172 REVIEWS. 
Central America as regal insignia), and itzli, stone; i.e. the stone of the 
quetzal. 
Sahagun mentions four of the Mexican gods who were the especial 
REEN] of the lapidaries, and honored as the inventors of the art tor 
working stones and chalchiuites, 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 un- 
derstood;’ 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 
ee aed the art of cut- 
g precious stones, such as 
pee ving which are green 
stones, much esteemed, and of 
great value.’ ( Torquemada, 
ib. vi., cap. xxiv.) Quetzal- 
coatl himself, according to cer- 
tain traditions, was begotten 
f these stones, which 
the edie Chimalma had 
placed in her bosom. Indeed, 
both among di poti and 
ations 
Seer to ave —— 
in its kind. Its name w& 
to heroes and divinities. The 
ee of water bore the 
ame of Chalchiuitlcuye, the 
the 
Human Skull, Ancient Mexican, inlaid with turquoise and the name of Chalchiuha- 
and obsidian. 
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. iut When a great digni- 
tary 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 eed iuc and which, they say, they place as a heart.’ 
(1b., vol. ii. p. 5 
