but upon examination proved to be inorganic in nature. 
Both Fester and Cruellas (1984) and Yacovleff and 
Muelle (1934) refer to cinnabar as having been used as a 
body paint by the people of Paracas, and it is indeed 
probable that sphalerite was used in a like manner. 
The specimens of raw cotton described above vary in 
color. They are either a creamy-white, an earth-yellow 
or atawny-brown. All the fibers examined show convolu- 
tions and they range in length from 15 to 29 mm. Many 
of these specimens are exceedingly brittle and when 
handled they quickly disintegrate. 
Other mummy bundles from Paracas Necropolis which 
have been described in the literature contained specimens 
of raw and worked cotton similar to the materials in- 
cluded in the Peabody Museum bundle. 
CUCURBITACEAE 
Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl. 
Two specimens of gourds are included among the plant 
remains from the mummy bundle. One of these is a shal- 
low dish (80/4199) with uneven edges made from the 
flower end of a large fruit. Its maximum diameter is 19 
cm.; its maximum wall-thickness 4 mm. Part of the 
fine cotton netting, which had been placed about the 
neck of the mummy, still adheres to the bottom of the 
dish. There is no evidence of the original contents of 
this gourd. 
The second specimen (80/4200) is a small, bottle- 
shaped gourd. It has a maximum height of 7.8 cm.; a 
Maximum diameter of 6.8 em.; and the mouth of the 
gourd contained a plug of cotton fiber. Inside was a small 
amount of fine, dark powder, which gave a negative re- 
action when tested for starch with iodine. However, 
when a specimen of this powder was examined under the 
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