37 



of the sacrificer is covered with one of those 

 pointed caps, which are worn in China, and on 

 the north west coast of America. Opposite this 

 figure is seated the god of fire, Xiuliteuctli Tletl, 

 at whose feet is a sacred vase. In the first year 

 of the Mexican cycle, Tletl is the sign of night 

 for the day on which the vernal eqninox falls. 



The lower compartment (Plate 27, No. 2) re- 

 presents the god Tonacateuctli, holding in his 

 right hand a knife, some leaves of agave, and a 

 bag of incense. We are entirely ignorant what 

 is meant by the two children holding each other 

 by the hand, and of whom a commentator has 

 observed, that " they seem to speak the same 

 language." The serpent placed below the tem- 

 ple might lead us to suspect, that they are the 

 twin children of Cihuacohuatl, the celebrated 

 serpent woman, the Eve of the Aztecks. But the 

 small figures of the Codex Borgianus, fol. 61, 

 are females,. as is evidently indicated by the dis- 

 position of their hair ; while those represented in 

 the manuscript of the Vatican * are males. 



* See Plate 23 of this Atlas. 



