Restos de Pizarro

8/12/2019 Restos de Pizarro

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THE

M ERI C N ANTHROPOLOGVOL. VII. WASHINGTON, D. C., JANUARY, 1894. No. 1.

THE REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO.BY W J MCGEE.INTRODUCTION.

Francisco Pizarro,discovererof Peru and founder of its capital,the ancient "City of the Kings," is a conspicuous figure in thehistory of the American hemisphere. Son of a soldier, a strip-ling in sunny Seville when Columbus returned from the mostmomentous voyage the world has ever known and when Spainheld the balance of power among nations, his life was moldedby the inspiration of conquest. Endowed with remarkablephysical vigor and mental activity and fired by the burningambition of the Iberia of his day, he rose among his fellows andearly became a leader of men. His indomitable will brookedno defeat; fortified by the fierce spirit of the times, he rose aboveall obstacles by individual prowess, and many episodes in hiscareer were inscribed in blood. Measured by the standard ofhis age, he was a conquering hero, worthy the admiration ofmankind.Born about 1471, Pizarroalready held place in the New Worldin 1510, when he participated in the expedition of Ojeda andwas placed in charge of the ill-fated settlement of San Sebastian;he afterward accompanied Balboa to Darien, and thus con-tributed to the discovery of the Pacific. In 1522 his dream ofconquest in the half-fabulous earlier El Dorado among the Andestook shape; but it was not until 1527 that he saw the shores ofPeru, and five years more passed before he, with his companionAlmagro, actually entered the land of the Incas. Although hecame with the power and prestige of Spain as "Governor andCaptain-Generalof New Castile,"terriblehardships were endured

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2 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.before the actual invasion commenced, his experience with thir-teen followers on the island of Gallo without ship or storesbeing an epic of tragedy; and terrible dangers and privationswere experienced later, as when, on the headwaters of theAmazon, starving Spaniards were carried on the shoulders oftheir tireless leader. The conquest of Peru was bloody, andsome of the leading acts in the shifting scenes are seen throughthe mist of years as base treachery and horrible atrocity; for tothis degree have times changed and manners softened sincePizarro brought a new culture and the Christian cult to replacethe culture and cult of Manco Capac and Mama Huaco.The career of Pizarro as the foremost Spaniard in SouthAmerica was not long. In 1535 he founded Lima; Almagroextended conquest into Chile; but dissension soon arose, andwhen Almagro the Lad succeeded his father, sedition followed.Pizarro was now old; yet when beset by assassins and desertedby his men, he rushed half-armed and alone to the battle, withdefiance on his lips, and went down with his face to the foe onlywhen overpowered by numbers. The pent up bitterness againsta harsh commander then burst forth and spent itself in indigni-ties upon the lifeless body.A few hours after the assassination the remains were taken upand given temporary burial in consecrated ground. Then fol-lows a hiatus in the written historical record; but the ecclesiasti-cal authorities soon assumed charge of the body, and so thetraditional history is complete for centuries, and the casket,identified by successive generations of church officers, has beencarefully guarded as one of the most precious possessions in theCathedral of Lima.The three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Pizarro's deathwas recently signalized in Lima; and under joint action by themunicipal and ecclesiastical authorities, a critical examinationof the mummified body was undertaken with the double viewof identificationiand anthropometric characterization. The ex-amination was intrusted to a commission, by whom a full reportwas prepared and published in a municipal bulletin.* This re-port embracesa historical account of the assassination of Pizarro,t

* Boletin Municipal, Lima, Peru, July 25, 1891, pp. viii-xvi.t This part of the document appears also in " Monografias Historico-Americanas," por E. Larrabure y Unanue, Lima: 1893, pp. 341-355.



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 3introduced for the purpose of completing the identification. Itwill be noted that the identification resulting from this examina-tion closes the hiatus in the historical record immediately fol-lowing the death of Pizarro, to the full satisfaction of the com-mission and probably to the satisfaction of all. Thus, studentsof anthropometry are afforded a noteworthy opportunity of jux-taposing the biographic record and biologic characters of one ofthe world's leaders in thought and action.It is not the purpose to discuss here the relations suggestedby the juxtaposition-the report of the commission is simply

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Craniumof FranciscoPizarro.put on record, partly to suggest and stimulate study, partly togive it permanent place in the scientific literature of our language.But it may be well to note in passing the remarkable characterof the mummied skull, viewed in the light of modern anthro-pology, especially that of recent work in criminology in Italyand elsewhere. In prognathism, in the general conformation ofthe cranium, in the breadth and fullness of the basal and oc-cipital regions of the brain-case, in the fossa of Lombroso, inall other important respects, the head is that of the typicalcriminal of to-day. This will be no surprise to modern students



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4 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.of the conquest of America who, dominated by the refined sensi-bilities of enlightenment, follow the bloody career of the con-queror with pain and revulsion; it will be disappointing, per-haps incredible, to the hero-worshipersof our southern continent.Yet it is to be remembered that in this age of human progress,minds and manners are changing with unprecedented rapidity,and that the quality of greatness is not what it was even in themiddle of our millennium; the hero of history in earlier cen-turies is of rugged mold, and the heroism of the olden time isthe crime of our softened lexicon. So Pizarromay well be judgedas the representative of a class necessary and good in its agebut not adjusted to the higher humanities of the present day.

Acknowledgments are due to Sefior Manuel Antonio Mufiiz,M. D., surgeon-general of the Peruvian army, for the documentreproducedbelow and for photographs of mummy and cranium;to Mr. J. L. Ridgway for the accompanying drawing of thecranium from one of the photographs; to Miss Nora Thomasfor a studious translation of the report published by the com-mission; and to Dr. Frank Baker for revision of the manuscriptand proof."THE BODY OF PIZARRO AND ITS IDENTITY.

"Recordof the Removalof the Remainsof the Conquerorf Peru andFounderof Lima, Don FranciscoPizarro."In Lima, at 10- o'clock a. m. of Wednesday, June 24, 1891,assembled in the crypt of the Cathedral beneath the high altar:the Alcalde of the Provincial Council of Lima, Seiior Don JuanRevoredo; the Municipal Commission, composed of Sefiors Dr.Manuel Aurelio Fuentes and Don Froylan Miranda; the Cor-

responding Members of the Royal Spanish Academy of History,Sefiors Don Eugenio Larraburey Unanue,Don Jose Antoniode Lavalle, and Don Ricardo Palna; the Illustrious Dean of theChapter, Monsefior Dr. Don Manuel Tovar; the Special Com-

mi~sion of Dignitaries of the said Chapter, composed of SefiorsDr. Don Julio Zarate, Precentor, Dr. Don Faustino Mendez,Curator,and Dr. Don Carlos Garcia Irigoyen, Secretary; variousother gentlemen, canons of the Chapter,members of the Councilof Lima, and notable persons; also the undersigned, commis-



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 5sioned by order of the Alcaldia to make an anthropological ex-amination of the remains of the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro,Conqueror of Peru and founder of the city of Lima, to wit:Doctors of Medicine, Don Jos6 Anselmo de los Rios, leadingProfessor of the Faculty of Medicine of Lima and Director ofthe Municipal Chemical Laboratory; and Don Manuel AntonioMufiiz, Assistant Professorof the same Faculty, Physician of theHospital for the Insane, and Chief Surgeon of the army."The Dean pointed out the place where the remains of thefounder of Lima were deposited. On opening the iron-barredwooden doors closing a longitudinal niche in the left wall, thereappeared a casket of ordinary wood, painted black. The clothwhich covered it was then raised, disclosing a mummifiedbody which, by the unanimous declaration of the membersthere present, represented the remains of Don Francisco Pizarro,preserved here since the founding of the Cathedral, and whoseauthenticity and identity were established by unquestionedtradition extending over many years and by the constant careexercised during all this time by the Ecclesiastical Chapter."The coffin was removed to the Chapel of the Kings [Capillade los Reyes] in the Cathedral and there opened, revealing abody almost completely mummified, partly covered by vestigesof clothing, which were limited to the upper and back parts ofthe body."The blessing of the tomb and case in which the body was tobe finally placed having been cmmpleted,the undersigned pro-ceeded with their anthropological examination and record,withthe aid of instruments of precision and in conformity with scien-tific rules."'The body was lying supine ih the casket, rigid, completelydesiccated and mummified, of a light brown color similar to thatof Peruvian mummies. At first glance the following facts wereobserved, viz., the absence of the hands, of the skin and softparts of certain regions, of the genital organs, of the soft parts ofthe perineum and superior and internal regions of the thighs,etc., as will be specified in detail under each region."The body was stripped, save that there was preserved a wrap.ping of common cloth on the inferior part of the left knee. Thefragments of clothing being carefully removed, the body wasplaced on a table prepared for the purpose.



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6 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII."The pieces of clothing, on being examined in detail, werefound to consist of: (1) the relics of a short cassock of black

silk, of which there remained all of the back part, the left sleevein fragments, and a part of the left front with a hemisphericalbutton of black silk; fastened to the girdle were short skirts ofthe same material, completely separated one from the other and12 or 15 centimeters [44 to 59 inches] in length; (2) a fragmentof fine white stuff which, from the tracel of embroidery andneedlework, is supposed to have formed part of an inner gar-ment like a shirt; (3) some other pieces of material of differentkinds, one small one being of very fine black twilled wool, othersbeing more or less coarse, whose use could not be determined."

"A-External Examinationof the Cadaver."The head, trunk and lower extremities formed one solidmass, remarkable in the rigidity and immobility of articulationsof the hip, knee and ankle, as well as those of the vertebroewith

one another and with the cranium."The skin, adherent, hard and resistant, was intact over a greatpart of the trunk. Its color varied, being lighter at the back,that of the fore part being very similar to the skin of the mum-mies of Peruvian Indians. It was destroyed in some places byinsects, remains of these appearing. Not the least trace or indi-cation of the pilary system was found on any part of the body."The muscular layer had completely lost its volume, andappeared of a very dark chocolate color, its fibers resistantlongitudinally, being closely united to the skin. The adiposetissue had disappeared. The structure of vessels and tendonscould be clearly traced. The osseous tissue had not lost itsphysical and chemical properties; many of the bones retainedvestiges of their periosteum."The head was firmly and solidly attached to the trunk notonly by the occipito-vertebral articulations, of which the liga-ments remained, but also by the insertion of the muscles of theregion of the nape into the rugosities and curved lines of theoccipital. It was necessary to separate the head, preserving itsrelations and the soft tissues so that the divided portions mightafterward be reunited."The head was found almost completely covered by integu-ment; the trifling deficiency in the frontal and occipital regions



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8 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.able. There was little else of particular note anatomically ex-cept the depth of the palatine arch and the perfect preservationof the vomer and the turbinate bones. The diminution of thevolume of the inferior maxillary was noticeable. The mentalprotuberance was considerably advanced beyond the plane ofthe face, producing marked prognathism. The alveolar borderof the bone had been absorbed, diminishing somewhat theheight of its body."Taking into account the situation of the superior alveolararch, the cranium may be considered as prognathous [progeno]."At present there exist no fragments of teeth; but at the timeof death there existed in the inferior maxillary the second leftincisor, the two canines, and the first and fourth molars of theleft side; in the superior maxillary, the left canine, the fourthleft molar, and the second and fourth molars of the right side.The appearance, color, and state of preservation of the respect-ive sockets indicate that these teeth became detached at differ-ent periods."All the anterior and lateral tissues of the neck had entirelydisappeared. There remained only the vertebral skeleton withits ligaments and some muscular fragments on its anterior face,where a complete separation was readily observed between thebodies of the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae; the color andappearance prove the antiquity of this separation, which mightwell date back to, or shortly after, the period of death. Theleft aspect of the vertebral column offered nothing remarkable,and the transverse processes, the articulations, and the lateralforamina were entirely covered by the remains of muscles ormuscular and ligamentous insertions in such a way that the bonysurfaces were not visible. This was not the case on the rightside; the transverse processes, the articulations, and foramina ofthe third, fourth, fifth, and sixth vertebre were wholly visible,exposed, smooth, lacking the periosteum, with an exterior aspectand coloration, which were tangible proof that the destructionof the soft parts covering and inserted upon these bony surfaces,took place more rapidly than the destruction of the soft partsof the left side. Undoubtedly upon this right side a doublephenomenon occurred, which alone can explain the more rapidputrefaction of this side than the other; there must have ex-



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 9isted here some liquid substance susceptible of decomposition,together with solution of continuity of the skin and soft partswhich permitted its effusion. Only the coexistence of these twoconditions can explain the more rapid cadaveric putrefaction ofthis region before the general process of mummification tookeffect, as in the rest of the body and on the left side. There musthave been during life a traumatism on the right side of the neckat the height of the vertebreebefore mentioned, which caused adivision of the skin and soft parts and produced an extensiveloss of blood. Under the anatomical conditions of this region,this wound must have been mortal, because it necessarily dividedsome of the larger arteries of the region. All of the posteriorportion of the neck is perfectly preserved, the skin as well as:the muscles of the nape that are inserted in the surfaces andrugose lines of the occipital."The trunk was covered by the skin, with the exception of allof the upper and left part of the anterior surface of the thorax, onwhich the soft parts also were lacking, the periosteum being hereuncovered, as well as a small portion of the fourth rib at its ar-ticulation with the sternum, and a considerable portion of thefirst three ribs. At this point there was rapid decay and nomummification. The skin of the back was very well preserved,forming peculiar folds on the upper and lateral regions, andespecially on the inferior (gluteal) region, proving the ampli-tude of the integument, which had become folded before deathbecause of the development of adipose tissue. With the ex-ception of certain small orifices made by insects, there was notthroughout the back part of the trunk any break of continuity.The abdominal wall also showed some orifices made by insects,but there were no traces of wounds. The navel was distinct; andthe adherence of the skin and muscular layers was so completethat the direction of the fibersof the different deep muscles couldbe seen. The skin was darker over the anterior portion. Thegenital organs were entirely wanting; not the least trace of themexisted. The genital and perineal regions, the regions of thesuperior and internal surfaces of both thighs contiguous to theperineum had entirely disappeared, leaving only shapeless re-mains of dried muscles. Here, then (as in the left side of theneck), something exceptional must have occurred immediately2



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10 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.after death, as shown by the failure of mummification of thisregion and by the absence of traces of cutting or destructionposterior to the mummification."The left arm was slightly separated from the thoracic cage,leaving the axillary cavity somewhat exposed. The shoulderjoint was separated, but this occurred much later than the periodof death. The deltoid and other muscular fibers were visible.The superficial fascia of the back part of the arm was present.The elbow was semi-flexed and the forearmwas pronated. Thejoint of the elbow was completely covered, but though the inter-osseous ligaments were in good preservation,the skin and muscu-lar layers of the forearmwere wanting; here also there seems tohave been rapid decay. The ulna and radius were in good con-dition. The carpus was entirely gone, also the metacarpus andphalanges, while distinct and quite recent traces appear of arti-ficial cutting or tearing of the ligaments and other tissues con-stituting the articulation of the carpus.

"The right arm was in a better condition. The articulationof the shoulder was covered with the skin, which was continuouswith that of the trunk on this side. The arm, which was intact,had the skin normally preserved. The elbow was not covered;the head of the radius was observed to be disarticulated, andamong the remains of the muscles there was a peculiar colora-tion, differingfrom the proper color of muscle, which appearedtohave been produced by decomposed and altered blood previousto the effects of putrefaction, this disarticulation and the discon-tinuity of the skin being apparently contemporaneous with theperiod of death. The carpus, metacarpus and fingers had alsobeen violently severed or torn, leaving indisputable traces in thecoloration of the articular surface and in the sections of theligaments that some of these mutilations were quite recent."The hip, knee, ankle and tarso-metatarsal joints were ex-tended, completely rigid and immovable, and covered by theskin. The integument and the muscular layer were wanting inthe superior and internal parts of both hips, and normally pre-served in the remaining parts. In the inferior and posteriorpart of the left hip there appeared a lesion and diffusion of de-composed blood. Both legs were denuded, especially the left.The size of the knee joints, which were entirely covered by the



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINSOF DON FRANCISCOPIZARRO. 11skin, was considerable in both limbs, being abnormal and path-ological. The tendon of Achilles was well marked and intact inboth limbs. Both feet were in extreme extension, and an ex-aggerated height of the insteps (tarso-metatarsal articulations)was noticeable. Both were covered by skin, intact and wellpreserved, but the left foot lacked the last metatarsal bone andall the toes except the first phalanges of the fourth and fifth,which remained; and on the right foot all the toes were wantingexcept the fifth. The phalanges and entire toes appeared tohave been removed by violence, the time at which this occurredbeing relatively recent."

"B-Examination of the Interiorof theBody."The internal organs,as in every mummified body, weretrans-formed into a dark-brown powder, dry, with a peculiar odor,andin the cavities of the trunk this was found to be abundantlymixed with pellets of lime, which were very numerous; thesecannot be ascribed to the loosening of the substance from thewalls of the niche in which the corpse was deposited, since theywere not laminar; they must, therefore, be attributed to thepresence of this matter in direct contact with the body duringthe primary inhumation. This seems the more probable, sinceit has been proved that certain hygroscopic soils, rich in arsenicand lime, and containing a peculiar fungus recently discovered,

are the substances most suitable for mummification."The cerebral matter had been converted into a pulverulent,coffee-colored substance c6ntaining bits of spongy matter (re-mains of the pia mater). The meninges were intact, in theirnatural relations and insertions, though it was necessary tosever them in order to facilitate the measurement of the cranialcapacity. The spinal column was found to be in good con-dition.

"In the thoracic cavity the pleura was observed to be quitedistinct, especially in the mediastinum, though there remainedno vestiges of the heart or large blood-vessels. The diaphragmwas complete, also the urinary bladder, the only organ remain-ing in the abdominal cavity. The skin and subjacent tissueswere wanting in various portions of the left iliac and inguinalregions."



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12 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII."C--AnthropometricExaminationof the Cadaver.

" I. SKELETON.Length of skeleton, before and after preparation ........... 1.637 m.

"II. CRANIUM.a.-Capacity and Weight.

Capacity,measuredby the watermethod (approximate).. 1715cub. cent.Class, megacephalic.Weight (afteremptying cavity and removing skin, ligamentsand exterior parts) ............ .................. 955 gram.

b.--Linear Measurements(rectilinear).Diameter, maximum longitudinal ......................... 189 mm.it" " transverse ................... ......... 157Cephalicindex (transverselongitudinal) ................... 83.11

Class, hyper-brachycephalic.Diameter, maximum transversefrontal..................... 130 minm." minimum " " ........ ......... 1041

" transverse occipital.............................. 121" antero-posterior, through inion ................... 187" antero-posterior, metopic ........................ 182" basio-bregmatic (maximum height) ............... 147" bi-auricular .................................. 111" interparietal ................................. 1.54" bi-mastoidal................................ 129" bi-temporal............. ...... .............. 141" bi-stephanic............. .................. 125" bi-asteric............. ........................ 125" bi-zygomnatic ................................. 136" of orbit, maximum transverse .................... 41" of orbit, minimum " (height of orbit) .... 40Orbital index ............................................ 97.5

Class, megaseme.Interorbital distance. ...................................... 21 uni.Depth of orbit .......................................... 42Nasio-subnasal line ...................................... 60Length of nasal bones .................................. 26Width of nares ...................................... ..... 25Nasal index ............................................ 73.5

Class, platyrhine.[1Printed figures corrected by Dr. Manuel A. Mufiiz.][2Computedby W J M.; given in print as 100.]



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 13Maximum diameter of foramen magnum ................. 32 mm.Minimum " " " ................... 28Index of foramenmagnum.............................. 87.51Length of palatal arch ................ ................. 50 milm.W idth of " " ............................... . ..... 44Nasio-basilar distance................. ............ 107Nasio-frontal " ....................... ............ 61Nasio-bregmatic " ................................. 135Nasio-vertical " .................................... 155Nasio-lambdoidal " .... ............... 189Distance from nasion to extremity of maximum fronto-occip-

ital diameter ................................. 187[" from nasion] to external occipital protuberance.... 182" from alveolar point to basion ...................... 92" from basion to borderof forehead................ 134" from basion to nasion............................. 101Basio-lambdoidaldistance................................. 118Distance from basion to external occipital protuberance....... 88Bi-orbital distance, external ............................. 118cc" " internal ............................... 27 2Bi-malardistance......................................... 112Bi-jugal distance .................................. 114Total altitude of face...................................... 161Distance from a plane tangent at bregmato root of nose..... 82" from inferior edge of nasal bones to anterior nasalspine .................................... 34" from anterior nasal spine to superioralveolar border. 23

c. Circumferencesand Curves.Maximum horizontal circumference ....................... 548Longitudinal circumference (nasion, bregma and basio-alve-olar).................. ........... ............ ........ 580Sub-cerebralcurve. ................................. 45Sagittal curve......... ................................... 16)Transverseinterparietal circumference..................... .510Bi-auricularcircumference ................. ............. 364Super-occipitalcurve................................ 68Total occipital " ........................ ............... 123Super-auricular " ....................................... 170Pre-auricular " .................. ................. .. 140Occipito-frontal " ......................... .......... 390Total frontal " ................................. . 150Total transversal" ......................... .......... 510

[' Computed by W J M.; given in print as 81.8.][2 Stricken out of printed measurementsby Dr. Mufiiz.]



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 15"D-Deductions.

"From this examination it may be deduced:"1. That the body examined was inhumed in a soil artificiallycharged with lime;"2. That the stature, measured directly on the body, is 1 meter673 millimeters. Applying the different tables of existing stat-ures (Orfila), it is found that a humerus of 31 cm. correspondsto a height of 1.67 m.; a radius of 24 centimeters, to a heightof 167 m., etc.; so that the height of 1.673 m. in this body iscorroborated by the tables of reconstruction. This stature, ac-cording to the classification of Topinard, is comprehended inthe group "above the medium; ""3. That the age of the decedent was more than 70 years;"4. That the body belongs to the masculine sex, as shown bythe significant characters of the cranium, pelvis, femur, etc.,which without exception correspond to this sex, as well as byits exterior aspect and the absence of mammee;"5. That the individual appears to have belonged to a superior(white) race;"6. That, notwithstanding the complete mummification, thereare distinct signs of decomposition, due probably to putrefactionof some parts of the body (right side of neck, upper and leftpart of thorax, left forearm,etc.) which very possibly correspondto wounds (one mortal) received during life;"7. That the examination of this body demonstrates theexistence of certain individual abnormalities-inferior prog-nathism, depth of the palatal arch, existence of the middleoccipital fossa of Lombroso, extraordinary diameter of the in-step, etc.""The anthropometric examination completed, the body was

entirely cleaned by several successive applications of a saturatedalcoholic solution of bichloride of mercury, and after the lastwas absorbed, a coat of carbolized glycerine was applied."The head was re-attached to the trunk; the skin of the lowerand posterior part of the neck, which had been divided in theexamination of the cranium, was stitched ; the remaining tissueswere also united at all points where they had been severed bycadaveric putrefaction; the occipito-cervical articulation, as



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16 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.also the humero-scapular articulation of the left side, were re-spectively strengthened by means of copper wires against thecontiguous ribs and the clavicle; the thoracic and abdominalcavities werefilled with carbolizedcotton, as was the pelvic cavity,the artificial opening made in the perineal region; the throughcranial cavity having been previously filled with the same sub-stance after impregnating the adhering flesh at the base of thecranium first with oxychloride of zinc and then with anhydroussulphate of lime to dry it. The skull separately, as well as theentire body, was photographed in different positions beforebeing placed in the coffin."All of the surfaces (skin, bones, etc.) were varnished with asuperfine varnish, and the cotton wherever exposed was im-pregnated with essential oil of sandal [aceite esencial de saindalocitrino]."'The body was then arranged in a wooden coffin, lined withblack cloth, with a glass lid, the lower extremities being boundto the casket by means of black cords. The lid was closed, tiedin two places with cords like the foregoing,sealed on the lid withred sealing wax and two seals: the Great Seal of the ChemicalLaboratoryand a small special seal. In this condition the coffinwas delivered to the Municipal Commission composed of SefiorsDr. Don Manuel A. Fuentes and Don Froylan Miranda, who inturn placed it in the charge of the Venerable MetropolitanChapter [Cabildo Metropolitano].

"The remains of clothing were enveloped first in a strong yel-low-satin paper, then in a coarser dark wrapping paper, thenpacked in a cylindrical roll, bound with copper wire, sealed onthe ends and the flap in red wax with the Great Seal of theMunicipal Laboratory, and labeled.. The pulverulent remainstaken from the cavities of the body, the fragments of skin fromthe head, and the minute bits of muscle and membrane weredeposited in an ordinary glass bottle with wide mouth, closedwith cork. This was sealed with the same seal as the former,the mouth being further secured by a white hempen cord fastenedto the neck, and the bottom was wrapped in a piece of whiteruled paper folded over several times and attached to the neckof the flask with red wax, sealed with the center of the sameseal of the laboratory, and also labeled. Both objects were de-livered in this condition to the Commission.



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18 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.the crime which he plotted by the taking of holy sacrament;but Pizarro,without attaching much importance to the warning,declared, "This clerk desires a bishopric," and taking no greatprecaution, merely refrained from going out to mass, hearing itin the palace instead."' No care was taken to fasten the heavy door of the building,and while the lieutenant-governor, Doctor Juan de Velasquez,was assuring the Marquisthat while he held "The rod of justicein his hand nobody would venture," the insurgents [los alma-gristas] invaded the court armed with coats of mail, breastplatesand halberds, two cross-bows and an arquebus, uttering cries of"Live the king " "Death to tyrants ""'In the court there were five persons, and in the hall morethan twenty; but almost all fled like cowards, including theDoctor, who, putting the rod of justice in his mouth, perhapsin order to keep his wordabout carrying it in his hand, jumpedout of a window which opened into the yard. Others hid them-selves under the beds or inside the wardrobes."' Martinez de Alcantara and two attendants ran to defend thedoor of the hall; at the same time Francisco Pizarro, casting offthe scarlet dressing gown which he wore, hastened to the innerapartment, and with a most resolute spirit, donned a breast-plate, clumsily fastening it himself, and, unsheathing hisbroadsword that had served him since the beginning of theconquest, said : "Come you here, my good sword, companion ofmy labors ""'His brave defenders being dead or wounded, the group ofinfuriated assassins entered freely, encountering the Conquistadorat the door of the dressing-room; there ensued a struggle as un-equal as it was desperate; Pizarro received the thrusts on hiscloak, which was wrapped around his left arm, at the same in-stant dealing mortal blows at his enemies. Frenzied at thedelay, Juan de Rada, the chief of the assassins, seizing his com-panion Narvaez, cast him against the Marquis; the latter re-ceived him on his sword, thrusting his body through with it;but while he was striving quickly to dispatch his victim, hereceived a terrible wound in the neck and fell in a pool of blood."'In an interesting document of the time at which these eventsoccurred, we learn further that Pizarro received a wound in thebreast made by a pasador, a sort of arrow very sharply pointed,



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 19which has disappeared with the cross-bow; * and other chron-iclers assure us that as the body still breathed, although lyingon the ground, the soldier Barragan gave it a severe blow in thehead with a water jug which stood near.'

"'III. Profanationof theBody."'The body remained on the ground while matters of stateurgently called the chief conspirators to the city. There can beno doubt that some persons proposed immediately that the

corpse should be dragged to the plaza, the head cut off and pub-licly exhibited on a gibbet; but this could not be accomplishedin the excitement and alarm that arose throughout the city."' In fact, Don Garci Diaz, Bishop elect of Quito, earnestly op-posed placing the body on the gallows. Captain Gomez deAlvarado went to the plaza with a lance in hand and manifestedhis indignation at the crime which had just been committed,censuring Juan de Rada for his conduct. The monks of theconvent of La Merced produced the Holy Sacrament to preventnew crimes and robbery; but Captain Don Francisco Chavezwent to intercept them and told them contemptuously: " Return,Fathers, to the church, for you have nothing to come out for."t"' In the excitement of these moments there is little doubt inregard to the profanation of the corpse in the chamber whereit lay abandoned. Pizarro was very severe in military disci-pline; and while the leaders were preparing a farce of govern-ment, the mortal remains of the Conquistador,with no guard todefend them, lay exposed to the vengeance of inferiors."'As our readers will see farther on, criminal amputation wasperformed on the body, and authentic documents exist confirm-ing the truth of these observations.' In short, the manifestations of rage against the remains ofPizarro did not cease until the shades of night began to cast aveil over the scene, until a woman, the wife of Don Juan deBarragan, in company with him, the secretary, Lopez, and someIndians, mercifully wrapped the body in a white cloth andplaced it in the vault beneath the church. Strange circum-stance There was not enough earth to entirely cover the tomb*" 'Letter of Vaca de Castro to the Emperor Don Carlos (Nov. 15, 1541),t "'Cieza, Guerra de Chupas, cap. xxxii,



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20 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII.of a captain who had discovered such vast countries and hadgiven such riches to the crown of Castile *

"'The foregoing statements are sufficient for our purpose.'"'IV. The Wounds.

"' Entering now into an enumeration of the wounds and blows,we find: As the struggle culminating on the threshold of thedressing-room was comparatively open, since it is evident thatJuan de Rada, on thrusting Narvaez upon Pizarro, exclaimed," How slow this is " it is undoubtedly true that the Marquisreceived the first wounds in the left arm, which, wrapped in hiscloak, was serving him as a shield. Moreover, these are seenon the body which has just been exhumed.

":The principal wound was in the throat, according to thetestimony of those who participated in the tragedy and all theearly writers, and according to the technical report of DoctorsRios and Mufiiz, there appears one, deep and destructive inthe body, dissipating all doubt on that point. The tendons ofthis side of the neck have disappeared through putrefaction,showing the passage of the knife between two of the dorsalvertebroe; while the skin covers the face almost intact, unitingthe head with the trunk.

"'There do not exist any perfectly distinct marks of the blowgiven with the water jar, but it is supposed that this merelydamaged the tissues without injuring the bone. The death ofthe Conquistador cannot be attributed to this blow, and it isaccepted as an evident fact that the mortal wound was that inthe neck. The thrust undoubtedly penetrated to the cerebralmass, which has entirely disappeared during the last 350 years.'

"' V. TheHead, Hands, Genital Organs." It is worthy of notice that, in spite of the great lapse of time,the body, straight,dry,and rigid,displays wonderful preservation."'The head, adhering firmly to the body, although the con-trary has erroneously been stated, reveals in its notable cerebralcapacity a superior man."' It is true the hands are lacking, but this loss does not dateback to a remote period; according to public rumor they weretaken off and carried out of the country not many years ago." '* "And there was not even enough earth to finish covering his

grave.'" (Obiedo,Historia General y Natural.)"



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 21"'bEqually noticeable is the lack of the genital organs; butthis defect, which scientific men have rightly assured us is asold as the date of death, we will explain in concluding."' In a letter from the corporation of the city of Cuzco to theEmperor Don Carlo;,* relating these events. we see that the con-spirators committed outrages on various persons "Who werefound in the hall; that after the death of the Marquis, in order todishonor and ridicule him, they committed upon his person manyinhumanandinfamous hings,which, that your Majestywhomournshim may receive no further pain, we refrain from describing.""' What acts of ignominy, we ask, could have been perpetratedon the body of Pizarro of such a nature that the gentlemen ofthe corporation dared not report them in detail to his ImperialMajesty ? And there arises another question, What was it thatthe soldiery did in similar cases when they were infuriatedagainst the Indians or indeed against those of their own race ?"'Therefore, whether or not the body of Pizarrowas taken to

the plaza before being buried, or, what is more probable, re-mained in the chamber at the palace, it is a fact that it was pro-faned, and that to this act of profanation should be logically at-tributed the absence of the organs of his sex."'And hence the silence that has been preserved on this pointby the chroniclers of the time should not be considered strange,interested as we may suppose the majority of them to have beenin concealing their great crimes, especially against their owncompanions in arms who had given them glory and fortune.'"'VI. TheBack.

"'It is no less important to observe in a body whose adheringskin and whose bones present marks of the wounds which Fran-cisco Pizarro received, that the back appears uninjured."' This discovery indeed reminds us of the attitude of thecombatants in 1641 [sic; 1541]. The Marquis, assailed by thenumbers of malevolents, closed the way into his chamberagainst them, attacking boldly and in front, like a lion; hisback and posterior parts are therefore preserved unharmed, andhis body bent only beneath the blow of a knife directed treach-erously from one side.

" '* Cuzco, January 20, 1543.'



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22 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [Vol. VII."'These facts, in which historic data and the remains of theConquistador of Peru are in harmony, yield a new proof of his

uprightness and valor, and are further eloquent proofs of theidentity of the remains.'

"'VII. Prognathismof the Chin."'Another satisfactory feature of the body is the prognathismof the chin."' We have compared the dead countenance with the best por-traits which exist in Lima; and if we may be permitted to

frankly express our opinion, so far as it is possible to reinvest askull with the flesh and skin of life, the identity is complete."'The strongly projecting chin indicates a persevering man,tenacious in his ideas; we see:the lieutenant of Nufiez de Balboawho distinguished himself by cruelties to the poor Indians;who seized near Acla his own benefactor,the immortal discovererof the Pacific, obeying the orders of the unforgetting and ma-licious Pedrarias; the captain of the " famous thirteen," who soheroically maintained himself in the midst of the disasters onthe island of Gallo; and the conqueror of Atahualpa, who didnot give up his designs even before the immense advantages of avictory as great as it was unexpected."'This prognathism reveals much; and it is sufficient toidentify the principal actor in the bloody tragedy enacted inthe plaza of Cajamarcaon the 16th of November, 1532.'

"i'VIII. Size, Feet,Age."' The size of the body is the same as that given by the his-torians. The stature of Pizarrohas been somewhat exaggerated,because Almagro and the majority of those who were about himwere small; but it may be affirmed that his figurewas correctly

proportioned, and that he was rather a well-formed and robustman, when we remember that more than once he carried hiscomrades during the fatiguing expeditions of discovery."' His foot, endowed with a very high instep, like all of his con-quering race, recalls the warrior indefatigable on the march,whether on the desert tracts of the coast or in the wilds of thePeruvian Cordillera.



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 23"'As to his age, although at first there was great disagreementamong the chroniclers, some giving

it as 66 years, others 76;and although a relative of his (Pizarro y Orellana) states thathe died at the age of 81, we have concluded, after carefully in-vestigating the matter, that Don Francisco Pizarrowas undoubt-edly born at the beginning of 1471, and that consequently hewas a little more than 70 years of age at the time of his death.We have discussed this matter in a separate work.'*" 'IX. Aathenticity."' From the foregoing hasty examination results the completeauthentication of the body from the point of view of historicalproof. The doubts which have existed on this point-and it isunknown how and by whom they were initiated-are baselessand we can rest assured that, more fortunate in this than othercities, we possess the remains of the discoverer of our countryand founder of the first Christian population."'Indeed, how would we account forthe taking away by anyone of the mortal remains, of which act it may be said in pass-ing there is not the slightest tradition, and the replacing of themby another corpse and making thereon the identical woundsfound on the original one? rThisis inconceivable. And withwhat object and how could such a fraud have been practiced,since the lens, analysis, and, above all, the trained and intelli-

gent eye of the man of science could easily detect it, thanks tothe progress which has been made in this respect in anthropo-logic knowledge? Have we not to-day powerful means for de-termining the age of a body, the period at which given woundswere received, the marks which indicate wounds and the effectsof putrefaction, the physical conditions, and, further still, the vir-tues and infirmities which characterized this very man in life ?"'And in the case of Pizarrothe conditions of the body agree sowell with the facts of his history; the scars found on the bodycorrespond so exactly with true records; more than all, thebody has existed traditionally for such a long period here inour sight in the crypt of our Cathedral, undisturbed in itssheltered sepulcher by the turbulent civil wars with which our

" ' * The principal historian of the conquest, Prescott, gives conflictingstatements concerning the age of Pizarro in two passagesof his work.



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24 THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. [vYl. VII.country has been torn, and whose echoes have died away inthis subterranean vault, that we consider it absurd to retain theslightest doubt on this point.'

" 'X. Conclasion."'Lima may, therefore,feel proud at the possession of so richa treasure, and may pay the honors due to the Marquis DonFrancisco. However great the defects of the discoverer of Peru,none can deny his exemplary perseverance, his heroic valor,and

his true fatherly love for the city which grew from his planting."'CThis body personifies a whole epic. It recalls a series ofevents which would seem to belong ratherto the domain of fablethan to that of history; his terrible struggles with the Indiansand with the obstacles of nature in crossing the isthmus ofPanama to open a passage to the South sea, enabling the Span-iards finally to transport their brigantines on their shouldersfrom one ocean to another; the heroic resolution taken by the"famous thirteen " on the island of Gallo; the discoveries andexplorations from Tumbes to Cajamarca; the march of Her-nando and a number of soldiers to the coveted Temple of Pa-chacamac; the bloody scene of Atahualpa, in which the empirewas seized and overthrown; and, as the closing scene, the in-ternecine wars which caused to fall beneath the sword the twobrothers, as they were called in the times of their intimacy:Pizarro,crafty and domineering; Almagro, confiding and gener-ous, victims both of their own audacity and lack of education."C' or the countries which stretch from Pasto to Tucuman andPatagonia, this body symbolizes, furthermore, the gradual andcertain change, in which we are yet assisting, in the religion,languages, races, institutions, and customs of the powerful em-pire of the Incas.

"' What various and what interesting memories of our life areto-day invoked by the body of Francisco Pizarro; the discovery,the conquest, the viceroyship '

"In Lima, at 10 o'clock a. m., on Wednesday, July 22, 1892,the gentlemen who have signed the above report and whoformed the commission which had been previously appointed



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Jan. 1894.] REMAINS OF DON FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 25to receive and exhume the remains of the conqueror of Peruand founder of Lima, Don Francisco Pizarro, and to prove hisidentity and state of preservation, assembled in the Cathedralfor the purpose of removing the body from the temporary casketin which it had been deposited on the twenty-fourth of the pre-ceding month, and placing it in the case destined to guard it forthe future, arranged in the Chapel of the Kings of the Cathedral,under the care of the Venerable Metropolitan Chapter. On pro-ceeding to the said chapel they found the temporary casketintact and just as it had been left on the 24th, with the sameseals and bindings. The Municipal Commission likewise deliv-ered up the bottle in which the cadaveric remains of the viscerahad been temporarily placed. which, on being examined byDoctors Rios and Mufiiz, was found in the same condition aswhen given to the said commission.

"They then made the final removal in the following order:" 1. The body of the Conquerorwas taken from the casket andarranged in a case of white marble, with glass on three sides,reclining on a couch covered with cherry-covered cloth." 2. The glass bottle containing the pulverulent remains of thebody was also deposited in a small crystal case with base andlid of white marble, this being in turn placed within the largecase at the foot of the body."3. One of the three copies of the present document (which iscomposed of thirty-six leaves [carillas Atiles], containing an ac-count of the ceremony of June 24, of the present year, and thatof this date, both signed by the gentlemen mentioned at thebeginning of the former) was also deposited within the largecase, inclosed in a tube of tin washed with gold and sealed likethe case (with a blank seal, oval in form, and containing thewords "Honorable Municipality of Limaa" on the circumfer-ence and the word "Alcaldia" in the center) on red wax; thesecond copy is to be placed in the archives of the EcclesiasticalChapter, and the third in the archives of the Council. Thusterminates the record. [Signed:]"Jaan Revoredo,ManuelAurelioFuentes,Froylan Miranda, Eu-genio Larraburey Undnue,JoseAntonio de Lavalle,RicardoPalma,Manuel Ibvar,Julio Zdrate, Faustino Mendez,Carlos Garcia Iri-goyen,Jose A. de los Rios, Manuel A. Muiiiz."

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Restos de Pizarro

Documents

Transcript of Restos de Pizarro