The Myths of Mexico & Peru (Illustrated) (Myths and Legends of the Ancient World Book 5)

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The Myths of Mexico & Peru (Illustrated) (Myths and Legends of the Ancient World Book 5) Page 1

by Spence,Lewis




  THE MYTHS OF

  MEXICO & PERU

  LEWIS SPENCE

  AUTHOR OF “THE MYTHOLOGIES OF ANCIENT MEXICO AND PERU” “THE POPOL VUH” “THE CIVILIZATION OF ANCIENT MEXICO” “A DICTIONARY OF MYTHOLOGY” ETC. ETC.

  WITH SIXTY FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS MAINLY BY GILBERT JAMES AND WILLIAM SEWELL AND OTHER DRAWINGS AND MAPS

  CONTENTS

  PREFACE v

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi

  MAPS xiii

  I. CHAPTER I: THE CIVILISATION OF MEXICO 1

  The Civilisations of the New World 1

  Evidence of Animal and Plant Life 2

  Origin of American Man 2

  Traditions of Intercourse with Asia 3

  Legends of European Intercourse 4

  The Legend of Madoc 5

  American Myths of the Discovery 6

  A Peruvian Prophecy 7

  The Prophecy of Chilan Balam 8

  The Type of Mexican Civilisation 9

  The Mexican Race 10

  Legends of Mexican Migration 11

  The Toltec Upheaval 12

  Artificial Nature of the Migration Myths 13

  Myths of the Toltecs 13

  Legends of Toltec Artistry 14

  The House of Feathers 15

  Huemac the Wicked 15

  The Plagues of the Toltecs 17

  King Acxitl 17

  A Terrible Visitation 18

  Fall of the Toltec State 19

  The Chichimec Exodus 19

  The Disappearance of the Toltecs 20

  Did the Toltecs Exist? 20

  A Persistent Tradition 22

  A Nameless People 22

  Toltec Art 23

  Other Aboriginal Peoples 23

  The Cliff-dwellers 24

  The Nahua Race 25

  The Aculhuaque 26

  The Tecpanecs 26

  The Aztecs 27

  The Aztec Character 27

  Legends of the Foundation of Mexico 28

  Mexico at the Conquest 29

  A Pyramid of Skulls 31

  Nahua Architecture and Ruins 31

  Cyclopean Remains 31

  Teotihuacan 32

  The Hill of Flowers 33

  Tollan 34

  Picture-Writing 34

  Interpretation of the Hieroglyphs 35

  Native Manuscripts 36

  The Interpretative Codices 36

  The Mexican “Book of the Dead” 37

  The Calendar System 38

  The Mexican Year 39

  Lunar Reckoning 39

  Groups of Years 40

  The Dread of the Last Day 41

  The Birth-Cycle 41

  Language of the Nahua 42

  Aztec Science 43

  Nahua Government 43

  Domestic Life 44

  A Mysterious Toltec Book 45

  A Native Historian 46

  Nahua Topography 47

  Distribution of the Nahua Tribes 47

  Nahua History 48

  Bloodless Battles 48

  The Lake Cities 49

  Tezcuco 49

  The Tecpanecs 50

  The Aztecs 50

  The Aztecs as Allies 51

  New Powers 52

  II. CHAPTER II: MEXICAN MYTHOLOGY 54

  Nahua Religion 54

  Cosmology 55

  The Sources of Mexican Mythology 56

  The Romance of the Lost “Sahagun” 57

  Torquemada 57

  The Worship of One God 58

  Tezcatlipoca 59

  Tezcatlipoca, Overthrower of the Toltecs 60

  Myths of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca 60

  Tezcatlipoca and the Toltecs 61

  The Departure of Quetzalcoatl 64

  Tezcatlipoca as Doomster 66

  The Teotleco Festival 68

  The Toxcatl Festival 69

  Huitzilopochtli, the War-God 70

  The War-God as Fertiliser 74

  Tlaloc, the Rain-God 75

  Sacrifices to Tlaloc 77

  Quetzalcoatl 78

  The Man of the Sun 81

  Various Forms of Quetzalcoatl 82

  Quetzalcoatl’s Northern Origin 83

  The Worship of Quetzalcoatl 84

  The Maize-Gods of Mexico 85

  The Sacrifice of the Dancer 86

  An Antiquarian Mare’s-Nest 88

  The Offering to Centeotl 90

  Importance of the Food-Gods 91

  Xipe 91

  Nanahuatl, or Nanauatzin 93

  Xolotl 93

  The Fire-God 95

  Mictlan 95

  Worship of the Planet Venus 96

  Sun-Worship 97

  Sustaining the Sun 98

  A Mexican Valhalla 101

  The Feast of Totec 101

  Tepeyollotl 102

  Macuilxochitl, or Xochipilli 103

  Father and Mother Gods 103

  The Pulque-Gods 104

  The Goddesses of Mexico: Metztli 106

  Tlazolteotl 106

  Chalchihuitlicue 110

  Mixcoatl 110

  Camaxtli 111

  Iztlilton 112

  Omacatl 112

  Opochtli 113

  Yacatecutli 114

  The Aztec Priesthood 114

  Priestly Revenues 115

  Education 115

  Orders of the Priesthood 116

  An Exacting Ritual 116

  III. CHAPTER III: MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF THE ANCIENT MEXICANS 118

  The Mexican Idea of the Creation 118

  Ixtlilxochitl’s Legend of the Creation 119

  Creation-Story of the Mixtecs 120

  Zapotec Creation-Myth 121

  The Mexican Noah 122

  The Myth of the Seven Caverns 123

  The Sacrificed Princess 123

  The Fugitive Prince 124

  Maxtla the Fierce 125

  A Romantic Escape 126

  A Thrilling Pursuit 126

  The Defeat of Maxtla 127

  The Solon of Anahuac 128

  Nezahualcoyotl’s Theology 128

  The Poet Prince 129

  The Queen with a Hundred Lovers 129

  The Golden Age of Tezcuco 132

  A Fairy Villa 133

  Disillusionment 134

  The Noble Tlascalan 136

  The Haunting Mothers 138

  The Return of Papantzin 139

  Papantzin’s Story 141

  IV. CHAPTER IV: THE MAYA RACE AND MYTHOLOGY 143

  The Maya 143

  Were the Maya Toltecs? 143

  The Maya Kingdom 144

  The Maya Dialects 145

  Whence Came the Maya? 145

  Civilisation of the Maya 146

  The Zapotecs 147

  The Huasteca 147

  The Type of Maya Civilisation 148

  Maya History 148

  The Nucleus of Maya Power 149

  Early Race Movements 150

  The Settlement of Yucatan 151

  The Septs of Yucatan 153

  The Cocomes 153

  Flight of the Tutul Xius 153

  The Revolution in Mayapan 155

  Hunac Eel 155

  The Last of the Cocomes 156

  The Maya Peoples of Guatemala 157

  The Maya Tulan 157

  Doubtful Dynasties 158

  The Coming of the Spaniards 159

  The Riddle of Ancient Maya Writing 159

  The Maya Manuscripts 160

  The System of the Writing 161


  Clever Elucidations 162

  Methods of Study 164

  The Maya Numeral System 165

  Mythology of the Maya 166

  Quetzalcoatl among the Maya 167

  An Alphabet of Gods 168

  Difficulties of Comparison 168

  The Conflict between Light and Darkness 169

  The Calendar 169

  Traditional Knowledge of the Gods 170

  Maya Polytheism 171

  The Bat-God 171

  Modern Research 172

  God A 172

  The Maize-God 174

  The Sun-God 174

  “The God with the Ornamented Nose” 175

  The Old Black God 176

  The Travellers’ God 176

  The God of Unlucky Days 177

  The Frog-God 177

  Maya Architecture 178

  Methods of Building 178

  No Knowledge of the Arch 179

  Pyramidal Structures 180

  Definiteness of Design 180

  Architectural Districts 181

  Fascination of the Subject 181

  Mysterious Palenque 182

  An Architectural Curiosity 185

  The Temple of Inscriptions 185

  Aké and Itzamal 186

  The House of Darkness 186

  The Palace of Owls 186

  Itzamna’s Fane 187

  Bearded Gods 187

  A Colossal Head 188

  Chichen-Itza 188

  The Nunnery 189

  The “Writing in the Dark” 190

  Kabah 190

  Uxmal 191

  The Dwarf’s House 191

  The Legend of the Dwarf 192

  The Mound of Sacrifice 194

  The Phantom City 195

  The Horse-God 195

  Copan 196

  Mitla 197

  A Place of Sepulture 197

  An Old Description of Mitla 199

  Human Sacrifice at Mitla 201

  Living Sacrifices 203

  The Cavern of Death 204

  Palace of the High-Priest 205

  Furniture of the Temples 206

  V. CHAPTER V: MYTHS OF THE MAYA 207

  Mythology of the Maya 207

  The Lost “Popol Vuh” 207

  Genuine Character of the Work 208

  Likeness to other Pseudo-Histories 208

  The Creation-Story 209

  Vukub-Cakix, the Great Macaw 210

  The Earth-Giants 213

  The Undoing of Zipacna 215

  The Discomfiture of Cabrakan 216

  The Second Book 220

  A Challenge from Hades 220

  The Fooling of the Brethren 221

  The Princess Xquiq 222

  The Birth of Hun-Apu and Xbalanque 222

  The Divine Children 223

  The Magic Tools 223

  The Second Challenge 224

  The Tricksters Tricked 225

  The Houses of the Ordeals 226

  The Reality of Myth 228

  The Xibalbans 229

  The Third Book 229

  The Granting of Fire 230

  The Kiche Babel 231

  The Last Days of the First Men 231

  Death of the First Men 232

  American Migrations 233

  Cosmogony of the “Popol Vuh” 235

  Antiquity of the “Popol Vuh” 236

  The Father-Mother Gods 236

  Gucumatz 236

  Hurakan 237

  Hun-Apu and Xbalanque 237

  Vukub-Cakix and his Sons 237

  Metrical Origin of the “Popol Vuh” 237

  Pseudo-History of the Kiche 238

  Queen Móo 239

  The Funeral Chamber 240

  The Frescoes 241

  The Soothsayers 241

  The Royal Bride 242

  Móo’s Refusal 242

  The Rejected Suitor 243

  Aac’s Fierce Wooing 244

  Prince Coh 244

  The Murder of Coh 245

  The Widowhood of Móo 246

  The Manuscript Troano 246

  VI. CHAPTER VI: THE CIVILISATION OF OLD PERU 248

  Old Peru 248

  The Country 248

  The Andeans 249

  A Strange Site 250

  Sacsahuaman and Ollantay 250

  The Drama-Legend of Ollantay 251

  The Love-Story of Curi-Coyllur 252

  Mother and Child 253

  The Races of Peru 253

  The Coming of the Incas 254

  The Quichua-Aymara 254

  The Four Peoples 255

  The Coming of Manco Ccapac 255

  The Peruvian Creation-Story 257

  Local Creation-Myths 258

  The Character of Inca Civilisation 259

  An Absolute Theocracy 259

  A Golden Temple 260

  The Great Altar 261

  Planetary Temples 261

  The Mummies of Peru 262

  Laws and Customs 264

  The Peruvian Calendar 265

  The Festivals 267

  The Llama 268

  Architecture of the Incas 268

  Unsurpassed Workmanship 269

  The Temple of Viracocha 270

  Titicaca 270

  Coati 270

  Mysterious Chimu 271

  The Palace 271

  The Civilisation of Chimu 272

  Pachacamac 273

  Irrigation Works 273

  A Singular Discovery 273

  The Chibchas 275

  A Severe Legal Code 277

  A Strange Mnemonic System 278

  Practical Use of the Quipos 278

  The Incas as Craftsmen 279

  Pottery 280

  Historical Sketch of the Incan Peruvians 281

  The Inca Monarchs 282

  The First Incas 283

  Viracocha the Great 284

  The Plain of Blood 284

  The Conquest of Middle Peru 285

  Fusion of Races 285

  Two Branches of the Incas 286

  The Laws of Pachacutic 286

  Tupac-Yupanqui 287

  Huaina Ccapac 288

  The Inca Civil War 289

  A Dramatic Situation 290

  A Worthless Despotism 290

  VII. CHAPTER VII: THE MYTHOLOGY OF PERU 291

  The Religion of Ancient Peru 291

  Totemism 291

  Paccariscas 292

  Worship of Stones 292

  Huacas 294

  The Mamas 295

  The Huamantantac 296

  Huaris 296

  Huillcas 296

  The Oracles of the Andes 297

  Lake-Worship in Peru 298

  The Lost Island 299

  The Thunder-God of Peru 299

  The Great God Pachacamac 303

  Peruvian Creation-Stories 303

  Pachayachachic 304

  Ideas of Creation 305

  Pacari Tampu 305

  Worship of the Sea 306

  Viracocha 307

  Sun-Worship in Peru 307

  The Sun’s Possessions 308

  Inca Occupation of Titicaca 309

  Pilgrimages to Titicaca 310

  Sacrifices to the New Sun 311

  The Citoc Raymi 312

  Human Sacrifice in Peru 313

  Methods of Medicine-Men 314

  Death by Suffocation 315

  The Obsequies of a Chief 317

  Peruvian Myths 317

  The Vision of Yupanqui 317

  The Bird Bride 318

  Thonapa 319

  A Myth of Manco Ccapac Inca 320

  Coniraya Viracocha 321

  The Llama’s Warning 323

  The Myth of Huathiacuri 324

  Paricaca 326

  Conclusion 328

  BIBLIOGRAPHY 335

  Mexico 335

  Central America 337

  Peru 337

  INDEX AND GLOSSARY 341

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
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  The Princess is given a Vision Frontispiece

  The Descent of Quetzalcoatl xiv

  Toveyo and the Magic Drum 16

  The Altar of Skulls 26

  The Guardian of the Sacred Fire 30

  Pyramid of the Moon: Pyramid of the Sun 32

  Ruins of the Pyramid of Xochicalco 34

  The Spirit of the dead Aztec is attacked by an Evil Spirit who scatters Clouds of Ashes 38

  The Demon Izpuzteque 40

  The Aztec Calendar Stone 44

  A Prisoner fighting for his Life 48

  Combat between Mexican and Bilimec Warriors 53

  Priest making an Incantation over an Aztec Lady 54

  The Princess sees a Strange Man before the Palace 62

  Tezcatlipoca, Lord of the Night Winds 66

  The Infant War-God drives his Brethren into a Lake and slays them 70

  Statue of Tlaloc, the Rain-God 76

  The Aged Quetzalcoatl leaves Mexico on a Raft of Serpents 80

  Ritual Masks of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca; and Sacrificial Knife 84

  The so-called Teoyaominqui 88

  Statue of a Male Divinity 90

  Xolotl 94

  The Quauhxicalli, or Solar Altar of Sacrifice 98

  Macuilxochitl 102

  The Penitent addressing the Fire 106

  Cloud Serpent, the Hunter-God 110

  Mexican Goddess 114

  Tezcatlipoca 117

  “Place where the Heavens Stood” 120

  A Flood-Myth of the Nahua 122

  The Prince who fled for his Life 126

  The Princess and the Statues 130

  The King’s Sister is shown the Valley of Dry Bones 140

  Mexican Deity 142

  The Prince who went to Found a City 156

  “The Tablet of the Cross” 160

  Design on a Vase from Chamá representing Maya Deities 166

  The House of Bats 172

  Part of the Palace and Tower, Palenque 182

  The King who loved a Princess 186

  Teocalli or Pyramid of Papantla: The Nunnery, Chichen-Itza 188

  Details of the Nunnery at Chichen-Itza 190

  The Old Woman who took an Egg home 192

  Great Palace of Mitla: Interior of an Apartment in the Palace of Mitla 198

  Hall of the Columns, Palace of Mitla 202

  The Twins make an Imitation Crab 214

  The Princess and the Gourds 220

  The Princess who made Friends of the Owls 222

  In the House of Bats 226

  How the Sun appeared like the Moon 230

  Queen Móo has her Destiny foretold 240

  The Rejected Suitor 242

  Piece of Pottery representing a Tapir 247

  Doorway of Tiahuanaco 248

  Fortress at Ollantay-tampu 250

  “Mother and child are united” 252

  The Inca Fortress of Pissac 254

  “Making one of each nation out of the clay of the earth” 258

  Painted and Black Terra-cotta Vases 280

  Conducting the White Llama to the Sacrifice 312

  “The birdlike beings were in reality women” 318

  “A beautiful youth appeared to Thonapa” 320

 

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