VALUE OF ANCIENT MEXICAN MANUSCRIPTS TOZZER. 497 



than the pictures shown in this manuscript. Every detail recorded 

 in the picture is described in the Spanish texts covering these points. 



It is not possible in the present paper to enter into a discussion of 

 the different uses of picture writing among the Mexicans. From our 

 point of view much that appears as mere decoration, as ornament, 

 on the sculptured facades of the buildings and on the bas-reliefs are 

 far more than decorative designs. There is in every case a meaning, 

 however hidden it may be by the complication of the design. 



Picture writing may develop along two lines, the first to a form of 

 conventionalized pictures and the second to one characterized by 

 symbolic forms, which in turn may become conventionalized. Con- 

 ventionalization shows itself often in stereotyped forms used over and 

 over again to express the same idea. The mountain almost always 

 appears as shown in figures 3-5. All the top part is painted green, the 

 bottom yellow with a line of red above. The color of the original 

 drawings is a great aid in identifying the pictures. 



The usual form of house is shown in figure 3, water as in figure 4 

 at the top of the mountain. The water is usually colored blue. 



Symbolism may appear in the use of the part for the whole, the 



*r v -*r 



Fig. 1. 



picture of the whole body of a jaguar may give way to a representa- 

 tion of the head, or, still further, the idea of the animal may be 

 expressed by the spotting of the skin. The road traveled is shown 

 by footprints, as in figure 1. Night is pictured by the stars in a 

 circular field, as seen in the Mendoza manuscript (pi. 4, n). Death 

 is often shown by a skull. 



Symbolism and conventionalism may appear in the same figure. 

 Speech and song are usually expressed by a commalike form in front 

 of the mouth, as shown before the parents instructing their children 

 (pis. 2-5). These speech forms sometimes go so far as to indicate 

 the actual character of the speech. An example taken from a stone 

 bas-relief in Yucatan 1 illustrates this point (fig. 2). The whole 

 design, of which that shown in figure 2 is only a small part, centers 

 around an altar, behind which is shown the feathered serpent. 

 Speech scrolls are indicated before the mouths of all the personages. 

 The warrior above is bringing his offering of weapons. He has 

 before his mouth, separated only by his breast ornament, the con- 



i This bas-relief forms the back of the lower chamber of the Temple of the Tigers at Chichen Itza. For 

 a drawing of the whole design, see Maudslay, 1S95-1902, vol. 3, pi. 49. An explanation of the design is 

 given in Seler, 1898. 



38734°— sm 1911 32 



