75 2 The Smithsonian Institution 



Many articles on the subject were published as a result of 

 these studies, culminating in a voluminous report by Doctor 

 Cyrus Thomas, the largest which has yet appeared on a 

 subject which was inaugurated by the opening volume of the 

 " Contributions." 



MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA 



THE rich field presented to the archaeologist in Mexico and 

 Central America has received the attention of the Institution, 

 and several interesting publications on this subject have ap- 

 peared in the " Contributions." In 1878 an important memoir 

 by Doctor Habel entitled " Archaeological and Ethnological 

 Researches in Central and South America, with a Detailed 

 Account of the Sculptures at Santa Lucia Cosumalwhuapa," 

 was accepted by the Institution for publication. Doctor Habel 

 had devoted seven years to exploration in this region, visiting 

 many of the great ruins described by Stephens in 1841. 



The main portion of this contribution was devoted to a de- 

 scription of the great monoliths at Santa Lucia Cosumalwhu- 

 apa, a village in the department of Esquintla, near the Volcan 

 del Fuego. These stone slabs were discovered by a planter 

 who came upon a large pile of buried monoliths in preparing 

 his farm for cultivation. They were found to be richly sculp- 

 tured and ornamented in cavo-relievo with representations of 

 human figures of unusual carving, supposed to refer to the 

 adoration of the sun, moon, and other anthropomorphic 

 deities difficult to identify. Doctor Habel made true copies 

 of the originals with great care and on his return to the 

 United States was invited to visit Washington, where the ex- 

 pense of the preparation of his manuscript, and the plates, 

 which were made under his personal supervision, was borne 

 by the Institution. This publication attracted much attention, 



