sEi-ER] THE MEXICAN CHROlSrOLOGY 121 



grown out of the oleiiients of the person represented on the vessel, and 

 represent rather an earlier stage of alcul-shaped hieroglyphs of the 

 Maya kind than an imitation of them. 



In conclusion I would say that 1 have been able to emphasize only a 

 few definite points in a wide and interesting- territory, which, unfor- 

 tunately, like most of the reg'ions of ancient Mexican and Central 

 American civilizations, is little explored. But I believe the preceding 

 remarks will show that we may hope that more complete archeologic 

 research will further enlighten us in regard to the early history of 

 these ancient peoples, and will make comprehensible the incomplete, 

 uncertain, and contradictor}^ reports of the historian. It is to be 

 hoped that our young countrymen who go to these regions will follow 

 the example of Mr Dieseldorfi" and Doctor Sapper, and will, above all, 

 bear in mind that the dumb witnesses of a past world, recovered from 

 the earth, should not 1)0 buried anew in a drawing room, but that their 

 place is in a public institution, where they can be preserved for pos- 

 terity, and where, classed with kindred documents, they may be sub- 

 jected to careful comparison, and in this way be made to speak. 



