ANCIENT SCULPTURES OP GUATEMALA. 11 



a few years ago, and who succeeded in penetrating far enough in the same to visit 

 several hamlets or raiichos, brought from there several idols well made. The 

 general form was a small dish, furnished at one side with a large head. These 

 objects were both idols and sacrificiary places. In the hollow of the pots was 

 placed incense or libation, and the god for which it was destined, was represented 

 by the head attached to the dish. Tliese heads, or faces, were in many regards 

 exactly similar to those found on the Pacific Coast, and bore also a remarkable 

 resemblance to the faces and heads of the Peruvian pottery. The ground color of 

 the pots was also a dark grayish-black, while the pottery from the Pacific Coast, as 

 well as that from Copan and other places of Maya origin, is yellowish-red, and 

 sometimes ornamented with painted glyphs. 



In the "Instituto Nacional'' of Guatemala, is a fine and interesting collection 

 of pottery from different places of that Republic; but like everything else in that 

 country, it is in a deplorable state, the catalogue being missing, so that the nume- 

 rals on the different objects cannot be referred to. Nobody has charge of the 

 " museum," or takes any interest in the same. Mixed with the ancient Indian pottery 

 are some Egyptian idols, as well as pieces of unburnt European pottery, most 

 likely believed by the " authorities," to be of the same origin, and having as 

 much or as little interest. 



The sculptured stone heads found all over the coast are all furnished with a 

 large conical projection, as can be seen by referring to the diff"erent figures appended. 

 This projection was evidently formed for insertion into the adobe or stone walls of 

 the respective temples, and served to keep the objects in position. They have no 

 connection with phallic symbols or worship. Most likely, when the sculptures 

 were in their original places, these projections were not seen, but were entirely 

 hidden in the walls. 



In producing drawings of different sculptures, my intention was not, neither 

 did mv time permit me, to again draw stones which had once been drawn and pho- 

 tographed by former explorers. My intention was only to bring to notice what 

 was not previously known, and thus, as much as I could, complete the work so ably 

 begun by others. This especially refers to the sculptures of Santa Lucia, where 

 Dr. Habel and Prof. Bastian have already done considerable work. In regard to 

 the sculptures of the other places here referred to, I believe so far no accounts of 

 the same have been published, and I drew there as many as I could find, within the 

 limited time at my disposal. 



