CONCLUSION
In view of the considerable number of objects of stone mosaic that were sent to Europe during the first years of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, part of the loot obtained by Hernán Cortés, it is quite possible that other examples are still hidden away either in Spain or in Italy, which some day will be brought to light. Only twenty years ago two wonderfully preserved carved ceremonial spear-throwers, or atlatls, of wood, covered with delicate gold-leaf, were found in an old leather-covered case in a house in Florence, and are now exhibited in the Ethnological Museum of that city. It is not to be doubted that they were sent from Mexico by Cortés himself, and remained stored away, unknown to the world, until recent times. Bushnell, who figured and described these atlatls, believes that they were formerly in the famous collection of the Medicis, and that other objects of Mexican origin may be hidden away in Italy, to be revealed from time to time.[110]Again, in 1891, Mrs. Zelia Nuttall was the first to bring to our notice the important mosaic shield, and the still more interesting feather-mosaic shield in the Castle Ambras near Innsbruck, which were shortly afterward transferred to the ethnographical section of the State Natural History Museum in Vienna.[111]
We should call attention here to the possibilities of finding mosaics in Mexico, emphasizing the fact that the collection in the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, was found under archeological conditions. Until now we have been somewhat sceptical in regard to the possibility of wooden objects of such a fragile and perishable nature being discovered either in tombs or in ruined buildings in Middle America. As we have already written, the few traces of this mosaic art found heretofore in excavations have been of a fragmentary character. No specimens of wood covered with mosaic have been found previously in Mexico, with the exception of thesmall rim of wood excavated by Gamio in Zacatecas, and the four pieces from Chichen Itza. In the tropical and temperate zones, where the most important ancient sites are situated, artifacts of wood of any sort have rarely been unearthed. It is true that in some of the remote villages carved wooden drums (teponaztli) have been religiously guarded from the time of the conquest, and are brought out and played at certain festivals during the year. But these drums are kept in the cabildos, and are preserved with zealous care.
We would again call attention to the statement of Sahagun regarding the tradition of the abandonment of Tula, that Quetzalcoatl ordered certain precious things to be buried in the neighboring hills and ravines. This, of course, refers to times long anterior to the coming of white men. After this unfortunate event, fatal indeed to the Indian, the natives undoubtedly secreted a vast amount of material. The circumstances concerning this have been told by Father Motolinia. As this account is but little known, we have translated literally the entire chapter, for it reveals to us the miserable state into which the aborigines had fallen within twenty years after their subjugation.
Of how there was an end of idols and of the feasts which the Indians were wont to prepare, and of the vanity and the endeavor which the Spaniards displayed in (their) search for idols.The feasts which the Indians made, as is told in the first part (of this book), with their ceremonies and pomp, all ended from the beginning (of the time) that the Spaniards were making war (on them), because the Indians had so much to think about in their tribulations that they did not think of their gods, not even of themselves, because they had so much sorrow that in order to remedy that, all the principal (things in their lives) were stopped.In every town they had an idol or demon whom they considered chiefly as their mediator, and called him such, and they honored and adorned him with jewels and garments, and the best they could find they offered him, each town as it was (able to), and more so in the capitals of provinces. These principal idols I mention, as soon as the city of Mexico was taken by the Spaniards, with their jewels andwealth the Indians hid in the most secret place they could find; a large part of the gold that was on (or with) the idols and in the temples they gave as tribute to the Spaniards under whose patronage they belonged; for they could not do otherwise because in the beginning the tributes were so excessive that all the Indians could scrape together or search for, nor what the lords and chiefs had, would suffice; besides, they were forced (to pay tributes) with such iniquity that they also gave the gold they had in the temples of the demons (idols), and even when this was exhausted they paid tribute in slaves, and many times not having slaves in order to comply (with the taxes), they gave free (Indians) as slaves.These principal idols, with the insignia and ornaments or garments belonging to the demons, the Indians hid, some in the earth, others in caves, and still others in the woods. Later, when the Indians became converted and were baptized, they unearthed many (of them), and they brought them to the courtyards of the churches to burn them publicly. Others rotted in the earth, because after the Indians had received (or accepted) the Faith, they were ashamed to take out those they had hidden, and would rather let them rot than that anyone should know that they hid them. And when they were importuned to tell (talk) about their principal idols and their vestments, they took them out, all decayed, of which I am a witness, for I have seen it (done) many times. The excuse they gave was good, for they said, “When we hid it, we did not know God, and we thought the Spaniards would soon return to their (own) country, and after we came to understand (about) God, we left it to rot, because we were afraid and ashamed to take it out.” In other towns these principal idols with their vestments were in the care of the lords or of the principal priests of the demons, and those kept them so secretly that hardly anyone knew about them except two or three people who guarded them, and of these (idols) they also brought a very large number to the monasteries to burn them. In many other remote villages, far away from Mexico, when the monks went there to preach, they told them in their sermons and before christening them that the first thing they had to do was to bring all the idols they had and all the insignias of the demons to burn (them): and in this manner they also gave and brought a large quantity which was publicly done in many parts (of the country): because wherever the doctrine and the word of God has reached, not a thing has remainedthat they knew or could tell about, for if from now on for a hundred years they should dig in the courts of the temples of the ancient idols, they would always find idols, because there were so many that they had made: for it happened that when a child was born they made an idol, and the following year (they made) one a little larger, and after four years they made another one, and as the child grew up they went on making idols, and of these (idols) the foundations and walls are filled, and in the courts there are many of them. In the year (15)39 and in the year (15)40 several Spaniards, some with authority and some without it, to show their zeal of the Faith, and thinking that they were accomplishing something (worth while), began to dig and to unearth the dead and to urge the Indians that they should give them idols: and in some parts (of the country) this reached such a stage that the Indians went to look for the idols that were decayed and forgotten in the earth, and some of the Indians were even so sorely tormented that, to tell the truth, they made new idols and gave them (to the Spaniards) that they should cease maltreating them.Mixed with the great zeal they (the Spaniards) showed in searching for idols, (there was) not a little covetousness, and it was because the Spaniards (would say), in such a village, or in such a parish, there are (were) idols of gold, or of chalchihuitl which is a stone of great value, and they imagined that there was an idol weighing ten or fifteen arrobas: but in truth they came (too) late, because all the gold and precious stones were spent and cashed in and safely in the power (hands) of the Spaniards who first held those Indians under their jurisdiction. They also thought of finding an idol of stone which would be worth as much as a city, and certainly, although I have seen many idols which were adored and held highly by the Indians and (were) very (greatly) revered as chief gods, and some were of chalchihuitl, the one which seemed to me to be worth most, I do not think that in Spain they would give ten pesos of gold for it: for this they upset and stir and scandalize the towns with their truly indiscrete zeal, because if there really is still an idol in some village, it is either rotten or so (completely) forgotten or (held or kept) so secretly that in a town of ten thousand inhabitants there are not even five who know it, and they hold them for what they are, either for stones or for wood. Those who thus upset these Indians who go their straight way, are like Laban who went to meet Jacob to look for his property, and to upset his house in search of his idols,because of this that I am telling here I have great experience and I (can) see the deceit in which they go about and the way they have to disturb and disfavor (hurt) these poor Indians who have forgotten so absolutely their idols, as if it were a hundred years ago (that they had had them).[112]
Of how there was an end of idols and of the feasts which the Indians were wont to prepare, and of the vanity and the endeavor which the Spaniards displayed in (their) search for idols.
The feasts which the Indians made, as is told in the first part (of this book), with their ceremonies and pomp, all ended from the beginning (of the time) that the Spaniards were making war (on them), because the Indians had so much to think about in their tribulations that they did not think of their gods, not even of themselves, because they had so much sorrow that in order to remedy that, all the principal (things in their lives) were stopped.
In every town they had an idol or demon whom they considered chiefly as their mediator, and called him such, and they honored and adorned him with jewels and garments, and the best they could find they offered him, each town as it was (able to), and more so in the capitals of provinces. These principal idols I mention, as soon as the city of Mexico was taken by the Spaniards, with their jewels andwealth the Indians hid in the most secret place they could find; a large part of the gold that was on (or with) the idols and in the temples they gave as tribute to the Spaniards under whose patronage they belonged; for they could not do otherwise because in the beginning the tributes were so excessive that all the Indians could scrape together or search for, nor what the lords and chiefs had, would suffice; besides, they were forced (to pay tributes) with such iniquity that they also gave the gold they had in the temples of the demons (idols), and even when this was exhausted they paid tribute in slaves, and many times not having slaves in order to comply (with the taxes), they gave free (Indians) as slaves.
These principal idols, with the insignia and ornaments or garments belonging to the demons, the Indians hid, some in the earth, others in caves, and still others in the woods. Later, when the Indians became converted and were baptized, they unearthed many (of them), and they brought them to the courtyards of the churches to burn them publicly. Others rotted in the earth, because after the Indians had received (or accepted) the Faith, they were ashamed to take out those they had hidden, and would rather let them rot than that anyone should know that they hid them. And when they were importuned to tell (talk) about their principal idols and their vestments, they took them out, all decayed, of which I am a witness, for I have seen it (done) many times. The excuse they gave was good, for they said, “When we hid it, we did not know God, and we thought the Spaniards would soon return to their (own) country, and after we came to understand (about) God, we left it to rot, because we were afraid and ashamed to take it out.” In other towns these principal idols with their vestments were in the care of the lords or of the principal priests of the demons, and those kept them so secretly that hardly anyone knew about them except two or three people who guarded them, and of these (idols) they also brought a very large number to the monasteries to burn them. In many other remote villages, far away from Mexico, when the monks went there to preach, they told them in their sermons and before christening them that the first thing they had to do was to bring all the idols they had and all the insignias of the demons to burn (them): and in this manner they also gave and brought a large quantity which was publicly done in many parts (of the country): because wherever the doctrine and the word of God has reached, not a thing has remainedthat they knew or could tell about, for if from now on for a hundred years they should dig in the courts of the temples of the ancient idols, they would always find idols, because there were so many that they had made: for it happened that when a child was born they made an idol, and the following year (they made) one a little larger, and after four years they made another one, and as the child grew up they went on making idols, and of these (idols) the foundations and walls are filled, and in the courts there are many of them. In the year (15)39 and in the year (15)40 several Spaniards, some with authority and some without it, to show their zeal of the Faith, and thinking that they were accomplishing something (worth while), began to dig and to unearth the dead and to urge the Indians that they should give them idols: and in some parts (of the country) this reached such a stage that the Indians went to look for the idols that were decayed and forgotten in the earth, and some of the Indians were even so sorely tormented that, to tell the truth, they made new idols and gave them (to the Spaniards) that they should cease maltreating them.
Mixed with the great zeal they (the Spaniards) showed in searching for idols, (there was) not a little covetousness, and it was because the Spaniards (would say), in such a village, or in such a parish, there are (were) idols of gold, or of chalchihuitl which is a stone of great value, and they imagined that there was an idol weighing ten or fifteen arrobas: but in truth they came (too) late, because all the gold and precious stones were spent and cashed in and safely in the power (hands) of the Spaniards who first held those Indians under their jurisdiction. They also thought of finding an idol of stone which would be worth as much as a city, and certainly, although I have seen many idols which were adored and held highly by the Indians and (were) very (greatly) revered as chief gods, and some were of chalchihuitl, the one which seemed to me to be worth most, I do not think that in Spain they would give ten pesos of gold for it: for this they upset and stir and scandalize the towns with their truly indiscrete zeal, because if there really is still an idol in some village, it is either rotten or so (completely) forgotten or (held or kept) so secretly that in a town of ten thousand inhabitants there are not even five who know it, and they hold them for what they are, either for stones or for wood. Those who thus upset these Indians who go their straight way, are like Laban who went to meet Jacob to look for his property, and to upset his house in search of his idols,because of this that I am telling here I have great experience and I (can) see the deceit in which they go about and the way they have to disturb and disfavor (hurt) these poor Indians who have forgotten so absolutely their idols, as if it were a hundred years ago (that they had had them).[112]
Hernándo Ruiz de Alarcon, in his treatise on the superstitions of the natives of New Spain, relates that when they went to the hills or other remote places where their idols were hidden away, or to certain piles of stones where they often made offerings and sacrifices, they carried there offerings which were sometimes copal incense wrapped inquauhamatl, a kind of white paper made from the bark of a soft tree. This work, written in 1620, is entitled,Tratado de las Supersticiones y Costumbres Gentilicas que oy viuen entre los Indios Naturales desta Nueva España, and was published for the first time in 1892 by the Museo Nacional of Mexico. The present writer has noted such stone piles, particularly in Yucatan.
It is probable that we have here an explanation of the existence of our deposit of mosaic-incrusted wooden shields and masks, which leads us to hope that still further discoveries of this character may be made. The climatic conditions in certain parts of the highlands of Middle America, where this deposit was found in a cave, favor this assumption. There are great sections of comparatively dry, wind-swept, almost desert plains, treeless hill-slopes, and ravines, where the chief vegetation is cacti in the lower altitudes, while higher up pines and oaks abound. Here wooden objects should be indefinitely preserved in ancient tombs or in caves, protected by a covering of loose, dry earth, the condition under which our collection was found.
The discovery of this remarkable collection of mosaics emphasizes the fact that the investigation of the archeology of Mexico is hardly commenced, in view of the vast amount of material hidden under the ruins of thousands of ancient settlements and burial places, and probably in countless caves, which still remain untouched by the archeologist.
As revealed by the surprising results of Thompson’s dredging in the sacred cenote in Yucatan, a wealth of archeological material also lies buried in the mud under the waters of sacred wells and lakes. This is notably so in the case of Lake Chapala, on the borders of Michoacan and Jalisco in Mexico,[113]and of Lake Amatitlan in Guatemala, where thousands of pottery vessels and other objects have been recovered from the bottoms of the lakes by divers, and from the mud when the waters have receded from the shores during times of extreme drought. These objects had been thrown into the waters as offerings to the gods.
The recent results of the systematic exploration of the great mounds at Teotihuacan have been quite surprising, and have shed new light on the archeology of the central plateau of Mexico. Even more important is the discovery of culture sequences in stratified deposits in the valley of Mexico, the investigations showing three distinct culture layers distinguished by the character of the pottery. Of great significance are the discoveries recently made under the great lava flow called the Pedregal, at the very edge of the City of Mexico, where the artifacts correspondin totowith those found in the bottom layer of the stratified deposits.[114]These discoveries mark a great advance in our knowledge of the history of ancient Mexico, but, as we have before stated, they are only a beginning. Buried underground are the “books” the student must study, if ever the tangled history of Middle America is to become known and the story of the development of this exceedingly interesting division of the human race is to be recorded.