ed vertically and
perforated with step-like perforations. The ends are cut out like those of
Xiuhtecuhtli's blue emblem. Two parallel bars, the upper one of which is
painted blue, the color of heaven, and the lower painted green, the color
of the earth, convey the ever-present native idea of the Above and Below.
The arms of the cross are painted red with yellow ends which, according to
Mr. Cushing, represent the light emanating, in four directions, from the
star. The arms are distinctly associated with the cardinal points and each
supports the effigies of a mountain lion and a bird--typifying, evidently,
as in Mexico, the Above and Below. This cross, with the figure standing on
its centre, is suspended from above and, during a certain ceremony, it is
set into rapid gyratory motion, from left to right by the officiating high
priest.

It is impossible not to see, in this fetish, a swastika in substantial
form and in actual rotation; whilst the figure of the god, decorated with
stone knives, moves as on a pivot in the centre, presenting exactly the
same idea as in the Mexican image of the god held in the centre of a
cross-symbol by the jaws of a tecpatl or flint knife. It is unnecessary to
mention again here that the only star in the heaven, which could possibly
have been regarded as a centre of rotation, is Polaris; but I should like
to draw attention to the fact that bunches of feathers are attached to the
extremities of the cross-beams and to the summit of the terraced
head-dress of the fetish and recall the circumstance that, amongst the
Mexicans and Mayas, the names for feather were almost identical with those
for heaven or something celestial and divine.

As the Zuni god is said to be standing on his red star (an mo-yaetchun
thlana) and figures as a centre of rotation, I look upon this fetish as
affording most striking confirmation of my conclusions concerning the
origin of the swastika and cross symbols. If it is certain that, at the
present day, the Zunis associate this star-god with Sirius and their cross
symbol with the morning star, then it is quite obvious that they have lost
the original meaning of the rotating-star fetish, which could never have
been suggested by either of these or, indeed, by any other heavenly body
but Polaris. I regret that space does not permit me to consider here, more
fully, other close analogies between ancient Mexican and modern Zuni
religious ceremonies, etc., besides those which hav