Ford, Esq., who has made it possible for us to publish this paper, and to whom the Museum is indebted for its acquisition of the precious collection of Mexican mosaics which are now described for the first time. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE ix INTRODUCTION 1 EARLIEST HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS OF TURQUOIS MOSAIC IN MEXICO 3 The Grijalva Expedition, 1518 3 Loot obtained by Cortés, 1519-1525 8 TRIBUTE OF MOSAIC PAID TO THE AZTEC RULERS 22 SOURCE OF TURQUOIS 27 THE AZTEC LAPIDARIES AND THEIR WORK 29 OBJECTS DECORATED WITH MOSAIC 40 EXISTING SPECIMENS OF MOSAIC 47 Minor Examples 48 Chichen Itza Specimens 55 Major Examples 59 Helmet 60 Masks 60 Skull Masks 67 Shields 68 Ear-plug 79 Animal Figures 80 God Figure 82 Knife Handles 82 Human Femur Musical Instrument 84 CONCLUSION 86 NOTES 92 LIST OF WORKS DESCRIBING MEXICAN MOSAICS 103 ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES PAGE I. Wooden shield with turquois mosaic decoration Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, New York _Frontispiece_ II. Stone idol with mosaic decoration National Museum, Mexico 22 III. _a_, Wooden staff with turquois mosaic decoration, from Sacred cenote, ruins of Chichen Itza, Yucatan Peabody Museum, Cambridge _b_, Wooden rattle with turquois mosaic decoration, from Sacred cenote, ruins of Chichen Itza, Yucatan Peabody Museum, Cambridge 22 IV. Wooden helmet with mosaic decoration British Museum, London 24 V. Wooden mask with turquois mosaic decoration British Museum, London 26 VI. Wooden mask with turquois mosaic decoration British Museum, London 28