THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



the face is covered by a mask with prominent teeth and tongue, 

 which seems to possess some of the elements of a tiger, but which 

 more resembles the conventionalized serpent which is a common 

 feature of Zapotecan sculptures and which is seen in so many of 

 the Mayan sculptures. There are many urns which have a fiat 

 base, which serve as covers for boxes or chests. Some of these 

 boxes have symbolic faces on the comers and front, and rest on 

 four feet. Such urns are represented in the central figure on page 

 56, and by the low^er figure of page 57, which is a simple box with- 

 out decoration. 



These urns are interesting, furthermore, for the personal orna- 

 ments represented, including various forms of ear ornaments, 

 necklaces of stone and shell, beads and breast ornaments in the 

 form of human heads and hieroglyphs. Where no mask cov- 

 ers the face the teeth are in many instances filed, a custom of 

 decoration which prevailed extensively in Mexico and Central 

 America. 



The garments shown are capes, shirts, skirts and loin cloths. 

 The figures are usualh^ painted red. The specimen shown on 

 page 58 is one of the largest know^n and was found in 1902 by 

 the Loubat Expedition in front of a tomb at Cuilapa. It is two 

 feet, three and three-quarters inches in height, and shows traces 

 of four colors, namely: white, yellow, red and blue, being the 

 colors of the four cardinal points. 



It is probable that these urns represent deities, and that they 

 were placed near the tombs to guide the spirits of the deceased 

 on their journey to the other world. 



According to early accounts regarding the customs of the 

 Zapotecan Indians, w^hich have been verified by the explorations 

 of the Loubat Expeditions, their funeral ceremonies were as fol- 

 lows : When an important person died, the body w^as placed in a 

 stone chamber, dressed, and with various personal ornaments and 

 objects belonging to the deceased. Food and drink were placed 

 in or near the tomb to sustain the deceased on his journey to the 

 other w^orld. Once a year, for four years, his friends came to the 

 tomb and made fresh offerings of food and drink. At the expira- 

 tion of this time the flesh had decayed. Sometimes then the 



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