160 BUREAU OF AMERICAlir ETHNOLOGY [bull. 28 



feet were bound together with iron chains, and by these they hung 

 him to a ceiba tree *". The execution is represented on page 138 of 

 Codex Vaticanus A; but there he is represented as hanged by the 

 neck in the usual way. From Chimalpahin's words, however, it 

 would seem as though he had been cruelly hung up by the feet. 



The hieroglyph of Quauhtemoc, " swooping eagle ", is represented 

 in section 7 of our manuscript by the head of an eagle and a foot- 

 print directed downward. In the Sahagun manuscript of the 

 Academia de la Historia it is represented by an entire eagle flying 

 downward {d 1, figure 37). In Codex Vaticanus A. plates 137 and 

 138, we also have a swooping eagle and footprints directed down- 

 ward (f/ 2 and d 3, same figure) . 



The remark added in the following division, the eighth of our 

 manuscript, apparently by the same hand which entered the other 

 names and remarks, also refers to Quaiditemoc's death. In order 

 to read the words the fragment must be turned upside down. 



In this division we have two large circles and one small one, filled 

 with an irregular network of lines and painted blue. These are hiero- 

 glyphs of the xiuitl, " turquoise ", a word which, as I stated above, 

 is frequently expressed by a small disk of turquoise mosaic (see m, 

 figure 35), But the word xiuitl means not only "turquoise", but 

 also " grass ", " comet ", and " year ". It is used here in the last 

 sense, for the little flag over the two large circles means " 20 ". The 

 two large circles and one small circle together, therefore, give us 41 

 years. Accordingly, there is written beloAv them hon poval xivitl oce 

 axca, "(it is) now 41 years". Besides the number at the left is 7 

 Calli, "7 house"; that is, the year 1524, the j^ear of Quauhtemoc's 

 death. To the right, beside the number, is 8 Calli, "8 house"; that 

 is, the year 15G5, which is more fully explained by the accompanying 



words: (the numeral is not distinctly legible) del mes de abril 



1565 aiios ("on the — of April of the year 1505 "). From the year 

 1524 to the year 1565 there are actiuilly 41 years. 



The year 1565, in which this note was added, had a certain sig- 

 nificance foi" the descendants of the ancient royal family of Mexico, 

 as in that yeai' Don Luis de Santa Maria Nanacaci])actzin died. He 

 was the son of Acamapichtli and grandson of Ahuitzotl, who was the 

 eighth king of Mexico. He was the last descendant of the ancient 

 royal family, and was still nominally recognized as regent (gober- 

 nador) of Mexico under Spanish rule : " Yehuatl o3^tech tlamico 

 ynic Mexica Tenucha tla(;.'0i:)ipiltin ", says Chimalpahin. This year, 

 therefoi'e, marks the actual end of the ancient royal family, and for 

 this reason Chimalpahin here adds a sketch of the entire ancient 

 history of the city of Mexico and of the Mexican race. We read " that 



« C'liimalpahin, Seventh Relation, pp 104, 195. 



