The Prehistoric World or Vanished races Part 53

There was doubtless the usual state of inter-tribal warfare, but after a prolonged period the sedentary tribes--the Toltecs--were exterminated or expelled. Their successors were utter savages, coming from the north also. We doubt very much whether any date can be given for this event, but traditions a.s.sign it to about the year 1064. Prof. Valentine thinks he finds a reference to it in the calendar of stone. If we will notice, in the outer band near the top are four little bundles, or knots, in all, eight. We are told that each of these bundles refers to a cycle of fifty-two years, or in all four hundred and sixteen years. The date of the inauguration of the stone is 1479. If we subtract the number of years just mentioned, we have the date 1063. Whether this is simply a coincidence, or was really intended to refer to that event, we can not say.

Considerable speculations have been indulged in as to where the Toltecs went when driven out of Mexico. Some have supposed they went to Yucatan, and that to them we are to look for the builders of the ruined cities.

This is the view of a very late explorer, M. Charney.<97> Some have supposed we yet see certain traces of their presence in Guatemala, where they helped to build up a great Quexche "monarchy."<98> But we know very little about it. It is not probable that more than a feeble remnant of them escaped with their lives.

From the same mysterious regions from where had issued the aboriginal Chichimecas and Toltec people, there subsequently came still other bands of sedentary Indians, who finally came to settle around the lakes of Anahuac. These settlers all spoke closely related dialects of the same language as their predecessors, the Toltecs. Finally the Aztecs appeared on the scene, coming from the same mysterious land of the "Seven Caves."

According to their historical picture-writings, they founded the Pueblo of Mexico in 1325. It is somewhat singular that no record of this event appears on the calendar stone. If the artist was ingenious enough, as Prof. Valentine thinks he was, to represent the dispersion of the Toltecs in the eleventh century, he surely would have found some way to refer to such an important event as the founding of their Pueblo. From this date the Mexicans steadily rose in power, until they finally became the leading power of the valley.<99>

REFERENCES

(1) The ma.n.u.script of this chapter was submitted to A. F.

Bandelier for criticism. The part bearing on religion was subsequently rewritten. Absence from the country prevented his examining it.

(2) Mr. Bandelier is the author of three essays on the culture of the ancient Mexicans. These are published in Volume II of "Peabody Museum Reports." We wish to make a general reference to these essays. They are invaluable to the student. Every position is sustained by numerous quotations from the early writers.

In order to save constant references to them, we will here state that, unless other authorities are given for striking statements as to the culture of the Mexicans, their social organizations, etc., it is understood that our authority is found in these essays.

(3) In Mexican, "Tlaca-tecuhtli."

(4) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 572.

(5) "Contribution to North American Ethnology," Vol. IV, p. 229.

(6) Morgan's "Contributions to N.A. Ethnology," p. 256.

(7) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 576.

(8) "Who over heard of an imperfectly developed race decorating so profusely and so delicately their ordinary abodes, in a manner usually reserved for temples and palaces?" S. F. Haven, in Proceedings of Am. Antiq. Society, April, 1880, p. 57.

(9) Morgan's "Contribution to N.A. Ethnology," Vol. IV, p. 186.

(10) Cortez saw "trinkets made of gold and silver, of lead, bronze, copper, and tin." They were on the confines of a true Bronze Age. Proceedings of Am. Antiq. Society, April, 1879, p. 81.

(11) "History of the Conquest of Mexico."

(12) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II.

(13) "History of America," 1818, Vol. III, book viii, p. 9.

(14) Wilson's "Conquest of Mexico."

(15) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 91.

(16) But, on this point, see "Peabody Reports," Vol. II, p. 685 --note, p. 282.

(17) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 197.

(18) Ibid., p. 205.

(19) "Ancient Society," p. 118.

(20) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 147.

(21) We refer again to Mr. Bandelier's articles. A careful reading of them will convince any one that the picture of Mexican Government as set forth in Mr. Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, is very erroneous. Mr. Bancroft's views are, however, those of many writers.

(22) "Ancient Society," p. 528.

(23) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 537.

(24) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 435.

(25) It is needless to remark that these results are greatly at variance with those generally held, as will be seen by consulting Mr. Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, Chap. xiv.

Mr. Bancroft, however, simply gathers together what other writers have stated on this subject. We follow, in this matter, the conclusions of an acknowledged leader in this field, Mr. Bandelier, who has fully worked out Mr. Morgan's views, advanced in "Ancient Society."

(26) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 193.

(27) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 95.

(28) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 194.

(29) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 94.

(30) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 195.

(31) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. I, p. 344.

(32) Valentine, in Proceedings of American Antiquarian Society, April, 1879.

(33) Gallatin: "American Ethnological Society's Transactions,"

Vol. I, p. 119.

(34) Valentine: Proceedings American Antiq. Soc., October, 1880, p. 75.

(35) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 381. Proceedings American Antiquarian Society, April, 1879, p. 110.

(36) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 193.

(37) "Fifth Annual Report Archaeological Inst.i.tute of America,"

p. 83.

(38) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 389.

(39) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 325.

(40) Valentine: Proceedings Am. Antiq. Society, April, 1879, p. 90.

(41) Ibid., p. 111.

(42) _North American Review,_ Oct. 1880, p. 310.

(43) See "Copper Age in Wisconsin," in Proceedings American Antiquarian Society, No. 69, p. 57.

(44) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 483.

(45) Proceedings Am. Antiq. Society, Oct., 1881, P. 66.

(Valentine.) (46) Proceedings Am. Antiq. Society, Oct., 1881, p. 66.

(Valentine.) (47) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 489.

(48) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. III, pp. 182-199. In this connection, see also Bandolier: "An Archaeological Tour in Mexico," p. 185, note 2. It seems that none of the early writers speak of such a belief. The idea of one single G.o.d is first found in the writings of Ixtilxochitl.

(49) Brinton's "Myths of the New World," p. 45.

(50) Tezcatlipoca, the tutelar deity of Tezcuco; Huitzilopochtli, the tutelar deity of Mexico; Camaxtli, the tutelar deity of Tlaxcala; Quetzalcohuatl, the tutelar deity of Cholula.

(51) Bandelier: "An Archaeological Tour in Mexico," p. 188.

(52) This subject is fully treated of in Brinton's "Myths of the New World."

(53) "Among the Indians it is very easy to become deified. The development of the Montezuma myth among the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico is an instance." (Bandelier.) (54) Brinton's "Myths of the New World."

(55) Bandelier: "An Archaeological Tour in Mexico." pp. 168-213.

(56) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. III, p. 298, note 9.

(57) "American Antiquarian," January, 1883, p. 78.

(58) "An Archaeological Tour in Mexico," p. 67.

(59) "Peabody Museum Reports," Vol. II, p. 600. Dr. Brinton in "Myths of the New World," p. 281, gives some instances that might be thought to show the contrary. But even in those extracts we notice the parties had to deserve the office, and that in no case was it confined to certain persons.

(60) Bancroft: "Native Races," Vol. III, p. 335.

(61) Bancroft: "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 500.

(62) Mr. Bandelier remarks that the numbers from five to ten should be macuil-pa-oc-ce, etc. We give the same table as both Mr. Gallatin and Mr Bancroft.

(63) For authorities on this subject see Gallatin in "American Ethnological Society's Transactions," Vol. I, p, 49; Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 497; Valentine, in Am. Antiq. Soc.

Proceedings, Oct., 1880, p. 61.

(64) Perez "Chronology of Yucatan," in Stephens's "Yucatan,"

Vol. I, p. 435.

(65) See Valentine: "The Katunes of Maya History," in Proceedings Am. Antiq. Soc., October, 1879, p. 114.

(66) We refer to the division of five days, not to the thirteen day period, of which we will soon speak.

(67) Bandelier: "Peabody Museum Reports," Vol. II, p. 579.

Note 29.

(68) Mr. Bancroft, "Native Races," p. 508, gives a table showing the variation of authors in this respect. Gallatin "American Ethnological Society's Transactions," Vol. I, p. 66, says, "the published hieroglyphics are dissimilar in many respects."

(69) Stephens's "Yucatan," Vol. I, p. 438.

(70) Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, p. 513, note 15.

(71) Proceedings Am. Antiq. Society, April, 1878, p. 99.

(72) Gallatin: "American Ethnological Soc. Trans.," Vol. I, p. 71.

(73) See Valentine, in Proceedings American Antiq. Society, April, 1878, p. 106. Gallatin, who is also good authority, gives the order different, viz., Tochtli, Acatl, Tecpatl, Calli.

(74) Valentine: Proceedings Am. Antiq. Soc., Oct., 1879, p. 84, _et seq._ (75) Thomas: "A study of the Ma.n.u.script Troano," in "Contributions to North American Ethnology," Vol. V, p. 29.

(76) According to the teachings of the Mexican priests nine deities governed the days. They had painted lists of these weeks, and the deities governing each.

(77) Valentine: Proceedings Am. Antiq. Soc., Oct., 1879, p. 85.

(78) In this table we have followed Mr. Gallatin. According to Prof. Valentine, the order of the years is different.

This, however, is immaterial to an understanding of the system.

(79) Gallatin: "Am. Eth. Soc. Transactions," Vol. I, p. 94, _et seq._ (80) Thus says Prof. Valentine. The cast of this stone in the Smithsonian Inst.i.tution gives the date eight, instead of seven Ozomatl.

(81) For information on the Calendar Stone, consult, "American Ethnological Society's Transactions," Vol. I, p. 94, _et seq.;_ Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. II, chap. xvi, and p. 755, _et seq.;_ Valentine: American Antiquarian Society's Proceedings, April, 1878, p. 92, _et seq.;_ Short's "North Americans of Antiquity," p. 419, _et seq._ (82) Morgan's "Ancient Society," p. 143.

(83) Brinton: "Introduction to the Study of the Ma.n.u.script Troano."