248 



CERTAIN ANTIQUITIES OF EASTERN TiIEXICO [eth. Ann. ;;5 



!<eulptured in relief is iihout ilO feet in leiigtli, tlie upper part of the 

 bod}' beiny horizontal, the lower vertical and zig-zag in form. The 

 image is cnt on the perpendicular face of a rock that has at its base a 

 spring, the tail of the serpent being hidden in this spring.*' It would 

 naturiilly be supposed that this image was formerly worsliioed as a 

 water o-od. 



Inl !it Toxolo. (Back view.) 



MODERN XK'(K'1IIMALC( ) 



The present pueblo Xicochimalco was foiuided after the Conquest 

 by descendants of the people of Xico Viejo. Most of its population 

 are Indians and speak the Aztec, or Mexican, language. Their feast 

 daj' occurs on July 22, when they have a dramatization of the Con- 

 quest with jwrsonations of Malinche, Cortes, ^locteziuna. Moors, and 

 Spaniards.'' 



The conclusions regarding tiie two ruins near Xico are that the 

 mounds at Texolo are much the older *■ and were constructed ))\' a highly 

 cultured people, superior to the Aztec, to whom they contributed 

 both blood and culture. The second ruin, now called Xico Viejo. was 

 a flourishing Aztec pueblo or garrison town, recently settled when 

 Cortes passed through the country. The present Xico, containing 

 descendants fi'om both the previous settiements, was founded later 

 than the Conquest by descendants of those who inhabited Xico Viejo; 

 its inhabitants now speak Nahua and claim both Texolo and Xico 

 Viejo as ancestral settlements, but racially they are closer to the 

 people of the latter than to those of the former. The bearings of 

 artifacts from t\w Texolo mounds on these conclusions will be con- 

 sidered later. 



a Probably the stone serpent mentioned l)y Rivera (Ilistoria de Jalapa) as near Jala pa. For a figure 

 ot a goddess of water forming a fountain, see Nebel's picture of an image from Tusapau. 



b Tlie neigliboring pueblo, Teoeelo ("divine tiger"), where there is a large Indian population , like- 

 wise represent.s in tlie fiesta of its patron saint, Negros, Tocontines, Santlagos. and Moros, but 

 the celebration occurs on .\ugust 15. 



cThe inhabitants of Texolo may have been contemporary with those of San .Juan Teotihuacan and 

 their epoch may have antedated tlie rise and extension of the Aztec confederacy. Their interme- 

 diate descendants may have been Totonac or some related people. 



