wrought cop[»erin our possession extracted from 

 ancient tombs, we i)reserve a fragmentof native <;oi)per, found in a tomb, 

 careiully wrapped in cotlon and covered with small fragments of car- 

 bon. L'rom what we have investigated regarding the mineral wealth 

 of Michoacan, we dare to affirm that it is in this branch the richest 

 State of the whole Ivepublic. Finally, we will state that in an ancient 

 sepulcher we lind a small vessel full of native cinnabar. 



No. 29. As in the preceding ones, the hill is seen in its middle part. 

 Two men are advancing towards it and ascending. On the opposite side 

 is another human figure stooping over, as if examining the ground and 

 searching for something, perhaps some metal. At the base of the hill 

 are three heads, and the inscrii)tion reads Apahtsimjan, the luime of a 

 village which still exists aud of uidvuown etymology. 



No. 30. In this square without an inscription we see oidy two human 

 figures walking at a distance aud in different directions, aud some with- 

 ered trees — a sign of vegetable sterility and perhaps of nuneial wealth. 



No. 31. dnndo, place of the bird ; from cuin, bird, aud do, piaceof. In 

 this square is depicted a hill divided by a large raviue, made by the water 

 which descends from its brow. Towards this ravine are advancing two 

 men, who appear to be examining it attentively^ It was the custom 

 among the ancient Tarascans to examine these ravines, either to search 

 the sand brought down by the water aud to separate the gold dust from 

 it or to see if the Hood had uncovered any mine. At the foot of the hill 

 are three heads, and another figure is seen on the side opposite to the 

 two above mentioned. 



No. 32. On some hills are two human ligures, one of whom is intro- 

 ducing his hand into the ground hunting for something; the other has 

 the right hand raised and is attentively examining something contained 

 in it. In the background are two heads. The inscrii)tion is tcvicxio. 



No. 33. We see here a hill, aud two figures in exactly the position as 



