44 A STUDY OF CHIRIQU1AN ANTIQUITIES. 



figures on the piedra pintal that are identical in shape with European stone sculp- 

 tures, excepting concentric circles and a few carvings resembling wheels with 

 four spokes. He very justly points out that simple devices like these, when 

 found in different countries, are no proof of ethnic affinity or contact. 



Dr. J. Walter Fewkes 1 notes the similarity between Porto Rican petroglyphs 

 and those of Chiriqui. The chief motive on the southwest side of the piedra 

 pintal seems to represent a front view of the human or other face. It is repeated 

 with variations six or eight times. A motive not unlike this characterizes Porto 

 Rican petroglyphs, and is also found in Colombia and Venezuela. 



A water-color drawing of the northeast face of the piedra pintal was made by 

 Gentil for Father Heyde. Through the kindness of Professor M. H. Saville of 

 Columbia University I am able to reproduce a tracing of this sketch (fig. 53), 

 showing its close agreement with Bollaert's statement that " the top and other 

 sides have signs of a circular and oval form, crossed by lines." 



Other Chiriquian petroglyphs have been noted by Mr. J. F. Bateman in a 

 letter to the American Ethnological Society, accompanied by a tracing which is 

 reproduced in figure 54. According to the letter : " The hieroglyphic enclosed 

 was found on a large surface boulder of lava, in the parish of San Miguel, 



district of Chiriqui. The tracing is perfectly correct, two 

 feet long. The boulder is irregular in shape, and appears 

 once to have been covered with figures or hieroglyphics ; 

 but the others are so indistinct as to prohibit being copied. 

 The outlines which I send you are on an angle of the 

 boulder- facing the west. The position of the rock is 

 eight miles nearly due west of the mountain called El 

 Fig. 54. Tracing of a pctro- Volcan, which is said to have an altitude of thirteen thou- 



glyph. (After Bateman.) ; 



sand feet." 



None of the petroglyphs seem to bear any relation to the many decorative 

 motives used on the pottery found in the graves. This fact suggests the prob- 

 ability of their belonging to a different age and civilization. At the time of 

 Seemann's voyage, ancient sculptured columns were used for building purposes 

 in the town of David. The characters on these, however, were raised instead 

 of incised and were considerably smaller than those of the piedra pintal. 



1 The Aborigines of Porto Rico and neighboring islands. Twenty-fifth ann. rept, Bur. Amer. 

 ethnol., 151, 1903-1904. 



2 Bull. Amer. ethnol. soc., I, 12, New York, 1860-1861. 



