71 A somewhat disheartening consideration concerning the Stone of the
Great Plan deserves mention. The probability is that it was
originally painted with the colors of the four quarters and that
some of the records thus made are irretrievably lost. On taking the
first impressions with gelatine, in order to make his admirable cast
of the monolith, Señor Abadiano discovered many traces of color,
lodged in small crevices and corners of the carvings. Moreover, the
use of the symbolical colors on stone monuments is vouched for by
the great painted monolith which was, strange to say, re-interred
after having been discovered in the City of Mexico some years ago.
The reproduction of an obviously incorrect drawing made of this
stone during its uncovered state, has been published in vol. II of
the Annals of the National Museum of Mexico.