The last of the specimens of mosaic to be described is the musical instrument (omichicauaztli) made from a left human femur, illustrated on pl. XL. This unique example, which is in the Museum in Rome, has been reproduced in colors by Pigorini. The mosaic seems to have been confined to the head and neck, although the trochanter major may also have been covered at one time. The incrustation at present consists of gum in which are pinkish-orange bits of colored shell. A modern copper chain is attached to the bone, from which hangs an oliva shell, undoubtedly ancient.
PL. XL
HUMAN FEMUR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MOSAIC DECORATION
PREHISTORIC AND ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM, ROME
According to Dr. Lothrop, the oliva shell shows signs of wear, and was probably the instrument used for rasping the bone, as the bone is sound and produces a rather musical tone when scraped with the shell, as if the bone were of china.
Notched human bones are not uncommon in ancient Mexico, and some have been found elaborately engraved. In the course of excavations made in 1900 in the street back of the Cathedral in the City of Mexico, were uncovered many small pottery models of musical instruments which had been placed there undoubtedly when the foundations of the great Aztecan teocalli were laid. The writer secured for the American Museum of Natural History examples of these interesting models. Among them was a notched bone having attached to it a model of the handled instrument with which it was rubbed or rasped.[108]
*****
Finally, attention is called to three objects of wood, of Mexican origin, in the Museo Borgiano, Rome. They have been described by Colini, and two of the pieces illustrated, in the Bollettino della Società Geografica Italiana.[109] The first is an idol representing a human figure, 17¾ inches in height; the other two specimens, those figured by Colini, are masks, and it is highly probable that all of these pieces were once decorated, at least in part, with mosaic. One of the masks is 6⅞ inches, and the other 7⅛ inches, in height.