of the earth consecrated to it. Without descending to details, we will only say that the theory—although developed with the most powerful logic and extreme wealth of data—omits the analysis of the greater part of the signs and glyphs of the relief, which, without speaking of other serious objections, reduces the probabilities of likelihood. At all events, the work of the illustrious lady writer is a work of many merits.
An original and sufficiently probable hypothesis concerning how the relief was engraved is due to the expert and well-informed archaeologist, Don Ramón Mena. The official explanations of the Museum, published in its Catalogues—work of the illustrious writer and professor of archaeology in the institution, Don Jesús Galindo y Villa—and contained in notes and labels fixed to the objects in its collections—notes edited in part by Señor Mena and in part also due to the inspiration of Don Eduard Seler and of the notable savant and archaeologist, Don Francisco del Paso y Troncoso—describe the stone without pretending to interpret it, except in a very general way; in basis, and so far as concerns the monument of which we are speaking, they follow many of the ideas of Chavero, and in less degree those of León y Gama.
The stone of the Museum is a circular relief, sculptured in basalt, 3.63 m. in diameter. In truth, the entire surface of the monolith is found to be occupied by glyphs, distributed in seven zones or concentric circles; there are, further, other signs in the cylindrical projection of the relief, part of an enormous rock approximately quadrangular, whereon, with consummate mastery, the cylinder was worked.
At the center and of large size, is seen the image of the sun, under the figure of the old god (huehueteotl). He has a mask, the skin wrinkled at the sides, distinctive ear ornaments, protruding tongue (expression of light), elegant necklace of seven heads (symbol of celestial bodies) and the solar glyph on the forehead, accompanied by two numerals.
On one and the other side of this face, two opened and magnificent talons present the luminary as if it were suspended in the zenith, according to the happy expression of Señor Chavero.
Inclosing the face of the sun, and occupying the following circle, shows itself in large size the sign naolin, indicative of the movement of the sun between the solstices and the equinoxes. Four rectangles,
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