opportunity of referring
to the original. I may remark that it is the opinion of the artist, Mr.
Holmes, from an inspection of the photograph, that the plate was at
least partially colored.

M. de Charencey, who has studied with much care the custom of
identifying colors with the cardinal points in both the New and Old
World, believes that in Mexico and Central America the original system
was to refer yellow to the east, black to the north, white to the west,
and red to the south.[25]

When we turn to the Mexican system we find the data greatly increased,
but, unfortunately, the difficulties and confusion are increased in like
proportion. Here we have not only the four dominical days and the four
colors, but also the four ages, four elements, and four seasons, all
bearing some relation in this system to the four cardinal points. It
will be necessary, therefore, for us to carry along with us these
several ideas in our attempt to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion on
this complicated and mystified subject.

Before referring to the codices I will present the conclusions of the
principal authorities who have devoted any attention to this question.
Sahagun says, "The names that they gave to the four parts of the earth
are these: Vitzlampa, the south; Tlapcopcopa, the east; Mictlampa, the
north; Coatlampa, the west. The names of the figures dedicated to these
parts are these: Tochtli, the rabbit, was dedicated to Vitzlampi, the
south; Acatl, the cane, to the east; Tecpatl, the flint, to the north;
Calli, the house, to the west; * * * * and at the end of fifty-two years
the count came back to _Cetochtliacatl_, which is the figure of the
reed, dedicated to the east, which they called _Tlapcopcopa_ and
_Tlavilcopa_, nearly towards the fire or the sun. Tecpatl, which is the
figure of a flint, was dedicated to Mictlampa, nearly towards hell,
because they believed that the dead went towards the north. For which
reason, in the superstition which represented the dead as covered with
mantas (cloths) and their bodies bound, they made them sit with their
faces turned toward the north, or Mictlampa. The fourth figure was the
house, and was dedicated to the west, which they called Cioatlampa,
which is nearly toward the house of the women, for they held the opinion
that the dead women, who are goddesses, live in the west, and that the
dead men, who are in the house of the sun, guide him from the east with
rejoicings every day, until t