NO. I HONDURAS STRONG, KIDDER, AND PAUL 65 



were from monochrome red to gray cooking ware, but enough poly- 

 chrome sherds were found to establish the horizon as definitely 

 belonging to the' polychrome period. Sherds were too scarce, however, 

 to make 30-centimeter levels of value, so that the entire stratum 

 was designated P i. Two extended skeletons occurred at the bottom 

 of this horizon (fig. 16). Each was accompanied by a broken mono- 

 chrome cooking pot, but definite polychrome sherds were also found 

 next to each skeleton. Skeleton i had, in addition, an obsidian flake 

 knife and a perforated pottery labret or ear plug. Below these 

 skeletons we ran into a layer of yellow clay which was absolutely 

 sterile. At a depth of 3.35 meters more sherds of a different type 

 (Playa de los Muertos culture) were encountered coincident with 

 our passing from the yellow clay into a hard brown clay. Owing to 

 their abundance, it was now possible to work by 30-centimeter levels, 

 thus P 2 (pottery level 2) began at this point. The Playa de los 

 Muertos horizon (P 2-10, fig. 16) sloped down from west to east. 

 As indicated in the cross-section (fig. 16) at least one and possibly 

 two definite occupation or house floor levels, marked by black soil, 

 concentrated charcoal, animal bones, sherds, etc., and a small deposit 

 of mussel shells, were encountered. Owing to the depth of the deposit 

 and to lack of time, it was impossible to work out these living levels 

 beyond the walls of the excavation. No post holes were encountered, 

 but baked clay with wattle and daub impressions was fairly abundant. 

 In the west end sterile soil underlay P 6, but in the east end the 

 occupation strata dipped to the top of P 10, terminating just above 

 the then level of the river (fig. 16). 



It is obvious, both from the direct superimposition of the two 

 ceramic horizons separated by a barren stratum (fig. 16) and from 

 the markedly different ceramic content of each, that two distinct cul- 

 tures are represented at this site. Of these, the lower or Playa de los 

 Muertos horizon is the older. Since this horizon extended well to the 

 west prior to the recent flood and since the main concentration of the 

 upper or polychrome horizon occurred on a similar level 80 meters 

 to the southeast (excavation 2), it would appear probable that only the 

 edges of the two occupation levels overlap at excavation i (fig. 16). 

 For the purpose of obtaining direct stratification, we were therefore 

 extremely fortunate in choosing the place for our main trench. 



Excavation 2, in the west wall of the levee borrow-pit, was small 

 but yielded a considerable amount of polychrome pottery. The 

 excavation was 5 meters from north to south and slightly less from 

 east to west. The first potsherd was encountered at a depth of 70 

 centimeters and the lowest at 2.40 meters. No noticeable changes 



