AZTEC AND PERUVIAN FISHING 



23 



From the circles or dots we learn that the age of one youth 

 depicted was thirteen, and from the two connected ovals 

 marked with small dashes that his allowance of food consisted 

 of two cakes or tortillas a meal. Fourth, by the symbol before 

 his mouth, that the father is speaking. The symbol very 

 roughly reminds us of the Assyrian system of signs which 

 determine the nature or subject of a word, as the two hundred 

 odd fish mentioned in Asur-bani-pal's Hbrary at Nineveh 

 signify. 



000 

 OOOOO 



00000 



t" 



AZTEC BOATING, 



From the Mendoza Codex, vol. i. pi, 61, fig, 3, 



But Mexico as a staff in our quest of priority breaks in our 

 hands. The Museo Nacional a few years ago contained nothing 

 of prehistoric fishing interest except perhaps a notched stone 

 sinker. Greater disappointment still, the wealth of ancient 

 Maya information from the monuments of Merida yields us 

 sometimes fish, but never fishing scenes. ^ 



From ancient Peru I had hoped help, but neither the four 



^ From a letter from the representative in Mexico of the Smithsonian 

 Institute, who adds : " My belief is that the Mayas used the Spear, the Net, 

 and the Bow and Arrow. That is all I can give you at present : should any- 

 thing else turn up. I will let you know." In A Study of Maya Art, an elaborate 

 work by Herbert J. Spinder {Peabody Museum Memoirs, Harvard University, 

 1913), I have failed to find any fishing scenes or any ancient fishing implements 

 depicted. 



