538 MEDICINE-MEN OF THE APACHE. 
be found only in myths. The Aztec devotee picked up a pinch of clay 
in the temple of Tezcatlipoca and ate it with the greatest reverence.! 
Sahagun is quoted by Squier’ assaying that the Mexicans swore by 
the sun and “by our sovereign mother, the Earth,” and ate a piece of 
earth. 
But the use of clay by the Mexicans was not merely a matter of cer- 
emony; clay seems to have been an edible in quite common use. 
Edibleearth was sold openly in the markets of Mexico; “ yaun tierra,” 
says Gomara in the list of foods given by him.* 
The eating of clay was forbidden to Mexican women during preg- 
nancy. 
Diego Duran describes the ceremonial eating of clay in the temples 
of Mexico; ‘‘ Lleg6 el dedo al suelo, y cogiendo tierra en é] lo metio en 
la boca; 4 la eual ceremonia Ilamaban comer tierra santa.”* And again 
he says that in their sacrifices the Mexican nobles ate earth from the 
feet of theidols. ‘‘ Comian tierradela que estaba 4 los pies del Ydolo.”°® 
But the Mexicans did not limit themselves to a ceremonial clay-eating 
alone. Thomas Gage relates that “ they ate a kind of earth, for at one 
season in the yeer they had nets of mayle, with the which they raked up 
a certaine dust that is bred upon the water of the Lake of Mexico, and 
that is kneaded together like unto oas of the sea.” ® 
Diego Duran* mentions the ceremonial clay-eating at the feast of 
Tezcatlipoca agreeing with the note already taken from Kingsborough. 
There is reference to clay-eating in one of the myths given in the 
Popol-Vuh. The Quiche deities Hunahpu and Xbalanqué, desiring to 
overcome the god Cabrakan, fed him upon roasted birds, but-they took 
care to rub one of the birds with “tizate” and to put white powder 
around it. The circle of white powder was, no doubt, a circle of hod- 
dentin or something analogous thereto, intended to prevent any bale- 
ful influence being exercised by Cabrakan. ‘ Mais ils frottérent Pun 
des oiseaux avec du tizate et lui mirent de la poussiére blanche a V’en- 
tour.” ® 
In a footnote the word “tizate” is explained to be a very friable 
whitish earth, used in polishing metals, making cement, ete.: ‘Terre 
blanchatre fort friable, et dont ils se servent pour polir les métaux, 
faire du ciment, ete.” 
Cabeza de Vaca says that the Indians of Florida ate clay—‘‘de la 
terre.”° He says also” that the natives offered him many inesquite 
beans, which they ate mixed with earth—‘ mele avee de la terre.” |! 
1 Kingsborough, vol. 5, p. 198. 
2 Serpent Symbols, p. 55. 
3 Hist.de Méjico p. 348. 
4 Lib. 2, cap. 47, p. 490. 
5 Lib. 1, cap. 18, p. 208. 
® New Survey of the West Indies, London, 1648, p. 51. 
7 Op. cit., vol. 3, cap. 4. 
8 Popol-Vuh (Brasseur de Bourbourg), p. 65. 
*Ternaux-Compans, Voy., vol. 7, p. 143. 
'0Tbid., p. 202. 
11 Purchas, vol. 4. lib. 8, cap. 1, p. 1519; also, Davis, Conquest of New Mexico, p. 84. 
