Kitabı oku: «Notes on the Bibliography of Yucatan and Central America», sayfa 3

On most of the works like those of Prescott, Bancroft, Baldwin, and others, I need not comment, having already expressed my opinion in "Art of War and Mode of Warfare of the Ancient Mexicans," and "Tenure and Distribution of Lands, and Customs with respect to Inheritance among the Ancient Mexicans." – (10th and 11th Reports of the Peabody Museum). In regard to Yucatecan paintings and carvings, I have expressed my convictions in "Sources for aboriginal history of Spanish America," Vol. 27 of the "Proceedings of the American Association for advancement of Science." 1878.

I repeat it, this attempt at a bibliography on Yucatecan antiquities is far from being complete, – many works of greater or less importance having probably been overlooked.

CHIAPAS

This district or State contains the well known ruins of Palenque and Ocosingo. Still, but very few of the works hereafter mentioned relate to these places. It is therefore a bibliography of Chiapas and of its aborigines: – Zendal, Zoques, Zotzil, Chiapanecos, &c., and not a special bibliography of Palenque, &c., which I intend to present, – convinced that our lack of knowledge on the aborigines of Chiapas in general is a chief cause of our ignorance about the past history of these remains.

A large number of authors treating of Chiapas have already been noticed in regard to Yucatan, and in such cases I merely give the author's name, without the title or any other reference to his works, except when there are special reasons for it.

Writers of the Sixteenth Century

Diego de Godoy. "Relacion á Hernando Cortez, en que trata del Descubrimiento de diversas Ciudades i Provincias, i Guerra que tuvo con los Indios, &c., de la Provincia de Chamula." – First incorporated in the "Historia general" of Oviedo y Valdés, again in Barcia's "Historiadores primitivos de Indias," and in "Historiadores primitivos de Indias" of Vedia. – French translation by Ternaux-Compans, in 1st, "Recueil de pièces concernant la Méxique, &c." – Also Italian in "Ramusio," Vol. III.

Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo Y Valdés.

Hernan Cortéz. – "Carta quinta."

Francisco Lopez de Gomara.

Bernal Diez Del Castillo. (Eye-witness of the conquest of Chiapa.)

Bartolomé de Las Casas. (Especially the "Apologética historia.")

Gerónimo de Mendieta. (Incidental mention.)

In the 2d "Recueil de piecés concernant le Méxique," of Ternaux-Compans, there is a complaint or letter of an anonymous author against Las Casas, dated Chiapas. – I also refer to "Cartas de Indias," Vol. I., containing several letters of Las Casas himself.

There is, in fact, but very little published about the antiquities of Chiapas, during the 16th century. I do not even mention any of the general collections which have an occasional reference to the name. But few vocabularies are noticed. Still we are informed of the following works, which may yet be in existence, or which at all events have existed once, and were written during the 16th century.

Fray Tomás Torre. "Historia de los principios de la Provincia de Chiapas y Guatemala, del Orden de Santo Domingo."

Fray Domingo Vico. "Historia de los Indios, sus fábulas, supersticiones, costumbres, &c., &c."

The library of the "Museo Nacional" of the City of Guatemala, contains a number of fragments of a "Historia de la Provincia de San Vicente Ferrer de Chiapas y Guatemala," the third book of which is superscribed: "Isagoge histórico apologético general de todas las Indias." – There is no date nor name of author, but it can be conjectured that it was written in the 16th century. – Gregorio García also quotes: Fray Estévan de Salazar. "Discurs. Symb. apost." who in turn is said to refer to a book entitled "Historia, i Relacion de la Teología de los Indios Mexicanos," said book being lost in a shipwreck, 1564.

Writers of the Seventeenth Century

Gregorio Garcia.

Antonio de Herrera.

Juan de Torquemada.

Antonio de Remesal.

Augustin de Vetancourt.

Gil Gonzalez Dávila.

Juan Diaz de la Calle.

Augustin Dávila-padilla. "Historia de la Fundacion y Discurso de la Provincia de Santiago de México." 1st edition, Madrid, 1596; 2d edition, Brussels, 1625. – Mentions Chiapas only in connection with the biography of Las Casas. – The first edition has almost disappeared, so that it is practically a book of the 17th century.

Augustin Cano. "Historia de la Provincia de Predicadores de San-Vicente de Chiapas y Guatemala." – Fragment of a MS. at the "Museo Nacional" of Guatemala.

The following books are known to have existed once:

Fray Juan Zapata Y Sandoval. "Cartas al Conde de Gomera … sobre los Indios de Chiapas."

"Cartas al Rey sobre el Estado Dulce Diócesis de Chiapas."

I make no mention of the compilations and general collections containing references to Chiapas. They are not numerous. – Gregorio García in his book, "Origen de los Indios," has probably the earliest mention of the ruins of Ocosingo, and even perhaps, some indication about those of Palenque. – Cortez who, accompanied by Bernal Diez, passed very near Palenque in 1525, did not take any notice of the pueblo, – which at that time was certainly not inhabited.

Writers of the Eighteenth Century

Nuñez de la Vega. "Constituciones diocesanas del Obispado de Chiapas." Rome, 1702.

Important for its reports on the idolatrous rites and the traditions of the aborigines.

Lorenzo Boturini Bernaducci. "Idea de una Nueva Historia General de la America Septentrional." Madrid, 1746.

Valuable for his mention of the Calendar of Chiapas.

Mariano Fernandez de Veytia Y Echeverria. "Historia del Origen de las gentes que poblaron la America Septentrional que llaman la Nueva-España, con noticia de los primeros que establecieron la monarquía que en ella floreció de la nacion Tolteca." – This work has been published as lately as 1836, at Mexico, by C. F. Ortega, under the title of "Historia antigua de México." – It contains notices of the calendar of Chiapas.

F. X. Clavigero. S. J. (Abbate.)

Antonio de Alcedo.

Joseph Antonio de Villa-Señor Y Sanchez.

Francisco Ximenez. "Crónica de la Provincia de Chiapas y Guatemala," – of which part of the 7th book is at the "Museo Nacional" of Guatemala.

"Historia de la Provincia de predicadores de San Vicente de Chiapas y Guatemala." Written about 1720, – and possibly the same work as the above. – According to Brasseur de Bourbourg, 3 volumes which did not suit or fit together and were the remnants of two MSS. copies of the original, existed at the University of Guatemala in 1855.

Toribio Cosio. "Relacion histórica de la Sublevacion y Pacificacion de la Provincia de los Tzendales." (May still exist at Mexico.)

Francisco Vasquez. "Crónica de la Provincia del Ill'mo Nombre de Jesús, del Orden de San Francisco de Guatemala." – Guatemala, 1714 and 1716, 2 vols. – The library of Guatemala ("Museo Nacional") still contains an anonymous MS. of 13 Leaves, "Notas y Advertencias" to the above work. – Whether the "Crónica" itself is at Guatemala, I am unable to say. The book is very scarce. Mr. Squier owned the first volume only.

Anonymous. "Relacion de la Sublevacion de los Zendales, en el año de 1712." MS. Perhaps still at the city of Guatemala.

Ramon de Ordoñez y Aguiar. "Historia de la Creacion del Cielo y de la Tierra, conforme al sistema de la gentilidad americana." MS. at the "Museo Nacional" of the city of Mexico. – Very important for the traditions of Chiapas.

"Memoria relativa á las ruinas de Nachán, en las inmediaciones del pueblo de Santo Domingo del Palenque." MS. formerly belonged to Brasseur de Bourbourg. It was written about 1784, and is the first authentic report on the celebrated ruins.

D. Náxera. "Vida portentosa del V. P. Fr. Antonio Margil de Jesús." México, 1753.

H. Vilaplana. "Vida portentosa del americano septentrional apóstol Antonio Margil de Jesús…" México, 1763. (Margil was one of the earliest missionaries in Chiapas.)

Documents relative to the explorations of Palenque.

Besides the "Memoria" of Ordoñez already quoted, which first directed attention to the ruined pueblo, there exist the following documents:

José de Estacheria. "Expediente sobre el descubrimiento de una gran Ciudad en la provincia de Chiapas, distrito de Guatemala." 28 Nov. 1784. (Archives of the royal Academy, at Madrid). – It is directed to the lieutenant "Alcalde mayor" of Chiapas, at Sto Domingo del Palenque, directing him to survey the ruins.

Josef Antonio Calderon. "Informe, fecho en 15 de Diciembre de 1784." Description of the ruins. MSS. translated and published by Brasseur in "Ruines de Palenque," 1866.

Antonio Bernasconi. Other reports on the ruins, accompanied by plans and drawings. MS. in Spain. Date, 13 June, 1578.

Juan Bautista Muñoz. Letter to the Marquis de Sonora, written 1786. Translated by Brasseur: "Ruines de Palenque." 1866.

Antonio del Rio. "Descripcion del terreno y poblacion antigua nuevamente descubierta en las inmediaciones del pueblo del Palenque." – I have already referred to it under "Yucatan." Whether the plates of the English edition are genuine, is yet doubtful.

I must add here, that until about 1820, the state of Chiapas pertained, not to Mexico, but to the captain-generalcy of Guatemala, and consequently all the authorities treating of the latter country may be supposed to contain information about Chiapas also.

Writers of the Nineteenth Century

(Explorations of Palenque.)

Juan Garrido. Said to have written about Palenque in 1805.

Guillermo Dupaix and Luciano Castañeda. "Relacion hecha al Rey, sobre tres expediciones, &c." in 1805, 1806, and 1807. They visited Palenque late in 1807. – Their reports and drawings were first published in 1831, in Vols. IV. and V. of Lord Kingsborough's "Antiquities of Mexico," and an English translation in Vol. VI. – A French and Spanish version, together with all the plates, is contained in "Antiquités mexicaines." Paris, 1834. – The drawings of Castañeda are by far the most complete which we have, although they disagree with many of those of other travellers. This disagreement will be referred to hereafter.

Juan Galindo. "Palenque et autres lieux circonvoisins." Letter dated 27 April, 1831, in "Antiquités méxicaines," Vol. I. – English translation in the "Literary Gazette," No. 769, London, 1831. – Col. Galindo visited Palenque himself, but he is so enthusiastic that all his statements and even measurements should be taken with many allowances.

Friedrich von Waldeck. "Description des ruines de Palenque," with 56 large plates, in "Monuments anciens du Méxique." Paris, 1866. – M. de Waldeck had spent two years at Palenque (1832-1834,) – his plates are magnificent, but they restore far too much.

John L. Stephens. "Travels in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan." N. York, 1841.

"Incidents of Travel in Yucatan." 1843.

F. Catherwood. (See Yucatan.)

Arthur Morelet. (See Yucatan.) Visited P. in 1846.

Désiré Charnay. (See Yucatan.) In 1858.

Charles Etienne Brasseur de Bourbourg. "Ruines de Palenque," in "Monuments anciens du Méxique," 1866, Paris. – Valuable for the historical introductions and for the numerous references to authorities. The historical essay is a confused and disorderly jumble, barely readable. – The Abbé visited Palenque subsequently – in 1871.

To these reports I finally add:

Charles Rau. "The Palenque tablet in the United States National Museum," Washington, D. C., 1879. (No. 331 of "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge.")

Aside from the numberless historical, archæological, and ethnological works, several of which I have already noticed under "Yucatan," I beg to refer to some specifically Central-American and Mexican sources treating of Chiapas in general, with some occasional mention of Palenque and of Ocosingo, or even without any particular reference to them.

Domingo Juarros. "Compendio de la Historia de Guatemala," 1808 – 1818. – English translation by J. Bailly, London, 1823.

Francisco de Paula Garcia l'elaez. "Memorias para la Historia del antiguo Reyno de Guatemala." 3 vols. Guatemala, 1851. – An excellent work, full of valuable and reliable information.

Hyacinthe de Charency. "Le Mythe de Votan." Alençon, 1871. – Ingenious speculations.

Félix Cabrera. "Teatro crítico-americano." – Published with the different editions of Del Rio. – Abstract from Nuñez de la Vega, with more or less hypothetical speculations about the origin, life, and doings of "Votan" in Chiapas.

Mariano Robles Dominguez de Mazariegos. "Memoria histórica de la provincia de Chiapas…" Cadiz, 1813.

Emilio Pineda. "Descripcion Geógráfica del Departamento de Chiapas y Soconusco." In the "Boletin de la Sociedad de geografia y Estadística de México." Vol. III. Also, México, 1845.

José de Garay. "Reconocimiento del Istmo de Tehuantepec." México, 1844.

Francisco Pimentel. "Cuadro descriptivo de las Lenguas indígenas, &c." (See Yucatan.)

Manuel Orozco y Berra. "Geografia de las Lenguas." (See Yucatan.)

In the imperfect list herewith submitted I have frequently included works of which nothing is known save that they once existed. This is done for the purpose of calling attention to them, should any one of them be found in the hands of book owners and collectors here or abroad. Libraries like those of Mr. Lenox or of Mr. John Carter-Brown should be searched for such writings, and copies at least should be secured. The plan of Palenque, made by Bernasconi, in 1785, should also be copied without delay. A copy can be obtained from Madrid, by application to the Royal Academy of Spain.