no. 14 archeology of bay islands, honduras strong 1 59 



The Interior of Honduras 



Our knowledge of this great area is extremely spotty and in- 

 complete. No large scientific excavations have been attempted, and 

 only a small portion of the country has been examined for sites." In 

 the vicinity of Copan are many smaller Mayan sites, as well as others 

 like La Florida on the upper Chemilicon, which may be Chorotegan 

 (Squier, 1869; Lothrop, 1926, p. 90). Farther to the east in the 

 Department of Comayagua are a number of ruins consisting of large, 

 terraced pyramidal structures, often stone-faced ; conical mounds of 

 earth ; and walls of rough stone. Some stone carvings and well-made 

 painted pottery have been reported from these sites (Squier, 1858). 

 The best known site in this region is the hilltop fortress and religious 

 center of Tenampua (Squier, 1858 and 1869; Popenoe, 1928). This 

 site is strongly fortified by stone walls, and the surface of the moun- 

 tain is covered with numerous terraces and rough mounds. The latter 

 fall into three main groups, which are formalized in arrangement. 

 The mounds are of earth paved with stones, or of rough rocks paved 

 with slabs. Crude stone stairways ascend the terraces and certain 

 mounds. Certain of the rocks are inscribed with simple geometric 

 patterns of a local type. Elaborately painted tripod bowls, incised 

 vessels, an elaborately carved stone metate of the openwork Nica- 

 raguan type, obsidian lance points, and round stone balls are reported 

 from the site. Plain metates, with and without legs, and oval muUers 

 in a broken condition are numerous. Squier (1869) figures a remark- 

 able painted vessel from here, with handles and legs suggesting twisted 

 cords. It contained chalcedony beads and a pottery whistle. Mrs. 

 Popenoe figures another tripod vessel with somewhat similar designs 

 in dull red and cofifee colors on a cream slip. Squier noted much 

 broken pottery and numerous burned human and animal bones at the 

 site. Tenampua is in the heart of the Lenca country and may have 

 been one of the Indian strongholds reduced by Montejo. The remains 

 are very probably Lencan. Mrs. Popenoe found little to suggest 

 Mayan and a great deal to suggest Nicaraguan and Costa Rican 

 influences. 



Proceeding farther to the east into the Department of Olancho, one 

 encounters other ruins, though none appear to be so impressive as Ten- 

 ampua. On the Olancho and Guyape Rivers, in the general vicinity of 

 Juticalpa, are several sites that were examined by the Smithsonian 

 Expedition in 1933. These include one at a place called Dos Ouebra- 



^' Sources cited are: Squier, 1858, pp. 133-139, and 1869; Spinden, 1925; 

 Popenoe, 1928; and Strong, 1933 a. 



