The Myths of Mexico and Peru, by Lewis Spence, , at sacred-
texts.com THERE is now no question as to the indigenous origin
of the civilisations of Mexico, Central America, and Peru. Upon
few subjects, how. ever, has so much mistaken erudition been
lavished. The beginnings of the races who inhabited these
regions, and the cultures which they severally created, have
been referred to nearly every civilised or semicivilised nation
of antiquity, and wild if fascinating theories have been
advanced with the intention of showing that civilisation was
initiated upon American soil by Asiatic or European influence.
These speculations were for the most part put forward by persons
who possessed but a merely general acquaintance with the
circumstances of American aboriginal civilisation, and who were
struck by the superficial resemblances which undoubtedly exist
between American and Asiatic peoples, customs, and art-forms,
but which cease to be apparent to the Americanist, who perceives
in them only such likenesses as inevi