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                         MEXICAN COPPER TOOLS:
         THE USE OF COPPER BY THE MEXICANS BEFORE THE CONQUEST;

                                  AND

                      THE KATUNES OF MAYA HISTORY,
                            A CHAPTER IN THE
                   EARLY HISTORY OF CENTRAL AMERICA,
          WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE PIO PEREZ MANUSCRIPT.


                                   BY

                     PHILIPP J. J. VALENTINI, PH.D.

        [TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN, BY STEPHEN SALISBURY, JR.]


                           WORCESTER, MASS.:

                       PRESS OF CHARLES HAMILTON.

                                 1880.




 [PROCEEDINGS OF AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY, APRIL 29, AND OCTOBER 21,
                                  1879.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------




                               CONTENTS.


                                                                   PAGE.

 MEXICAN COPPER TOOLS                                                  5

 THE KATUNES OF MAYA HISTORY                                          45

 NOTE BY COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION                                     47

    _Introductory Remarks_                                            49

    _The Maya Manuscript and Translation_                             52

    _History of the Manuscript_                                       55

    _Elements of Maya Chronology_                                     60

    _Table of the 20 Days of the Maya Month_                          62

    _Table of the 18 Months of the Maya Year_                         63

    _Table of Maya Months and Days_                                   64

    _Translation of the Manuscript by Señor Perez_                    75

    _Discussion of the Manuscript_                                    77

    _Concluding Remarks_                                              92

    _Sections of the Perez Manuscript Expressed in Years_             96

    _Table of Maya Ahaues Expressed in Years_                        100

    _Results of the Chronological Investigation_                     102


                             Illustrations.

                                                                   PAGE.

 COPPER AXES IN THE ARMS OF TEPOZTLA, TEPOZTITLA AND                  12
   TEPOZCOLULA

 COPPER AXES, THE TRIBUTE OF CHILAPA                                  13

 COPPER AXES AND BELLS, THE TRIBUTE OF CHALA                          14

 MEXICAN GOLDSMITH SMELTING GOLD                                      18

 YUCATAN COPPER AXES                                                  30

 COPPER CHISEL FOUND IN OAXACA                                        33

 MEXICAN CARPENTER’S HATCHET                                          35

 COPPER AXE OF TEPOZCOLULA                                            36

 COPPER AXE OF TLAXIMALOYAN                                           36

 COPPER TOOL, FOUND BY DUPAIX IN OAXACA                               37

 MAYA AHAU KATUN WHEEL                                                72

 MAP SHOWING THE MOVEMENT OF THE MAYAS, AS STATED IN THE              78
   MANUSCRIPT

                                                                FOOTNOTE

 YUCATAN AXE, FROM LANDA                                              17

 INDIAN BATTLE AXE, FROM OVIEDO                                       19




                         MEXICAN COPPER TOOLS.

                   BY PHILIPP J. J. VALENTINI, PH.D.

             [_From the German, by Stephen Salisbury, Jr_.]

  [From Proceedings of American Antiquarian Society, April 30, 1879.]


The subject of prehistoric copper mining, together with the trade in the
metal and the process of its manufacture into implements and tools by
the red men of North America, has engaged the attention of numerous
investigators.

It was while listening to an interesting paper on prehistoric copper
mining at Lake Superior, read by Prof. Thomas Egleston before the
Academy of Sciences, of New York, March 9, 1879, that the writer was
reminded of a number of notes which he had made, some time previous, on
the same subject. These notes, however, covered a department of research
not included in the lecture of that evening. They were collected in
order to secure all the material extant in relation to the copper
products of Mexico and Central America. Nevertheless, this treatment of
a subject so germain to ours, could not help imparting an impulse to a
rapid comparison of the results of our own studies with those of others.
It brought to light striking agreements, as well as disagreements, which
existed in connection with the copper industries of the two widely
separated races. On the one hand it appeared that both of these ancient
people were unacquainted with iron; both were trained to the practise of
war, and, strange to say, both had invariably abstained from shaping
copper into any implement of war, the metal being appropriated solely to
the uses of peace.

But, on the other hand, whilst the northern red man attained to his
highest achievement in the production of the axe, the native of Central
America could boast of important additions to his stock of tools. He
possessed copper implements for tilling the fields, and knew the uses of
the chisel. Besides, when he wished to impart to the copper a definite
form, he showed a superior ingenuity. The northern Indian simply took a
