594 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



They are attached to a long cord, which is wound around the leg of the 

 dancer. 



Bells [tzilinilli). — The only instruments of metal in the Museum col- 

 lection of Mexican antiquities are the bronze bells.( ?) These appear to 

 have been in general use by the Mexicans before the Spanish conquest, 

 and they are often found figured in the picture writings representing 

 the various objects which the Aztecs used to pay as 

 tribute to their sovereigns. One of these bells is 

 shown in tig. 239. Mr. W. H. Holmes, in "Ancient Art 

 in the Province of Chiriqui," ^ says : 



A question as to the authenticity of these bells naturally 

 arises, and it maj^ be difficult to show to the satisfactiou of the 

 skeptical miud that any particular specimen is not of European 

 origin or inspiration. At the same time we are not without 

 strong evidences (historical and otherwise) that such bells were 

 in use by the Americans before the advent of tlie whites. * * * 

 The form originated, no doubt, in the rattle, at first a nutshell 

 or a gourd; later it was modeled in clay. With the acknowl- 

 edged skill of these people in the working of metals, there is no 

 reason why the bells described should not have been manufac- 

 tured independently of European aid and influeuce, provided 

 the requisite metal was at hand. It should be observed that, if 

 these early American bells were copied from or based upon 

 Si)anish originals, they would not vary greatly in type with the 

 various seitions from which they are recovered, but it is ob- 

 served that marked and persistent differences do occur. The 

 well-known Mexican bell, an example of which is here outlined in fig. 44 [our fig. 239], 

 although of bronze, is generically distinct in form and construction. 



Similar bells in the United States National Museum not figured are 

 as follows : 



Fig. 239. 



ANCIENT COPPER OR 

 BRONZE BELL. 



Mexico. 



Cat. No. 99041, U.S.N.M. 

 N.stural size. 



Catalogue 

 No. 



97782 

 99035 

 99036 

 99037 

 99038 

 99039 

 99040 

 99042 

 99043 

 99044 

 133198 



Locality. 



Orizaba, Mexico 



Mexico 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Guerrero, Mexico 



Tonango del Valle, Mexico . 

 Mexico 



Num- 

 ber. 



Collector. 



L. IT. Aymo. 

 W. W. Blake. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 

 • Do. 



Do. 

 Ward Batcbelor. 



' Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, j). 51. 



