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Edward King (Lord Kingsborough) (1795-1837) Antiquities of Mexico. (London: 1831, 1848) |
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A. von Humboldt's Researches | F. Clavigero's History | E. Boudinot's Star in the West
Barbara A. Simon's The Ten Tribes of Israel Historically Identified
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ANTIQUITIES OF MEXICO: COMPRISING F A C - S I M I L E S OF ANCIENT MEXICAN PAINTINGS AND HIEROGLYPHICS, PRESERVED IN THE ROYAL LIBRARIES OF PARIS, BERLIN AND DRESDEN; IN THE IMPERIAL LIBRARY OF VIENNA; IN THE VATICAN LIBRARY; IN THE BORGIAN MUSEUM AT ROME; IN THE LIBRARY OF THE INSTITUTE AT BOLOGNA; AND IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY AT OXFORD. TOGETHER WITH THE MONUMENTS OF NEW SPAIN, BY M. DUPAIX, WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE SCALES OF MEASUREMENT AND ACCOMPANYING DESCRIPTIONS. THE WHOLE ILLUSTRATED BY MANY VALUABLE Inedited Manuscripts, BY L O R D K I N G S B O R O U G H. THE DRAWINGS ON STONE, BY A. AGLIO. IN SEVEN VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED BY JAMES MOYES, CASTLE STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE. PUBLISHED BY ROBERT HAVELL, 77 OXFORD STREET: AND COLNAGHI, SON, AND CO. PALL MALL EAST. MDCCCXXXI. |
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C O N T E N T S
Copy of the Codex Telleriano-Remensis, preserved in the royal Library at Paris. -- 93 pages. -- Marked 14. Reg. 1616. Fac-simile of an original mexican Hieroglyphic painting, from the collection of Bolurini. -- 23 pages. Fac-simile of an original mexican painting, preserved in the collection of sir Thomas Bodley in Bodleian Library at Oxford. -- 40 pages. -- Marked Arch. Bodl. A. 75. cat. Mss. Angl. 2858. Fac-simile of an original mexican painting, preserved in the Selden collection of Mss. in the Bodleian Library at Oxford -- 20 pages. -- Marked Arch. Seld. A. 2. cat. Mss. Angl. 3135. Fac-simile of an original mexican Hieroglyphic painting, preserved amongst the Selden collection in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. -- A Roll, marked Arch. Seld. A. Rot. 3. Cat. Mss. Angl. 3207. CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME Copy of a mexican Mss. preserved in the Library of the Vatican. -- 149 pages. -- Marked. no 3738.Fac-simile of and original Mexican painting given to the imiversity of Oxford by archbishop Laud, and preserved in the Bodleian Library. -- 46 pages. -- Marked Laud B. 65, nunc 678.Cat. Mss. Angl. 546. Fac-simile of and original Mexican painting preserved in the Library of Ihe Instilute at Bologna. -- 24 pages. Fac-simile of an original Mexican painting preserved in the Imperial Library at Vienna. -- 66 pages. Fac-simile of original mexican paintings deposited in the royal Library at Berlin by the Baron de Humboldt, and of a mexican bas-relief preserved in the royal cabinet of antiques. (1) CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME Fac-simile of an original Mexiean painting preserved in the Borgian Museum, the College of Propaganda, in Rome. -- 76 pages (planches in-plano).Fac-simile of original Mcxican painting in the Royal Library, at Dresden. -- 74 pages. Fac-simile of an original Mexican painting in the possession of M. de Fejérvâry at Pess, in Hungary. -- 44 pages. Fac-simile of an original Mexican painting preserved in the Library of the Vatican. -- 90 pages. (Total, 290 planches). CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH VOLUME Monuments of New-Spain, by M. Dupaix, from the original drawings, executed by order of the King of Spain, in three parts.Specimens of Mexican sculpture, in the possession of M. La Tour Allard, in Paris. Specimens of Mexican sculpture, preserved in the British Museum. Plates copied from the Giro del Mondo of Gemelli Careri; with an engraving of a Mexican Cycle, from a painting formerly in the possession of Boturini. Specimen of Peruvian Quipus, with plates representing a carved Peruvian box containing a Collection of supposed Peruvian Quipus. CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH VOLUME Commentaries of early French, Spanish, and Italian writers, on the Hieroglyphical Paintings in Volumes I, II and III.Commentary of Mr. Dupaix, on the Monuments of New Spain, displayed in Volume IV. The Sixth Book of the inedited MS. of Sahagun's History of New Spain, treating of the Rhetoric, Philosophy, Morals, and Religion of the Mexicans. CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH VOLUME An English translation of the matter in Volume V, along with copious notes, by the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Kingsborough.CONTENTS OF THE SEVENTH VOLUME The whole of the MS. of the History of New Spain by Sahagun, in the Original Spanish, (with the exception of the Sixth Book), which was previously printed in Volume V.CONTENTS OF THE EIGHTH & NINTH VOLUMES VoL VIII. Contains extracts from Torqnemada, Acosta, Garcia, and other writers.IX. Contains "Cronica Mexico de Fernando de Alvarado Tezozomoc," et " Historia Chichimeca" and " Relaciones," of the same author, &c. Vol.6. Collections de Mendosa. Codex Telleriano-Remensis. Codex Vaticanus. Monuments of New Spain. Vol.7. Historia universal de las cosas de Nueva Espan na, por el D. R. P. Fr. Bernardino de Sahagun. Vol.8. Supplementary notes to the Antiquities of Mexico. Vol.9. Cronica Mexicana de Fernando de Alvarado Tezozomoc. Historia Chricmimeca por Don Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl. Relaciones de Don Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl. Ritos antiguos, sacrificios e idolatrias de los Indios de la Nueva Expan na. The THIRD Volume comprises: -- 1 . Copy of an Original Mexican Painting, preserved in the Borgian Museum, at the College of Propaganda, in Rome. 76 pages. This is truly magnificent and beautiful; one of the finest specimens in the collection. 2. Fac-simile of an Original Mexican Painting, preserved in the Royal Library at Dresden. 74 pages. Figures and hieroglyphies similar to those of this manuscript were discovered on the walls of some buildings three or four hundred miles from Mexico, about twenty-five years ago, by M. Dupaix. 3. Fac-simile of an Original Mexican Painting, in the possession of M. De Fejervary, at Pest, in Hungary. 4. Copy of an Original Mexican Painting, preserved in the library of the Vatican. 96 pages. No. 3776. The contents of the FOURTH Volume are: 1 . Monuments of New Spain, by M. Dupaix, from the original drawings executed by order of the King of Spain. In three parts. The first part consists of sixteen plates, lithographed by Mr. Aglio. The second is not wholly lithographic. The third comprises views, buildings, &c. most of which are lithographed; among the drawings of this part is that of a very curious sacrificial stone, where twenty-four persons are made to represent the same number of territories. We here strikingly recognise in the figures, that peculiar formation of the head, and prominence of the nose, which are the essential characteristies of the monuments of Mexican sculpture. M. Dupaix, captain in the service of the King of Spain, having in early life improved his taste for the fine arts by a residence in Italy, made several excursions through New Spain, in 1805, 6, 7, to investigate the Mexican monuments; and in these volumes is contained the result of his travels. 2. Specimens of Mexican Sculpture, in the possession of M. Latour Allard, in Paris. 3. Specimens of Mexican Sculpture, preserved in the British Museum. 4. Plates copied from the " Giro del Hondo" of Gemelli Carreri; with an engraving of a Mexican Cycle, from a painting formerly in the possession of Boturini. 5. Specimen of Peruvian Quipos, with Plates, representing a carved Peruvian box, containing a collection of supposed Peruvian Quipos. Drawings of the various fanciful figures on the lid, front, back, and two ends of this box are here given. The box is in the possession of Lord Kingsborough. The FIFTH Volume contains the Dedication to Lord Kingsborough; an extract from Humboldt's "Monumens de l'Amerique;" the Spanish Interpretations to the Codices of "Mendoza" and the "Telleriano-Remensis," and the Italian to the Vatican MS. No. 3738, as far as the 92d plate, up to the time of the Conquest. Then we have the Commentary of Dupaix, in the original Spanish, on the Monuments of New Spain, engraved in the fourth volume. And, lastly, in Spanish also, the sixth book of the inedited MS. of Sahagun's History of New Spain : treating of the rhetoric, philosophy, morals, and religion of the Mexicans. [120] The SIXTH Volume, as an Appendix, consists of an English version of the Interpretations accompanying the three hieroglyphical Paintings already specified, with copious Annotations by Lord Kingsborough. Arguments to show that the Jews in early ages colonized America, extending in the form of notes tbrough 188 pages. Translation of Dupaix's Commentary on the Monuments, contained in the 6fth volume. A further body of notes concludes this volume. Volume the SEvENTH contains the whole of the MSS. of the "History of New Spain" by Sahagun, in the original Spanish, except the sixth book, printed in the fifth volume. Bernardino dc Sahagun, a Franciscan monk, being employed during the sixteenth century in instructing the Mexicans, made great proficiency in their language and history. He composed several works in Mexican and Spanish; and among them may be particularly mentioned, a "Universal Dictionary of the Mexican Language," in twelve volumes, folio, containing all that belonged to the geography, the religion, and the political and natural history of the Mexicans. This work of great erudition and labour was sent to Madrid, and is probably still preserved in some library of Spain. He is the author also of the " General History of New Spain;" in writing which, he says, that he assembled the Indians of Tezcuco and Mexico, most conversant with the antiquities of their country, iu order that they might explain to him the signification of their ancient paintings, as the best authority he could follow in composing his history. It has been hitherto preserved in manuscript, in the library of some Spanish convent, until it came into the possession of Lord Kingsborough, though, we believe, owing to religious bigotry, it has not escaped some mutilations. (under construction) |
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(Author's Argument for Colonization of Pre-Columbian Mexico
The belief which the Mexicans and Peruvians entertained of their origin, is likewise an argument in favour of their common descent. The former of these nations pretended that their ancestors had proceeded from seven caves; and the latter, that they were descended from seven heroes, who came out of the same cave. M. de Humboldt has observed that if we knew exactly in what part of the globe the ancient kingdoms of Tulan, Tlapallan, Huctlapallan, Amaquemacam, Aztlan, and Chicomoztoc, were situated, we might be able to form an opinion of who the ancestors of the Mexicans were, and from what country they passed over to America. An attentive examination of the meaning of these proper Dames, and the mutual comparison of one with another, may at least assist us in forming some conjecture. But it must first be observed, that the opinion of Herrera, (who is the authority to which a kind of general submission is yielded on all questions relating to America,) viz. that that continent was only colonized from its western side, -- is improbable in the extreme; for, omitting physical reasons and other causes for supposing that the contrary would rather have been the case; such as the great current of the sea, which runs from the African towards the American shores; the relative magnitude of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans; and the consequent nearer proximity of America to Europe; and the much greater naval enterprise which has in all ages distinguished Europeans, and the Asiaties bordering on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, from other Asiatics, and likewise the curious facts mentioned by Sahagun, that the Mexicans recorded in numerous historical paintings an early colonization of America from the East, as also that Torquemada says that when Quecalcoatle set out on his return to his former kingdom of Tlapallan he proceeded to the province of Coacacoalco, (which was situated on the Gulf of Mexico,) and there embarked in a boat or raft formed out of serpents' skins (and such a boat seems to be represented in the forty-third page of the painting preserved in the Royal Library of Dresden) -- Herrera cannot be considered a candid author, or one who declared all that he knew or believed respecting the ancient colonization of America; nor can it be expected that much weight should be attached to his theory -- that America was peopled from Asia by colonists pasing over the Isthmus of California, and that the Mexicans came from thence; since modern geographical science contradicts the supposed facilities of such a passage. We shall, therefore, (divesting ourselves of all ancient prejudices, which Lord Bacon rightly considers the idols to which human reason readily bows, and to be most detrimental to the advance of knowledge,) proceed to the consideration of the meaning of the above mentioned proper names, and, comparing them with each other, endeavour to discover whether they may not all have a common reference and lead us to that portion of the Old Continent to which ancient traditions and the mythological recollections of Peru and Mexico equally point. Tulan signifies the country of reeds, Tlapallan, the red sea, Huetlapallan, the old red sea, Amaquemacam, the country of the veil of paper, Aztlan the country of the flamingo, and Chicomoztoc the seven caves. In the absence of all positive knowledge of facts, to employ conjecture is not only admissible, but becomes absolutely necessary, if research after truth is not altogether to be abandoned. We may therefore be permitted to express an opinion, for reasons which shall be alleged, that Egypt is the country to which all these proper names refer; and that the colony which arrived in early ages in America from the East, were Jews from Alexandria, in which emporium of the commerce of the world they had been established from the period of its foundation by Alexander the Great, and enjoyed equal rites of citizenship with the other citizens, possessed a contentious synagogue, and, probably as a means of increasing their wealth, addicted themselves to those mercantile pursuits which caused its haven to be crowded with the ships of every country."... The reasons for supposing that the proper names of places above mentioned all refer to Egypt, are the following, which are chiefly derived from the local qualities of its soil, -- Tulan, (the country of rushes,) is a name which would well suit a country extending along the banks of a great river covered with flags ; Tlapallan and Huetlapallan, (the country of the red sea, or of the old red sea,) would be an appellation equally applicable to Egypt; Amaquemacam, (the kingdom of the veil of paper,) might refer to the reeds producing the papyrus, since the hand of Egypt is said in scripture to be hidden in her reeds, on account of their great abundance, and the lowness of the soil. Aztlan, (the country of the flamingo,) is a name which recalls to our recollection the Ibis, a bird of the flamingo species, which was very common in Egypt, and greatly revered by the Egyptians; Aztlan, likewise, is said to have been an island, and that part of Lower Egypt, named the Delta, in which Alexandria is situated, is in fact an island formed by the arms of the Nile; and the pyramid, the memory of which the Mexicans preserved as existing in Aztlan, might have been nothing more than a tradition of the Egyptian pyramids. Chicomoztoc, (the country of the seven caves, or the seven dragons' mouths, or of the seven gulfs;) -- for oztoc may be interpreted a cave, a dragon's mouth, and a gulf, -- might also have signified Lower Egypt, and the seven branches of the Nile, from which colonies, either at the same or different times embarking, might have proceeded to America. |
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last revised April 11, 2008