que and the neighboring
Menche and Ixkun, an integral civilization, based on these principles, had
existed for an incalculable length of time. Strangely enough it seems to
form so close a link between Maya and Mexican culture that it almost seems
justifiable to surmise that both Maya and Nahuatl languages were spoken in
these ancient ruined cities.

Proceeding mentally northwards we will not linger at the ruins of Mitla,
the name of which seems to indicate that it had lain to the north of a
great ancient centre of government, since Mictlan in Nahuatl and Mitnal in
Maya both designate the region of the underworld and the north.

Reaching the ultimate stage of our mental exploration of the American
Continent we now transport ourselves to the Valley of Mexico and, on the
site of the ancient capital of Montezuma and his coadjutor, face the three
great monolithic monuments which are popularly known as the Calendar
Stone, the Stone of Tizoc and Huitzilopochtli. In 1886, at the Buffalo
Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, I
presented a "Preliminary Note of an Analysis of the Mexican Codices and
Graven Inscriptions," in which the opinion was advanced that the "Calendar
Stone" was identical with the "circular elaborately carved tablets which,
according to Padre Duran, were erected in each market-place in ancient
Mexico, and were held in great veneration. They were frequently consulted
and by them the market-days were regulated."

"All writers concur in stating that the market was held on each fifth day,
when all adults were obliged by law to resort to the appointed
market-place. The entire produce and manufacture of the state were brought
there, even from great distances, severe penalties being incurred by those
who bartered the products of agriculture or manual labor on the highway or
elsewhere. On the broad, straight, cemented roads which led from the four
quarters to the heart of the capital, 'resting places' for the wayfarers
and carriers were provided at fixed intervals. The enormous concourse of
people, the variety of produce exhibited in the market-places of
Montezuma's capital filled the conquerors with wonder and admiration. From
Cortes, Bernal Diaz, Sahagun and others we learn that the market was a
special charge of the supreme chief of Mexico; that appointed officers
presided in state over it whilst others moved among the throng
superintending the traffic. Standard measures were kept an