354 APPENDIX 



time in hot countries. The Tlafcalans called this month 



Xilomaniliztli^ or the oblation of ears of maize \ becaufe 

 in it they offered to their gods thofe of the paft year to 

 obtain profperity to the feed, which about this time be- 

 gan to be fown in high grounds. 



The figure of the fecond month, appears at firfi:' fight 

 to be a pavilion, but we believe it is rather a human ficin 

 ill defigned, to exprefs that which is meant by the name 

 Tlacaxipehualit%H^ which they gave to this month, or 

 ikinning of men, on account of the barbarous rite of 

 fkinning human vi(5lims, at the feftival of the god of the 

 goldfmiths. The Tlafcalans called this month Coailhuitl^ 

 or general feflival, and reprefented it by the figure of 

 a ferpent wound about a fan, and an Ajacaxtli. The 

 fan and the Ajacaxtli denote the dances which were then 

 made, and the coiled ferpent fignifies their generality. 



The figure of the third month is that of a bird upon 

 a lancet. The lancet fignifies the fpilling of blood, which 

 was made during the nights of this month ; but we do 

 not know what bird it is, nor what it means. 



The fourth month is reprefented by the figure of a 

 fmall building, upon which appear fome leaves of ruflies, 

 fignifying the ceremony which they performed in this 

 month of putting rufiies, fvvord-grafs, and other herbs, 

 dipped in blood, which they flied in honour of their 

 gods, over the doors of their houfes. 



The Tlafcalans reprefented the third month by a lan- 

 cet, to fignify the fame kind of penance ; and the fourth 

 month by a large lancet, to denote that during it they 

 did fiiill greater penance. 



The figure of the fifth month is that of a human head, 

 with a necklace under it, reprefenting thofe chaplets or 

 wreaths of crifp maize which they wore about their 



necks, 



