HARTMAN: ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF COSTA RICA 61 
lic green, were worn by the kings of Mexico and Central America as regal insignia), 
and itzlz, stone, 7. e., the stone of the quetzal. 
‘‘Sahagun mentions four of the Mexican gods who were the especial patrons of 
the lapidaries, and honored as the inventors of the art ‘of working stones and chal- 
chiuites, and of drilling and polishing them.’ He does not, however, describe the 
process made use of by the Indians in cutting precious stones, ‘ because,’ he says, ‘it 
is so common and well understood’; an omission which his editor, Bustamente, 
regrets, ‘since the art is now entirely lost.’ 
‘“‘Quetzalcoatl, the lawgiver, high-priest, and instructor of the Mexicans in the 
arts, is said to have taught not only the working of metals, but ‘ particularly the art 
of cutting precious stones, such as chalchiuites, which are green stones, much 
esteemed, and of great value.’ (Torquemada, lib. VI, cap. XXIV.) Quetzalcoatl 
himself according to certain traditions was begotten by one of these stones, which 
the goddess Chimalma had placed in her bosom. Indeed both among the Mexicans 
and the nations farther to the southward the chalchihuitl seems to have represented 
everything that was excellent in its kind. Its name was used in compounding 
designations of distinction and honor, and was applied both to heroes and divinities. 
The goddess of water bore the name Chalchiwitlewye, the woman of the Chalchiuites; 
and the name of Chalchiuhapan was often applied to the city of Tlaxcalla, from a 
beautiful fountain of water near it, the color of which, according to Torquemada, 
‘was between blue and green.’ Cortez, according to the same authority, was often 
called ‘Chalchiuitl,’ which is the same as captain of great valor, because chalchiuitl 
is the color of emerald, and the emeralds are held in high estimation among the 
nations. (Monarchia Indiana, Vol. I, p. 435.) When a great dignitary died his 
corpse was richly decorated for burial with gold and plumes of feathers, and ‘ they 
put in his mouth a fine stone resembling emerald, which they call chalchihuitl, and 
which, they say, they place as a heart.’ (Ib., Vol. II, p. 521.) 
‘“Sahagun, in one place describes the chalchihuitl as ‘a jasper of very green 
color, or a common emerald.’ Elsewhere he goes into a very full description of the 
various kinds of green stones which the Mexicans held in esteem, and as his account 
may materially aid in identifying the chalchihuitl, it is subjoined entire : 
“«“The emerald which the Mexicans call quetzalitztl is precious, of great value, 
and is so called because by the word quetzalli they mean to say a very green plume, 
and by ztztli, flint. It issmooth, without spot ; and these peculiarities belong to the 
good emerald ; namely, itis deep green with a polished surface, without stain, trans- 
parent, and at the same time lustrous. There is another kind of stone which is 
ealled quetzalchalchiwitl, so called because it is very green and resembles the chal- 
