Ancient Statues L 31 
the grave, in the centre of which was sometimes set up the 
statue of the deceased. 
It was evident that the tomb had been ransacked in search 
of treasure; but our guide was very reticent about it. He 
admitted, however, on further questioning, that he had 
found a broken ‘ metlate,” or maize-grinder, in the grave. 
Velasquez got down into the deepest hole, and unearthed some 
more fragments of pottery, but nothing more. 
We then descended the steep face of the hill again, and 
crossed the plain to where the “ worked stones ”’ were lying. 
We found them to be broken fragments of statues, one larger, 
better worked, and in much fairer preservation than the 
others. They had all been much battered and broken. The 
greater size and solidity of this one had made it more difficult 
to deface. It was in two parts, the head being severed from 
the body. The total length of the two fragments was about 
five feet. The face had been much shattered. The nose 
was gone and the mouth defaced, but enough was left to 
show that the latter had been protruding. The eyes were 
in good preservation, prominent, and with the eyeballs pro- 
jecting. Around the head was an ornamented circlet, like a 
crown. The arms were laid over the breast, and were con- 
tinued upwards over the shoulder, and partly down the back, 
as if it had been intended to indicate the shoulder-blades. 
The legs were doubled up, and continued round to the back, 
in the same way as the arms. 
The back of the figure was elaborately carved, the most 
noticeable features being a wide ornamented belt around the 
waist, and two well-carved crosses, one on each shoulder. 
The other stones lying about were broken portions of other 
smaller figures and of pedestals. All were made out of very 
hard, tough trachyte; and the labour required to make the 
principal one out of such difficult material without tools of 
iron must have been immense. 
The fragments were all lying out on the bare plain. I 
thought they must have been brought from some burial- 
place of the ancient Indians. Our guide, on being asked, 
said he had seen other cairns of stones besides these on the 
hill-top, but could not recollect where. He was very uneasy 
when questioned; and at last said he had business to attend 
to, and left us abruptly. In his absence we examined all 
I 
