SOME REMAINS of ANTIQUITY. 199 



probable, they were appended to feme part of the body 

 of thedeceafed. 



Perhaps, thefe ftones were worn, or confidered, as 

 jewels by the perfon with whom they were buried. 

 Acofta fays, that the places in which the dead among the 

 Mexicans were buried, were their gardens, and the courts 

 of their own houfes. Some of the dead bodies were car- 

 ried to the places of facrlfices, in the mountains. Others 

 were burnt, and the aflies were buried in the temples. 

 Along with the bodies, they buried all their apparel, pre- 

 cious ftones, and jewels. The afhes of thofe which were 

 burnt were put into pots, together with the jewels, ftones, 

 and ear-rings of the dead, however precious they might be.* 



Although I have confidered thefe ftones as merely in- 

 tended for ornamental purpofes, yet, it is not impoffible, 

 that they may have been ufed for fuperftitious purpofes, 

 like fomc of the articles, which I am afterwards to take 

 notice of. Acofta fays, the Mexicans had an idol which 

 was much efteemed among them. This idol, which was 

 their god of repentance, and of jubilees, and pardons for 

 their fms, was called Tezcallipuca. It was made of a 

 black, fliining ftone, and had ear-rings of gold and filver, 

 and through the lower lip a cryflal^ half a foot in length. 

 This cryftal was hollow, and they fometimes put into it 

 a green feather, and fometimes an azure one, which 

 made the cryftal, at one time, refemble an emerald, and, 

 at another time, a turquois. At the neck, there hung a 

 jewel, fo large that it covered all the ftomach : upon the 

 arms, there were bracelets of gold, and at the navel a 

 xvit\ green ftone.-f- 



Clavigero fays that among the Mexicans, " emeralds 

 were fo common, that no lord or noble wanted them, 

 and none of them died without having one fixed to lu's 



* Lib. 5. chap. 8. p. 348. Englifh Tranflaticn. 

 + Lib. 5. chap. 9. p. 353. 



C C 2 lip, 



