COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 31 



A number of examples, varying in shape and marking, of stones with 

 fiat, striated sides, supposed to be for pounding leaves and bark so as 

 to reduce them to the condition of fibrous cloth or paper, were also 

 noticeable. 1 Closely related to them in appearance were a number of 

 stamps and seals in stone and terra-cotta derived from Aztec provinces. 

 There is no doubt that these were used for the purpose of stamping 

 designs on clothing, examples of which have been found in some of the 

 ancient remains. 



In terra-cotta objects from the Totonacos, should also be mentioned 

 numerous toys in baked clay, little dishes and small figures clearly 

 designed to be used as playthings by children. From the same material 

 there were a large number of those half spherical objects, pierced with 

 a hole in the center, usually classed as &quot; spindle whorls,&quot; and which no 

 doubt were often used as such; but which also in some cases were 

 employed as ornaments, being strung on a cord and suspended around 

 the neck. 



An interesting exhibit in this collection was an especial collection 

 from Oampeche, on the coast of Yucatan, known as the &quot; collection of 

 Pedro Baranda,&quot; principal of the institute of Oampeche. It contained 

 a number of clay idols of small size, some peculiar in form, and also 

 stone objects, weapons, arrow points, chisels, etc. 



The whole of the collection from Mexico was extremely well arranged, 

 and aiforded a pleasing spectacle to the eye of the visitor. The labels 

 were well-written and clear, and a large number of casts of the most 

 important objects in the National Museum of Mexico, which, on 

 account of their value or size, could not be sent to Madrid, conveyed 

 a correct idea of the riches of that governmental institution. These 

 casts included the famous calendar stone, the sacrificial stone, the 

 statue of Tlaloc, and many others. The only criticism which might be 

 offered was concerning the names of some of the tribes to which cer 

 tain objects were referred. For example, it can scarcely be held advis 

 able at present to refer products of human art to such doubtful, if not 

 fabulous, peoples as the Olmecs, the Toltecs, or the Teochichimecs ; but 

 this slight objection does not in any way derogate from the general 

 high character of the exhibit displayed by the Government of the 

 Eepublic of Mexico. 



All the articles were well displayed for easy inspection and study. 

 In connection with them were a number of copies of ancient Mexican 

 documents, offering a valuable basis on which to erect an explanation of 

 the intricate method of counting time adopted by these ancient nations. 

 Several remarkable objects in stone should be classified with these. 

 They represented a number of rods or canes tied together into a bundle, 

 these rods or canes being fifty-two in number, as indicated by the cut 

 ting of the stone on its two extremities and surfaces. These curious 



1 On these see Walter Hough, in Science, January 6, 1893, and iny remarks in the 

 same journal, March 10, 1893. 



