6 The Mexican Zodiac. 



Mexican days on which these two occurred in the XIII Acatl." 

 He also informs us that this Zodiac is a true meridional clock, 

 by means of which the Mexicans knew the eight intervals of 

 the artificial day ; four for the morning, and four for the 

 evening, from the rising to the setting of the sun, as shown, 

 most probably, by the shadows of the eight gnomons fixed in 

 the holes in the circumference. 



In the second lot of presents sent by Montezuma to Cortez, 

 were two circular plates, one of gold, the other of silver, as 

 large as carriage wheels. One, representing the sun, was 

 richly carved, or in relief, " with tufts of plants and animals." 

 It was valued at nearly £60,000. The silver wheel weighed 

 some fifty lbs. At Tlascala, with other presents from Monte- 

 zuma, were " embossed gold plates" (Zodiacs) . In a pond in 

 Guatemozin's garden, the soldiers of Cortez found "a sun, as 

 it was called ;" this was one of the Zodiacs, or Aztec calendar 

 wheels. Benvenuto Cellini saw some of these things, and was 

 filled with admiration. They all went into the melting-pot 

 •centuries ago ; but if they had been preserved, they might 

 have assisted us in deciphering with accuracy the stone Zodiac 

 which we have endeavoured to describe. 



No pains have been taken to preserve the stone Zodiac 

 from injury. It is now stuck in the wall of the tower of the 

 cathedral, and has been exposed to the action of the weather 

 and other causes of injury ever since its discovery. Thus 

 some of the details we have described can with difficulty be 

 made out at the present time; but by referring to the 

 engraving illustrating Grama's rare work, published in Mexico 

 sat the beginning of this century, much aid is given. This 

 drawing, though, as before remarked, not complete, was made 

 when the Zodiac was in better condition than it has been for 

 many years. 



As very few Europeans have studied the curious subject of 

 the astronomy of the Red Man, whose peculiar form of civili- 

 zation reached its highest development, under diversified 

 conditions, in the countries of Mexico and Peru, it may seem 

 surprising that so much scientific knowledge should be im- 

 puted to them, as is involved in the descriptions of the stone 

 Zodiac. 



There can, however, be no doubt that the Red race arrived 

 at a very considerable acquaintance with celestial phenomena. 

 In Grave Creek Mound, Western Virginia, stone tubes have 

 been found, supposed to have been intended for viewing 

 the stars, after the manner practised by early oriental na- 

 tions. 



In ancient Mexico, where science was more advanced, the 

 causes of eclipses were known. The learned men gave an 



