T50 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bult,. 2S 



His successor, in square (52, has for his name hieroglyph a single 

 bead drawn on a strap. This is probably to be read Chalchiuh. 

 The principal j^recious stones among the Mexicans Avere the chal- 

 chiuitl, Avhich comprised jadeite and other stones of a similar green 

 color, and xiuitl, the " turquoise ". Both were represented hieroglyph- 

 ieally as lustrous bodies, like the brilliantly polished mirror tezcatl 

 (marcasite or obsidian), with eyes at the four corners, that is, send- 

 ing out rays in four directions. The forms d to /, figure S-t, represent 

 chalchiuitl; 7, xiuitl; and n, tezcatl. The chalchiuitl was preferred 

 for necklaces (cozcatl), beads, and bracelets (macuextli) because tur- 

 quoise (xiuitl) was too valuable, and was not found in such large 

 pieces. Turquoise was used especially for incrustations and mosiacs. 

 The precious ear pegs (xiuhnacochtli), the diadems of the Mexican 

 kings (xiuhuitzolli), were made of turquoise mosaic. When, instead 

 of the hieroglyphs for chalchiuitl and xiuitl, the object itself was 

 drawn, the word xiuitl was represented by an incrusted disk, /;?, and 

 the word chalchiuitl by one or two strung beads, as we see it in Ji and /, 

 which are taken from a Historia Mexicana of the Aubin-Goupil col- 

 lection (Goupil-Boban Atlas, plates 60, 59). The form h stands for 

 the chalca tribe, which is designated by the hieroglyph chalchiuitl, d, 

 in a corresponding representation in the Boturini codex, published in 

 the Kingsborough collection. The form / expresses the name of one of 

 the four barrios of Aztlan, which is also to be read Chalco. On the 

 lienzo of Tlaxcala the town of Chalco is also designated by a large 

 l)ead. Comparison with these figures places it, I think, beyond a 

 doubt, that the hieroglyjjh in square G2 of column a is likewise to be 

 read Chalchiuh. 



Of the persons in column a there still remains the one in square 72. 

 The name hieroglyph is plainly a shield, but there was something 

 else above it which can no longer be deciphered, as only a few rem- 

 nants of blue paint are left of it. Possibly there was a blue royal 

 headband above it, in which case it would have to be read Chimalte- 

 cuhtli. A man by this name, chieftain of Calixtlahuacan, is men- 

 tioned in the Anales de Chimalpahin in the year 1484. 



Finally, there is still the hieroglyph of a place, section G8 in column 

 A. xVrrows are drawn flying toward it or sticking into it. This 

 is j^robably meant to signify the conquest of that place. The 

 hieroglyph consists of the well-known drawing of a mountain 

 (tepetl), of a string of beads laid around its summit (cozcatl, " neck- 

 lace "), and a number of objects on the top of the mountain which I 

 can not explain with any degree of certainty. The object which 

 forms the actual pinnacle of the mountain is painted brown, and 

 oblique stripes are plainly visible, between whicji the color seems to 

 be darker. This may therefore possibly represent the hieroglyph 

 of stone (tetl). The square body above it is painted black. This 



