Title: Doctrina Otomì

Date: 1632-62

Language(s): Otomí and Spanish

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Christian doctrine, written in Tepotzotlán. Contains references to the Indian idolatry and Mexican medicinal plants, especially the "peyote" drug used by the Mexican "curanderas."

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Material and Layout: Paper; 339 leaves; 16 x 11 cm.

Binding: Original parchment wrapper

PROVENANCE

Written by the scribe Francisco de Aguilar (internal evidence). Possibly once in library of Jesuit seminary at Tepotzotlán, M'ex. Possibly transferred to Jesuit Colegio de San Gregorio, Mexico City. Possibly seen by librarian at Colegio de San Gregorio ca. 1910-17. Possibly removed from same library during Church-State conflict ca. 1926-29. Owned by Dr. Nicolás León (1859-1929) (ex libris on inside cover). León sold parts of his collection in 1896, 1897 and 1914; the rest probably dispersed after his death in 1929. There is a roman numeral "III" written in ink on spine. Later provenance unknown.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Carr, David Charles Wright. Manuscritos Otomíes de la Biblioteca Newberry y la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Princeton ( Mexico: Ediciones La Rana, 2006). Carr provides a detailed analysis of this manuscript.

Title: Zapotec Text on Bone

Date: Unknown

Language(s): Zapotec

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Material and Layout: 1 item

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Unidentified Zapotec hieroglyphic text incised on a human femur, date unknown.

PROVENANCE:

Gift of J. Lionberger Davis, Class of 1900, ca. 1951.

Title: Maya Glyph on Shell

Date: 600-799

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Material and Layout: 1 item

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

A single Maya glyph on a shell fragment, translated as the term for "architect" incised on a shell fragment, date unknown.

PROVENANCE

Gift of J. Lionberger Davis, Class of 1900, ca. 1951.

Title: Book of the Chilam Balam of Chumayel

Date: 1775-1800

Language(s): Yucatec with some Spanish

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Manuscript, written and illustrated in Chumayel, Yucatán, probably dates to the late 18th century, cf. Edmondson, Berrera, and Roys. Concerns the history of the conquest of the Yucatan by the Spaniards. Includes the ritual of the four world-quarters; the rise of Hunac Ceel to power; a prophecy for Katun 11-Ahau; the building of the mounds; memoranda concerning the history of Yucatan; notes on the calendar; the amorial bearings of Yucatan; notes on astronomy; the interrogation of the chiefs; the creation of the world; the rituals of the angels; a song of the Itza; the creation of the uinal; a history of the Spanish conquest; the prophecy of Chilam Balam and the story of Antonio Martinez; a chapter of questions and answers; an incantation; a series of Katun-prophecies; chronicles; a book of Katun-prophecies; the last judgment; prophecies of a new religion, cf. Roys. There are inscriptions in Spanish and a native language throughout (1832-1838), including names, places, and dates. For example "Chumayel Junio 28. de 1838 Chilam Balam [por Pedro Bristano].

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Material and Layout: Paper; 55 leaves; 32 lines per folio; 20 x 15 cm.

Binding: Modern marbled boards; originally bound in leather.

Decoration: 27 leaves of illustration ranging from full-page drawings (in brown ink and red ink wash) to smaller ones on a portion of a textual page.

PROVENANCE

Found in the 19th-century in Chumayel, probably by Don Adumaro Molina; given to Bishop Crescencio Carrillo y Ancona; the manuscript was expropriated by the government of General Alvarado (from Rivero Figueroa's library) in 1915; became part of the Cepeda Library in Merida and then disappeared; said to have belonged to Julio Berzunza in 1945.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cline, H. F. Guide to Ethnohistorical Sources, 1146
Weeks, J.M. Mesoamerican Ethnohistory in United States Libraries, 148

The Book of the Chilam Balam of Chumayel, with introduction by G.B. Gordon. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum, Anthropological Publications, v. 5, 1913.

The Chilam Balam of Chumayel, translated by Ralph L. Roys. Washington D.C.: Carnegie Institute of Washington, publication no. 438, 1933.

Heaven Born Merida and its Destiny, The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel, translated by Monro S. Edmundson. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1986.