﻿Gama on Calendar Stone. 



11 



Bernardo Bonavia y Zapata, conducive to the perpetual preserva- 

 tion of these images, and preservation of memorials in regard to 

 them, as precious monuments, which display the knowledge 

 possessed by the Indian nation in the times anterior to their con- 

 quest, about which matters they took no care in subsequent times, 

 for it was determined then to hide from the Indians all that might 

 tend to remind them of their passed idolatries, together with what 

 remained of the ancient history of the nation, which was wholly, 

 or at least in part, deprived of original documents that showed this 

 people to be one of the most civilized and statesman-like nations 

 in the new world, and defended them against the calumnies with 

 which foreign nations have always stigmatized them. 



The same day the notice was published, the Mayor sent tor me, 

 influenced by his great benignity, and communicated to me not only 

 the measures he had taken, impelled by his zeal, solicitude and 

 energy, which he displayed in matters that were committed to his 

 care ; but also informed me of the legal steps he had taken upon 

 the event of the finding of those stones ; in order that the public 

 should know all about them, as to the days, hours and places where 

 they were found. The effect upon the antiquarian literature, and 

 the desire to illustrate the history of Mexico, is sufficiently mani- 

 fested by the official letter with which he imparted to His Excellency 

 Senor Virey, the notice of this find; insisting, that at once meas- 

 ures should be taken in order that the preservation and security 

 of the first statue should be maintained — which measure His Ex- 

 cellency approved, in the same terms as proposed in the official ex- 

 pression, which is thus stated in said letter : 



"Most Excellent Sir : In the excavations which are being made 

 in the Plaza of the Palace, for the construction of the water pipes — 

 as you know, there was found a figure in stone of considerable size, 

 which is acknowledged to be anterior to the conquest. I consider 

 it worthy to be preserved, on account of its antiquity and on ac- 

 count of the scarcity of the monuments which remain of those times, 

 and of the matters which contribute to illustrate them ; being per- 

 suaded, that with this object in view, I could not place it in better 

 hands than those of the Royal and Pontifical University. It ap- 

 pears to me most suitable to place it there, not doubting that it will 



