NO. 14 ARCHEOLOGY OF BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS STRONG 73 



9 cm high at the other) of volcanic rock. The two short legs were at 

 the low end. It was accompanied by a roller pestle of hard gray rock. 



A collection purchased by the Boekelman Expedition includes a 

 small vessel of polished red ware found by a farmer on the north 

 shore of the island opposite Coxen Hole. Another group of specimens 

 purchased, obviously part of an offertory deposit, were said to have 

 come from " a grave " in the middle of the island northeast of Coxen 

 Hole. This collection includes 144 beads of green talc, marble, jadeite 

 and diopside (pi. 17, a) ; a plumed head of green talc covered with a 

 brown patina (pi. 17, c) ; a thin disk pendant of dark green jadeite 

 (pi. 17, c) ; three copper bells, of which the two larger specimens 

 have a basal portion of the pseudo-wire technique type (pi. 17, f, g) 

 and the two smaller specimens (pi. 17, h, d) have obscure designs in 

 relief. The two larger bells are of heavy, dark metal, suggesting 

 bronze or hardened copper, and both contain rough pebbles as clappers, 

 whereas the clappers are missing from the two smaller, thinner 

 specimens. In addition to the pieces illustrated, this collection contains 

 four ornate (monochrome) pot lugs, one of which is unique in having 

 a tenon, as though made separately to be inserted into the wall of a 

 vessel prior to firing; a torpedo-shaped pendant (4.5 cm long) of 

 gray steatite; a small triangular shell pendant; six flat, cylindrical 

 shell beads ; and a small piece of metal, which analysis proved to be 

 copper plated with gold. The last is the only specimen containing a 

 large portion of gold in either of our Bay Island collections. 



Bird also made a sketch of a unique soft sandstone " mortar ", 

 which has a squared top (50 cm in width), a flange which extends 

 down from the top about 10 cm, and a tapering rounded base. It 

 stands about 50 cm high, and when found, is said to have had a cover 

 of sandstone. The interior forms a truncated cone 42.5 cm deep with 

 the widest portion at the rim. A small irregular hole has been broken 

 all the way through the base. According to local report it was found 

 by a young American in some sort of a mound about a quarter of a 

 mile inland from Coxen Hole. Like all finds in this region, it is said 

 to have had " money " in it, which the finder took. During our stay 

 we were told of several sites near Coxen Hole where pottery occurred 

 but were unable to visit them. Several people also told us of sites 

 near Dixon Cove that had been more or less dug over by local men. 

 It is probable that the west end of Roatan contains much interesting 

 archeological evidence, but we had no time to investigate, nor, so far 

 as I know, was that part of the island examined by Mitchell-Hedges 

 or the Boekelman Expedition. 



