7g ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL 



were not fliffcn-ciitly ribbed, might represent flames. Tlie ear is ornamented with 

 a circular disk, with a pendant from its centre. A double ruffled coUar surrounds 

 the neck, and a serpent encircles the loins. Both the shoulders and arms are 

 enveloped in flames. From the mouth emanates a bent staff", touching the first of 

 a row of ten circles. Beneath the second and third circles are five bars, three of 

 Avhich are horizontal. The lowest one is the longest, while the two upper ones are 

 shorter, and of diff"erent lengths. On the uppermost of these bars rest two others, 

 crossing each other obliquely, and touching with their upper ends two of the afore- 

 said circles. From the last of these circles descend serpentine lines, which touch 

 the ground behind the recumbent person. 



To judge by the analogy of other sculptures, one must take the staff emanating 

 from the mouth of the skeleton, together with the circles and bars which are con- 

 nected with it, to represent speech. The descending lines may signify either the 

 breath necessary for pronouncing the speech, or the sound it makes. Both the 

 circles and bars differ entirely from these knots and emblems, representing speech 

 in the other reliefs, and one is inclined to take them for the signs of numerals. 

 One might take the lowest bar for 1, while the shorter ones indicate fractions; the 

 two cross bars undoubtedly signify a number of units, perhaps not more than two.' 

 Each circle indicates the system of numeration used by the sculptors. 



Sculpture No. XIV, Plate VI. 



Tliis monolith, five feet one inch long and three feet broad, is standing like- 

 wise on one edge. The base of the sculpture is bounded by a rim eight inches 

 wide. Here, again, is a recumbent figure, whose head is covered by a kind of 

 turban, and the forehead surmounted by a frill. A tuft of long plumes floats from 

 the top of the turban. The fact that these plumes have three eyes each, leads one 

 to suppose them to be artificial. A broad ring with a pendant adorns the ear. The 

 most noticeable part of the face is the beard on the chin, which was not observed 

 on any other occasion, except on tlie heads of immolated victims. It would lead 

 to the supposition that the inhabitants of Central x\merica Avere sparingly bearded, 

 and that only by the constant removal of the outgrowth, they appear beardless; 

 consequently, the existence of this beard and the reclining posture would indicate 

 the ill-health of the individual, by which he had been prevented from plucking 

 out the growing hairs. The symmetry of the head and face is remarkable. The 

 high forehead, the slightly bent nose, render the features quite handsome, even 

 according to our conception of beauty. Tl>e drawing does not really give a true 

 representation of the beauty of the original. 



A bow-knot with two ends, from which descends a tuft of ribbons, adorns the 

 breast. A similar tuft covers the left shoulder in the manner of an epaulet. On 

 the wrists are cuffs, very much resembling embroidered lace. A single band sur- 

 rounds the waist, and, being tied with a bow and knot in front, descends in two 

 ends of unequal breadth, the narrower one between the thighs. In front of tiiis 

 recumbent person stands an allegorical figure. The head is that of a deer. The 

 body is apparently inclosed in a jacket extending to the thighs. To the back part 

 of the body is an appendage like a deer's tail. 



