SELER] THE VASE OF CHAMA 655 



Indian intended for sacrifice, and Mr Forstemann refers us to page ()0 

 of the Dresden manuscript, where Ave see a captive kneelini? at the 

 feet of a warrior armed with shield and spear and adorned with a 

 great feather crown. 



Whoever is willing to conclude that the person in question (e, 

 according to Dieseldorff's designation) is an Indian intended for 

 sacrifice, merely because he is represented kneeling, may do so. 

 But I do not believe that he will succeed in finding anything to 

 support his theory in any pictorial representation of a Maya manu- 

 script or Mexican picture Avriting. To me it seems indubitable 

 that this figure (see plate xlviii) is not meant to represent a prisoner. 

 In their pictorial representations these ancient peoples were wont to 

 speak a language which can not so easily be misunderstood. The pris- 

 oner was dragged to the spot by the hair of his head. That is the 

 usual mode of representation in Mexican picture writing and on 

 Mexican reliefs. That was the actual procedure in the worshi[> of the 

 Mexicans when a prisoner was offered as a sacrifice. Or else the pris- 

 oner is represented as a captive, with arms bound behind his back, or 

 carried in a bag like a trophy of the chase. It is thus in the l\Iaya 

 manuscripts. Mr Forstemann goes still more into detail in describ- 

 ing his picture. lie believes he recognizes in the object which the 

 person e has in his hand either a badge of office or a Ijroken spear. He 

 sees an arrow head sticking in the lower jaw, and the right hand seems 

 to him to be raised in agony toward the wound. And, lastly, he is 

 inclined to consider the flower visible at the back of the neck as a 

 symbol for blood, the result of an association of ideas produced by 

 the similarity of sound between quix (" thorn "), and quic (" blood "). 

 Precisely Avhat Mr Forstemann takes for the arrow head })iercing 

 the lower jaw, whether it is the two last hairs of the beard, or the 

 black marking, which seems to be below the upper- lip, or perhaps 

 the two ear pegs, I frankly confess I do not know. As for the 

 gesture of the right hand, which is moreover exactly the same as 

 that of the last personage, the companion of the advancing chief- 

 tain, it has quite a different and a very definite meaning. It was the 

 customarjr salute among the pagan Mayas, or rather a sign of 

 humility and submission, the sign of peaceful intent." 



The gesture is perfect!}^ comprehensible. The hand in which the 

 enemy holds his weapon, the hand with which he deals a blow, is turned 

 backward, away from the one who is to be peacefully saluted. The 

 weapon which is held in the right hand was probably laid aside for 



« See Cogolludo, v. 0, cap. 8, and Villagiitierre y Sotomayor, v. 2. cap. 2 : Luego que 

 llegaron, saludrtron los dos eapitanes (Itzaex), tt los dos Ueligioso.s. ii su iisanca (que es, 

 echar el braro derecho solire el ombro, en sofial de paz y amistad), that is they saluted 

 the two monks after their fashion, by raising the right arm upward toward the shoulder, 

 as a sign of peace and friendship. 



