76 BULLETIN 134, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



describes stone figures with similar arm position that he excavated 

 near S. Agustin, Colombia. Such figures he interprets as images of 

 the Chibchan earth and moon goddess — which the underground posi- 

 tion of religious sites and the frequent earth burial of their gods 

 along with other sacred artifacts would tend to confirm, As a simi- 

 lar flexing of the arms occurs frequently, along with other Chibchan 

 art motives employed b} 7 the Tule, the relationship is apparent. 



A wood carving, similar in form, material, and size, but with 

 the figurine at one end of the carving and limited to a representation 

 of the head and bust, was collected near Bogota, Colombia, by 

 Maurice A. Kollot (Cat. No. 328191, U.S.N.M., pi. 18, No. 2). 



A small wooden figurine 10.9 cm. (4.3 in.) in length (Cat. No. 

 327480, U.S.N.M., pi. 18, No. 3, and many of the other smaller Tule 

 figurines in the collection are held in the lele's hand while he recites 

 a magical incantation. The figurine is garbed in European clothing 

 with coat and waistcoat represented by carving out sections of the 

 wood block in low terraces. In similar figurines the perspective 

 is enhanced by painting the exposed waistcoat portions in one color 

 and the coat in another. Pocket flaps are represented by horizontal 

 incisions. A necktie stands out in bold relief. The more native 

 design appears in such detail as the flexed knees, the four finger 

 hand, and the hat crown, 1.3 cm. (0.5 in.) high, encircled with 

 horizontal red, green, and yellow stripes. A carving in low relief 

 extending from the hat brim to the shoulders represents the hair. 

 While the nasal projection remains disproportionately long, namely, 

 2 cm. (0.8 in.), the introduction of a third and front facial plane 

 distinct from the two lateral or diagonal planes is a development 

 in the Tule wood-carver's art. 



A figurine from the San Bias coast 10.5 cm. (4.1 in,) in length 

 (Cat. No. 327481, U.S.N.M., pi. 18, No. 4), is similar to the one 

 just described. The double hat brim and funnel-shaped crown 

 are ornamented with parallel vertical incisions. Eyes are blue glass 

 beads sunk into the wood; other details are similar to the pre- 

 viously described figurine except that the latter wears two waist- 

 coats in addition to a coat and voluminous necktie. 



A somewhat larger carving, 21.4 cm. (8.4 in.) in length, (Cat. No. 

 327492, U.S.N.M., pi. 18, No. 5), resembles in material and in most 

 details of carving the two smaller figurines previously described. 

 The object is painted a light blue, with two bands of purple ex- 

 tending across the flank of the nostrils. The necktie and shirt 

 buttons are represented with daubs of green paint. The head is 

 represented by a tubular section of the wooden block with just one 

 facial feature brought into high relief — the nose. The hat crown is 

 flat and the brim is ornamented about the margin with a fretwork 

 of vertically notched incisions. 



