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Rh act of penance every time that he wished to attain ceremonial purity. The usual implement was a spine of the aloe, which, covered with blood, was offered to the god, but implements of bone were also employed, especially for piercing the ears. An elaboration of this ceremony consisted in passing rods through the tongue, and at the principal festival, in March, to Camaxtli at Tlaxcala, the chief priest was supposed to pass no less than 405 specially prepared rods through that organ, the other worshippers being satisfied with a smaller number. This performance is well illustrated in a relief from Huilocintla in the