December 27, 1985

Some of Mexico's most treasured pre-Columbian artifacts were stolen from the National Museum of Anthropology on Christmas Eve, authorities said today. In all, 140 objects made of gold, jade, obsidian and turquoise, crafted by the Mayas, Aztecs, Mixtecs and Zapotecs before the Spanish conquest of Mexico, were discovered missing Christmas morning. They had been in seven glass cases in three of the museum's galleries on the first floor and in a basement exhibition area. Symbol of Cultural Heritage The museum, in Chapultepec Park in the heart of Mexico City, is one of the city's most famous tourist attractions. The museum and its contents are regarded by Mexicans, who are fiercely proud of their Indian heritage, as one of their national treasures, a symbol of the cultural richness of the advanced civilizations that existed in Central America before the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century.

After a week of intelligence analysis of the slayings of Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti, law-enforcement officials now say that Mr. Bilotti was a primary target and possibly the main one, because he had emerged as the underboss of the Gambino crime family. As underboss, he would have been the family's No. 2 leader and thereby the heir apparent to Mr. Castellano, the officials said. They added that a faction of the group led by John Gotti had feared that if Mr. Castellano were slain or sentenced to prison, Mr. Bilotti would be powerful enough to take over as acting boss. A Rising Figure Based on confidential intelligence reports and analysis, the officials from the New York City Police Department and the Federal Justice Department said Mr. Bilotti had been gunned down along with Mr. Castellano on a Manhattan sidewalk as part of a struggle to replace Mr. Castellano as the head of the Gambino organization. Mr. Castellano, who was 70 years old, and Mr. Bilotti, 45, were killed in a fusillade Dec. 16 on East 46th Street near Third Avenue as they emerged from a limousine driven by Mr. Bilotti. Organized-crime experts in the Justice Department and the Police Department identified Mr. Castellano as the leader of the Gambino organization since 1976 and Mr. Bilotti as a rising and important figure in the group.

International Syria has moved missiles back into eastern Lebanon, Prime Minister Shimon Peres told Israeli newspaper editors. The Syrian action raised concern that the redeployment of the Soviet-built antiaircraft missiles might pose a new challenge to Israeli planes flying over Lebanon. The missiles were withdrawn two weeks ago after the United States had told Syria, on Israel's behalf, that the weapons unnecessarily raised tension in the area. [Page A1, Column 6.] Lebanon's warring militias have agreed on a pact to end 10 years of civil war, a Shiite militia leader said. The leader, Nabih Berri, said the groups had reached agreement on the Syrian-mediated pact after three months of talks in Damascus. [A1:5.]

FREDERIC REMINGTON spent his life making art and scouring the world looking for action. He played football, built a tennis court near his studio on Ingleneuk Island in the St. Lawrence River and ate and drank excessively. He traveled to Cuba, Mexico and Europe and was about to embark on a canoe trip down the Volga when Russian authorities smashed his canoes, escorted him to the border and told him to get lost. To the public, he is probably the best known of the many artists to be lured by the romance of the American West, and he remains something of a cult figure for the way he mythologized its conflicts, individualism and pioneer spirit. While Remington is best known for his calvalrymen, cowboys and Indians, almost all of his Wild West paintings were, in fact, painted back East, in another wilderness, one he knew far better. He had grown up in northern New York and as an adolescent roamed up and down the North Country - which stretches across New York, Pennsylvania and Canada, from the Adirondacks to the St. Lawrence River to the forests of Quebec. Remington often returned to the North Country to hunt and canoe and paint. He stayed there regularly in the decade before his death in 1909, at the age of 48.

FROM carols, creches and the rustle of Christmas wrappings to clinking glasses and the rustle of evening dresses. The grown-ups have taken over the holidays with a weekend warmup before the New Year's Eve exhilaration. The countdown is on! As usual, the New Year's half of the holiday season offers an abundance of quality entertainment for every taste. The interlocking worlds of cabaret and jazz traditionally reach a peak of activity on New Year's Eve, and this year is no exception. Extended engagements by the singer Barbara Cook at Michael's Pub and the trumpeter Wynton Marsalis at the Joyce Theater are among the high points of a week that is rich array of pop and jazz talent. Classical music lovers can savor everything from Bach (the Y Chamber Symphony playing the complete ''Brandenburg'' Concertos at the 92d Street Y) to Wagner (the New York Philharmonic performing an all-Wagner program at Avery Fisher Hall). At Tramps, Staten Island's gift to rock, David Johansen, will perform as his raucously funny alter ego, Buster Poindexter. The rock comedians Flo and Eddie will appear for their fifth straight New Year's engagement at the Bottom Line. The salsa star Ruben Blades and Seis del Solar will ring in the New Year at Sounds of Brazil, and the popular young comedian Richard Seinfeld is back at Caroline's. Following are selections ranging from the cabarets and comic acts, to jazz, pop, rock and the opera.