﻿Gama on Calendar Stone. 



9 



tory, believing them objects of superstitious rites. The Indians, 

 some fearful that they should be accused of returning to idolatry, 

 others malicious, concealed the truth of their signification, and 

 told fables and exaggerations, not only to the Spaniards, but also 

 to those of their own race who endeavored to inform themselves, 

 as is narrated by Don Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl at the end of 

 the "Complete relation of all things which have happened in New 

 Spain," which refers to their political and historical events, but they 

 all maintain silence in that which regards their ancient religion. 

 There is no one who makes mention in his writings of all their 

 gods, of the forms in which they figured, of the various attributes 

 which they possessed, of their transformations, and the offices with 

 which they distinguished them, and of the mode of worship ren- 

 dered them, and although one or another gave a slight idea of 

 them, and some curates and monks knew much, still, that which 

 they wrote was so little and so obscure, that no one can form a 

 complete idea of their mythology; notwithstanding, by combin- 

 ing the manuscripts of anonymous authors, and what was subse- 

 quently promulgated by curates and monks, one can obtain a good 

 deal, but with the cost of great labors. Those of the monuments, 

 whose description we propose to give, have the good fortune of 

 being verified in the express relations and authority of persons of 

 the most distinguished character, as well as regards their literature, 

 as in the order of events, to which we are obliged to give the 

 greater credit on account of their high antiquity, (but it is no little 

 matter, in things so obscure as the history of the Indians, to find 

 authorities printed which confirm what one has obtained with so 

 much labor). The manuscript narratives in the Mexican language, 

 of which I have made use, are most reliable and truthful. I do not 

 find in them the contradiction I find in others, neither in the sub- 

 stance nor in the manner of relating events, for which reason they 

 always have their highest value with the Spanish savans who pos- 

 sess them. But in some the details are so meager that you learn 

 but little or nothing in regard to the Indians, relating to their 

 mythology, chronology and astronomy. 



From these and other writings, and from ancient picturegraphs, 

 I have deduced the signification of the two stones ; but as it requires 



