Another anonymous early printed report, in Latin, without date or place
of printing, affords practically the same information as that contained
in the _Itinerario_ of Juan Díaz and in the _Littera Mãdata_.[7]
The earliest printed information regarding the Grijalva voyage in which
mosaic objects are specifically noted is in Peter Martyr’s _De Nvper
Sub D. Carolo Repertis Insulis_, printed in Basle in 1521. In speaking
of the valuable objects obtained by Grijalva in Coluacan (Vera Cruz),
and sent to Spain, he mentions that “the cacique brought a small golden
statue of a man, also a gold fan, and a mask beautifully wrought and
decorated with stones.”[8] It will be observed that these objects
correspond with those mentioned in the reports noted above, only that
Peter Martyr speaks of the decoration of the mask with stones. With the
exception of this note by Peter Martyr, who saw the objects in Spain,
there is, as we have said, no special statement regarding mosaic-work
to be found in the earliest known printed accounts of the Grijalva
voyage. In 1535 the great work of Oviedo was first published, and here
we find the following itemized description of pieces of mosaic-work,
said to have been obtained from the Indians of Potonchan, Tabasco.[9]
Another mask covered from the nostrils upward with well set
mosaic-work of stones resembling turquoises, and from the nostrils
downward with a thin plate of hammered gold.
Another mask resembling the first, but the stones were placed from the
eyes upward, and below them there were thin plates of beaten gold over
wood, the ears being of turquois mosaic-work.
Another mask made with bands or rods of wood, two of the strips being
covered with mosaic-work, and the remaining other three with thin
beaten gold.
A thin disc with a figure of a cemi or devil, covered above with
beaten gold-leaf, and in other parts were scattered some stones.
A tablet of wood like the headstall of a horse in armor, covered over
with thin gold-leaf, with some strips of black stones well set between
the gold.
The head of a dog covered with stones, and very well made.
From Ulua in Vera Cruz these mosaic pieces are noted:
Two masks of small stones like turquois set over wood like mosaic,
with some spangles of gold in the ears.
Two guariques of blue stones set in gold, each having eight pendants
of the same.
A mask of stone mosaic-work.
In the work of Gomara, printed in 1553, appears also an extended
account of this barter.[10]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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