30 SMITHSONIAX MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 92 



This can be described in conjunction with the smah collection that 

 we made at the site. Fragments of large, thick, open-mouthed bowls 

 are fairly common, as are those of medium-sized jars often with 

 vertical loop handles. The handles are both thin and flat, and round 

 and solid, in type. A number of sherds of polished brown ware also 

 occur. Several snouted lugs suggest tapir or peccary heads, and 

 one is too conventionalized to permit even a guess as to the animal 

 represented. On the whole, however, elaborate lugs are not particu- 

 larly characteristic of any of the Black Rock Basin sites. About 20 

 pieces are feet from tripod vessels. The majority of these are long 

 (10.5 cm being the greatest length) and conical, with six perfora- 

 tions into the hollow interior, and usually with circling incised designs 

 and little " adornos " in relief. The tip is usually compressed but 

 sometimes modeled to suggest two legs or some other form. One is 

 a hollow\ round ball with two perforations ; and four more are of 

 the same type but are decorated wth " adornos ", more perforations, 

 and incisions. The hollow legs nearly all have, or did have, gravel 

 rattles in them. Two feet are solid and much conventionalized ; one 

 of these is of the short cylindrical type with punctate decoration, 

 the other suggests an animal head with two punctate eyes, three punc- 

 tate teeth, and a buttonlike nose. More or less elaborate tripod feet, 

 it may be added, are apparently more usual here than are lugs. 



Amidst the occupational debris were many conch, whelk, and other 

 shells, both large and small. The conch shells usually have been broken 

 on the side in removing the meat. Mammal bones include the manatee 

 and ])rol)al)ly others not identified. Turtle and iguana remains are 

 rather common. Fish bones are numerous, especially many varieties 

 of shark vertebrae, many of which have been perforated. Bird has 

 a considerable amount of such material (A.M.N.H. collections) that 

 has not been analyzed. Our much smaller collection yielded the fol- 

 lowing : several fish vertebrae, probably those of the jew fish (Promi- 

 crops) ; the jaw of a pufl:'er fish (perhaps Diodoii), and two jaw 

 fragments of the parrot fish (Scorns). 



BRANDON HILL CAVE 



On a rocky ridge not far to the southwest of Pumpkin Hill (see 

 map, fig. 2) is a deep cave of which one hears as soon as " relics " 

 are mentioned to anyone from the islands. According to stories from 

 many sources this remarkable cave penetrates down to salt water, or 

 according to another version extends all the way to the southeast 

 shore of Utila. A golden cup, a rusty sword, and a crucifix, as well as 



A 



