There are few remains of Mexican antiquities to be found in the country. Even the hieroglyphic paintings are now so scarce, that the greater part of the well informed reside there have never seen any. Cortes, at the conquest, destroyed the temples, broke the idols, and buried three masses of stone, which were too large to be destroyed, that every thing belonging to the ancient rites might be concealed from the eyes of the people. Some of these stones have been recently discovered, and particularly one of an immense size, covered with sculpture, relative to the calendar. This was dug up in 1790, in the great square of Mexico, among the foundations of the temple of Mexitli. Its actual weight is 24 tons ; and as no mountain within eight or ten leagues of the spot furnishes the same kind of porphyry, it must have been conveyed with immense labour to the foot of the sacred edifice. Another of a cylindrical form, and covered with figures in relief, was also found upon levelling the great square in Mexico, and is supposed to be the stone of sacrifices usually placed on the summit of the teocallis; but is conjectured by M. Humboldt to correspond rather with the account given of large stones, upon which the braver prisoners were condemned to sustain the combat of gladiators with a succession of Mexican warriors. Various other sculp tures in relief, colossal statues, small clay vases, well cast brass bells, Szc. have been found in different places ; and it is supposed, that upon due research being made, many more might be procured. But the principal and most prominent Mexican antiquities are the remains of the teocallis, or houses of the gods. These edifices were generally of a pyramidal form, rising, not by steps, but by a succession of four or five lofty terraces. On the summit were erected the temples, which served also as watch-towers, and in which were placed the colossal idols of the divinity, to whom the teocalli was conse crated ; and to this platform a grand staircase on the outside afforded access.
The burial places of the kings and nobles were con structed within these pyramids, and around them were the dwelling places of the priests, with gardens and fountains enclosed by walls. These structures were fre quently used as arsenals and fortifications, and are con sidered as bearing a striking resemblance to the Baby lonian temple of Belus. The most remarkable of these edifices still existing are those of Teotihuacan, Papan tla, and Cholula. The first are situated in the valley of :Mexico, about eight leagues north-east from the capi tal, in a plain called the path of the dead, where there are two large teocallis, surrounded by several hundreds of smaller ones, forming streets in straight lines from north to south, and from east to west. Each side of the base of the largest measures 682 feet, and the perpen dicular height 180 feet. The smaller pyramids are not above 30 feet in perpendicular height, and are supposed to be the tombs of the chiefs. The pyramid of Pa pantla, which was discovered only about the year 1780, by some Spanish hunters, is more tapering than any other monument of the kind, being only about 80 feet broad at the base, and about 65 in perpendicular height. It is
built entirely with hewn stones of an extraordinary size, and regular shape ; and has three staircases leading to the top. It is covered with sculptures, and small niches to the number of 318 cut in its sides, and arranged with great symmetry. But the greatest and most ancient and most celebrated of these pyramidal structures, is the teocalli of Cholula, which, at a dis tance, has the appearance of a natural hill covered with vegetation. Its perpendicular height is 164 feet, and each side of its base 1440 feet. It is built of unbaked bricks, with alternate layers of clay ; and on the plat form is now erected a Catholic chapel, in place of the ancient temple of the god of the air. A few years ago a road from Puebla to 'Alt:mt.° was carried through the first terrace, which laid open a square room in the in terior, built of bricks, and supported by cypress beams. The bricks were stepped over each other, the upper overreaching the lower, so as to meet in a point, and form a kind of Gothic arch, a mode of structure not uncommon in Egypt and India. This apartment had no outlet, but contained two human skeletons, several idols in basalt, and a number of curiously varnished and painted vases.
The history of the conquest of Mexico by the Spa niards has been already brought down, in the article CORTES, to the capture of Guatimozin, after the fall of his capital, in 1521. This memorable siege, which de cided the fate of the Mexican empire, continued for the space of seventy-five days, with scarcely any interrup tion to the exertions of the assailants and defenders ; and without the aid of the other Indian powers, all the superiority of the Spanish arms and discipline would not have been able to carry the place over the great abilities of Guatimozin, the number of his troops, and the pecu liar situation of his capital. The exultation of the Spa niards in accomplishing this arduous enterprise was quickly damped by the inconsiderable amount of the spoil which they were able to collect amidst the ruins of the metropolis. Guatimozin, aware of his approaching fate, had ordered the remaining treasures in his posses sion to be thrown into the lake ; and the Indian auxilia ries, while the Spaniards were engaged with the enemy, had carried off the most valuable part of the booty. To appease the discontent of the troops, and in compliance with their suspicions, Cortes was at length persuaded to subject the unhappy monarch and his chief favourite to torture, in order to force from them a discovery of the royal treasures, which they were supposed to have con cealed. The prince resisted with invincible fortitude all the cruelty of his tormentors, but his fellow-sufferer expired under the violence of the anguish ; and Cortes, at length ashamed of such barbarous proceedings, res cued the royal victim from the hands of his persecutors. The provinces of Mexico, after the fall of the capital, submitted to the conquerors without farther resistance ; and small detachments of Spaniards marched without interruption in different directions to the shores of the Great Southern Ocean.