shatt-and-chamber tomb phase and approaching in an- 
tiquity the earliest South American paraphernalia found 
on the Peruvian coast. 
The first of these to be examined and identified as a 
nose pipe was a small, round, undecorated bowl with a 
horizontal perforated stem (Plate IV). If one compares 
this pottery snuffer with examples from Central America, 
it is clear that, except for its characteristic local paste 
and the lime encrustation typical of ceramics from the 
XNochipala burials, the little Mexican snuffing pipe is 
virtually identical to similar instruments from Guana- 
‘caste or Linea Vieja, Costa Rica (Wassén, 1965: 25). 
As in the case of the Nayarit snuffer, it is difficult not 
to postulate a genetic connection between them, al- 
though the known Central American pottery snuffers, 
and also that from Nayarit, are appreciably later than 
this Early Formative pipe. 
A second Nochipala nose pipe which | was able to 
study in detail is much more complex (Plate V). It is 
an effigy pipe, measuring 4?” in length, representing a 
human figure on its back, with knees drawn up—a posi- 
tion somewhat resembling the post-Classic *“*Chacmool”’ 
stone sculptures. On the basis of the wrap-around loin- 
cloth, the figure can be identified as male. In a recent 
museum catalogue, the piece was erroneously described 
as an efigy bow] in the form of a kneeling person (Gay 
1972). But that would place the nosepiece at the top 
and the bowl opening facing vertically toward the front, 
which seems hardly likely. Once the piece is recognized 
for what it is—a nose pipe used for snuffing—the location 
and inclination of the nosepiece alone dictate a supine 
position for the figurine, as does the opening of the bow] 
itself. Indeed, in handling the piece, its real purpose 
suggests itself almost spontaneously. 
While it is certainly the finest example known to me, 
[ 14 J 
