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PAR T V FINDS OF THE AZTEC CULTURE The Aztec empire was a young organization, which had not long been established by an exceedingly expansive and warlike race. When the Spaniards arrived in 1519 the Aztec sphere of dominion extended across the modern republic of Mexico from sea to sea. Certain districts, however, retained their independence. The Aztec expansion began in the latter half of the 14th century, but it was only in 1429 that Teotihuacan with surrounding districts was conquered. At that time this place had long since lost its importance, and therefore it is only as might be expected that, at this place, the finds dateable of the Aztec era are rather scanty compared with those of the Teotihuacan culture.' This is apparent, inter alia, from the stratigraphical examinations that have been carried out in different spots within the area of this ancient city site. A great deal of interesting information as to the spiritual and material culture of these parts is obtainable from reports to the Spanish king and »the Council of the Indies», for the year 1580: Ceramics of characteristically Aztec type were recovered at both ofthese archaeological sites. They were never proved to occur in contact with artifacts from the Mazapan culture, and were always found near the ground surface. This is however of minor significance, seeing that both of the archaeological sites were tilled fields, which probably had been under cultivation for great lengths of time. Considerable modifications as to the level of the ground may thereby have been effected. It would seem that the maizefield at Xolalpan in earlier times was of a more broken character. Beside the ruin we examined there are remains of a second house in the northwestern corner of the field. After the breaking up of the buildings, on their sites mounds had been formed by wall fragments and the like, as well as by dust piled up by the winds. In the cultivation of the land a more or less unintentional levelling was carried out, helped on by weather and rainBow, so that by now the field is practically level, only with a slight southward slope. In this way the Mazapan graves have more and more been brought near the surface. As the western portion of the field was being ploughed up at the time of our stay, we had opportunity of observing how in this section Mazapan graves, that unfortunately we had no time to examine, were laid bare and destroyed. The finds of Aztec times that were collected by us are of comparatively minor 1 Gamio 1922: Torno I, vol. 1,225 seq. 2 Nuttall 1926. importance. At Xolalpan the Aztec potsherds do not even amount to 0.5 per cent. They principally belong to the second and third development periods of the Aztec ceramic art. Clay heads, spindle-whorls, and the like, of Aztec type are in relation to potsherds somewhat in preponderance. The material is however too slender to make it worth while treating it separately, as has been done with the finds of the Teotihuacan and Mazapan cultures. It will therefore be included with the groups of the chapter next following. For the sake of uniformity, however, the finds of the Aztec culture have been mentioned in a special section. 88 ...

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