Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/321

 maps, hieroglyphs on skin and cloth of agave, and manuscripts written posterior to the conquest, confiscated by the colonial government. Owing to the negligence of those who had it in charge, this valuable treasure was lost, little by little, and today the Museum possesses only a portion of it. It was probably on this account that it was ordered that all the documents relating to Mexican antiquities be delivered into the care of the Royal University. Another of the viceroys. Count Revillagigedo, ordered that the antiquities found at the levelling of the Plaza Mayor, in 1790, should be deposited in the University for special study; with the exception of the "calendar stone," which was asked of him by a commission of the cathedral, and set up in its present position, against the western wall of that edifice. In this manner there was formed in the University a gathering point for the historic documents and archæological monuments of Mexico.

In November, 1822, the national government established in the same edifice a conservatory of antiquities and cabinet of natural history; in 1831, upon motion of Don Lucas Alamán, both establishments were reconstructed under the name of the National Museum. Later, in December, 1865, the Archduke Maximilian removed the Museum to its present quarters in the national palace, formerly occupied by the mint.

At the organization of the national government, in 1867, a sum of five hundred dollars per month was voted for the expenses of this establishment. The Museum comprehends, and is divided into three departments,—Natural History, Archæology, and Bibliography.

A valuable feature of this institution is the publication of its "Annals," containing descriptions of the historic objects in the Museum, and of all antiquities pertaining to Mexico. The first of these Anales del Museo Nacional de Mexico appeared in 1877, containing articles by Señores Mendoza, Sanchez, Orozco y Berra, and Bárcena. They have appeared with regularity, and constitute a most valuable addition to the literature of Anahuac. The lithographic plates, executed in Mexico, beautifully colored, are the admiration of all who see them. There