384 THE LATIMER COLLECTION OF ANTIQUITIES. 



undonbtedly a very beautiful implement. (Fig. 45.) The absence of 

 duplicates in such a large collection is somewhat striking, and yet testi- 

 fies to the richness of fancy in the artists. This figure, however, is 

 almost identical in material, physiognomy, and the shape and orna- 

 mentation of the headband, with the head of number 17003. 



17018. The foot of a marble mammiform stone. The feet are finely 

 expressed; indeed, they are the best-looking pair of feet in the whole 

 lot. The thighs are ornamented with chevrons and cup-cuttings. This 

 may have been the foot of the object to which the foregoing number 

 was the head, or more probably to the broken specimen described as No. 

 17003. If not, it is a relic of a very finely wrought implement. (Fig. 

 40.) 



MASKS. 



It requires a slight stretch of the imagination to call the objects 

 included in this class masks. The only ground upon which we do so is 

 their resemblance to many of the false-faces or masks worn in panto- 

 mimes. These, of course, never could have had any such use. Three 

 of them are somewhat similar to the objects just described. The 

 bottoms are hollowed out, there are furrowed depressions at the base of 

 the prominence, and the mammiform elevation is grotesquely observed, 

 being replaced by a face, the Aztek nose forming the apex of the stone. 

 The Typhoean figure is sometimes ijreseut. 



17988. Mask of gray volcanic material. The head and foot are 

 simple knobs. The forehead and cheeks are furrowed and the bottom 

 elevated and very hollowed. Length 8.65, width 4.8, height 6.25 inches. 

 vFig. 47.) 



17993. Mask of mottled volcanic stone. The ends are simply rounded 

 and the bottom hollow. 



16997. Mask of a reddish-brown volcanic stone. The prostrate man 

 is present, the mouth of the mask being toward his head. 



Five of the masks, 17020, 17021, 17023, 17024, 17025, are more or less 

 grotesque human faces, with cleat-like projections on the back, scarcely 

 admitting of a doubt that they were designed for fastening to a handle 

 or pole. (Fig. 48.) Indeed, if we were allowed to follow up the clew, 

 these cleat-like projections might throw much light upon the furrows 

 found at the base of the mammse of the mammiform stones, hinting 

 that these, too, might have served in some way or other as insignia or 

 club-heads. But where all is conjecture we shall have to possess our 

 souls in patience. 



Three of the masks, 17029, 17030, 17031, are flat kite-shaped stones 

 with the human face carved partly in relief ou one side. (Fig. 49.) 

 The following table gives the dimensions in inches and decimals* 



17029. Length 5.1, width 4.15, thickness 2 inches. 



17030. Length 7, width 4.45, thickness 1.85 inches. 



17031. Length 5.9, width 3.75, thickness 1.35 inches. 



There is one mask, discoidal in form, from the periphery of which two 



