288 CAENEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



Rita (see fig. 1). A number of mounds are built on the side of a hill, 

 which has been artificially terraced, and at the eastern end, near the 

 base, are two hieroglyphic altars. Unfortunately, although the inscrip- 

 tions are perfectly legible, neither presents a date in the Long Count; 

 and it is therefore impossible to assign either to its exact position in 

 Maya chronology. From the style of carving, however, both are 

 surely referable to the Great Period. It is to be regretted that not a 

 single date can be deciphered here, although the approximate age of the 

 site is doubtless determinable from the stylistic criteria. A map of the 

 site, and drawings and photographs of both inscriptions, were made. 



Leaving the Copan Valley and passing over the divide into the 

 Chamelecon Valley, another new site was discovered at Los Higos, 

 some 12 miles northeast of the village of La Florida (see fig. 1).^ This 

 site is on the west side of the Chamelecon River and an eighth of a mile 

 back, at the base of the first foothills. It contains upwards of 30 

 mounds, including several fairly high pj^amids and one very fine 

 stela in the best style of the Great Period (see fig. 2 a) . The inscription 

 is unusually well preserved and records the date 9.17.10.0.0 of the Maya 

 Era, approximately 510 A. D. It is evident from this single piece of 

 sculpture that the city derived its artistic inspiration from Copan; 

 indeed, it was probably colonized from Copan during the Middle or 

 Great Period. A map of the site was made, and the inscription was 

 drawn and photographed. 



One of the results of the past 4 years' work in this part of the Maya 

 field has been the rather definite location of the eastern or south- 

 eastern Maya frontier. 



During this period four new sites (Paraiso, Santa Rita, Rio AmariUo, 

 and Los Higos) have been added to the two previously known (Copan 

 and Quirigua) and the general historical development of the region has 

 been worked out. A comparison of the earliest and latest dates at 

 these six cities clearly establishes their relative ages. 



Copan, 210-530 A. D. 



Santa Rita, 380 A. D., only one date. 



Quirigua, 475-540 A. D. 



Rio AmariUo, 460-600 A. D., date based upon stylistic criteria. 



Paraiso, 460-600 A. D., date based upon stylistic criteria. 



Los Higos, 510 A. D., only one date. 



Copan was the first settlement in this region, possibly being founded 

 as early as the first century before Christ. Although Santa Rita had 

 been founded as early as the beginning of the Middle Period, 380 A. D., 

 it was not until the beginning of the Great Period, 100 years later, that 

 the extensive colonization of the region really began. Quirigua was 



^Thia site and monument were discovered through information furnished by Mr. Basil Booth, a 

 mahogany contractor of Guat'^mala, and Mr. S. K. Lothrop, of the Peabody Museum of Harvard 

 University. 



