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SELER] ANCIENT MEXICAN FEATHER ORNAMENTS 69 



ill the flaming- g-arl) of iin cagle-liko ))ird, dyed with the color of the 

 tlauhquechol, or has the head of a similar bird as a helmet mask 

 (J, d., and e^ figure 11, right). The other, distinguished by the date 

 naui Miquiztli, "four death", is elad in a similar but ])lackish l>ird 

 garment or wears its head as a helmet mask {a,, c, and e, left), 



I believe that I am right in recognizing in these two figures the 

 southern counterparts of the red and the black Tezcatlipoca. The 

 same idea certainl}^ underlies them both, and I am even tempted to see 

 a reference to Tezcatlipoca in the footprints, which are given under a, 

 and in the cobweb under both personages in e. Tezcatlipoca descended 

 from heaven by a spider's thread.'* And lo-peyo ("the face or image 

 of the moon ") is the Zapotec name for cobweb. I therefore conclude 

 that the bird dress dyed with the color of the tlauhcjuechol was equiva- 

 lent among southern races to a disguise of the red Tezcatlipoca — that 

 is, Xipe. 



In the little Bilimec picture there is painted on the surface of the 

 fanlike ornament, which is carried on a pole, a broad stripe of deep- 

 rose color and also one of white; that is, the colors of the roseate 

 spoonbill (tlauhquecholli) and the colors of Xipe. In this fanlike 

 ornament, 1 repeat, I find the idea of a bird swooping down with out- 

 spread wings distincth' expressed. 



If these facts are taken into consideration, and if we further con- 

 sider that ill dangerous military enterprises Mexican commanders in 

 chief were accustomed to put on the Xipe dress, formerl}' worn by 

 King Axayacatl (see the passage quoted above from Tezozomoc, chap- 

 ter 91), all must, I think, admit that it is not an idle conjecture if I 

 regard the device with which King Axayacatl is depicted in our draw- 

 ing as a direct illustration of the description which is given in Tezo- 

 zomoc's Cronica Mexicana of the armor which Motecuhzoma wore at 

 the storming of Nopallan. We read there (chapter 84) that Motecuh- 

 zoma awaited his men armado todo de armas, con una divisa muv 

 rica de plumeria, y encima una ave, la pluma de ella muy ricay relum- 

 ])rante, que llaman tlauhqiiecholtontec: iba puesto de modo que pare- 

 cia que iba volando, y debajo un atamborcillo dorado muy resplan- 

 deciente, trenzado con una pluma arriba de la ave arriba diclia. y una 

 rodela dorada de los costean<5s muy fuerte, y unasonajaomichicahuaz, 

 y un espadarte de fuerte nabaja ancha y cortadora ("fully armed, 

 with a very rich device of feathers, and above a bird, its plume very 

 rich and resplendent, which they call tlauhquecholtontec: it was 

 placed in such a manner that it seemed to be flying, and l)elow a small 

 drum, gilded and very shining, braided above with a feather of the 

 above-mentioned l)ir(l, and a very strong shield gilded on the sides, 

 and a rattle (oniichicaliuaz). and a big sword with a strong, wide 

 cuttlno- ))lade''"'). 



" Mendieta. 



