3-053-225 - The London Archives (City of London)/Heritage Images

The Aztecs!, 1867. 'A newly-discovered Tribe of Human Beings. The only Aztecs yet introduced to Civilized White People. Patronised by Queen Victoria, the Royal Family, and Court of Great Britain. On the 4th day of July, 1853, at Buckingham Palace, And the Emperors, Kings and Reigning Princes of every European Country, for the past 18 years'. Poster for an exhibit at Piccadilly. The advert claims to have 'discovered' a tribe in the fictitious city of Ixamaya in Central America. The portraits are of Máximo and Bartola (also known as Maximo Valdez Nunez and Bartola Velasquez), two Salvadoran siblings both with microcephaly and cognitive developmental disability, who were exhibited in human zoos in the 19th century. They were brought to Europe and toured at various venues for several years, with their final exhibition being at the Egyptian Hall in London.