METAL. 193 



(see fig. 352) at the Lenox Library, New York, probably being two of the rare 

 and fortunate exceptions. What became of the gold ornaments to the value of 

 $70,000, exhibited at a meeting of the American Ethnological Society, is not known. 1 

 The part that was sent to London has not been traced. Much of it presumably was 

 consigned to the melting pot. A few specimens are preserved in the Hamburg 

 Museum. It is highly probable that some of the pieces in the Yale collection 

 and in that of Mr. George G. Heye formed a part of the Bugavita treasure. This 

 is also true of the nine specimens exhibited by Mr. Alfred B. Taylor, at a meeting 

 of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia, October 5th, 1865, but 

 their present whereabouts is unknown. Chiriquian gold ornaments are rare in 

 European museums with the possible exception of that at Madrid, which I have 

 not yet seen. 



Although the discoveries of 1858-59 attracted the attention of the world to the 

 archeological possibilities of Chiriqui, it does not follow that the presence of gold 

 ornaments in Chiriquian graves had been entirely unknown prior to that time. Squier, 

 the well-known archeologist, is authority for the statement that " large quantities 

 have been taken from time to time for many years past ; and I was informed by the 

 late Governor of the Bank of England, that several thousand pounds worth were 

 annually remitted from the Isthmus as bullion, to that establishment." It is to be 

 deplored that some of these ornaments did not go to the British Museum instead, 

 where the collection of isthmian gold figurines is still quite small ; under the wise 

 management of Mr. C. H. Read however it is being increased as opportunity 

 offers. In 1907 Mr. Read purchased a splendid specimen, the metal value of 

 which is 25. It consists of a group of eight figurines set in a rectangular panel, 

 the dimensions of the panel being 9.5 by 6 centimeters. The motive and workman- 

 ship are similar to those of the much smaller piece reproduced in Plate XLIX (fig. a). 



In a given huacal the number of graves containing gold is small in comparison 

 with the total number. Some of the more elaborately constructed graves are said 

 to contain nothing at all. Those in which metal objects are found are usually 

 rich in pottery and stone implements. Dr. Merritt describes two kinds of graves 

 found at Bugavita, the oval and the quadrangular (see pp. 9 and 10). The oval 

 grave-pits were lined with rounded river stone. This type occurred principally 

 in the northern and western sections of the burial-ground ; " and as a general 

 rule yielded the most figures of gold and the finest specimens of pottery." It is 

 said that some of the gold figures were located in the crevices of the wall, " but 

 in no instance in earthen jars associated with them." The latter statement con- 

 flicts with that of Dr. Otis, previously cited. 



There were two distinct types of the quadrangular grave. The lining of one 

 kind was of rounded river stone resembling in this respect the oval graves. They 

 were also in juxtaposition to the latter and like them in yielding more gold images 

 and finer pottery than the second type of quadrangular grave. This variety, 

 " although poor in relics, was more artistically and carefully constructed, and in 

 a better state of preservation." The walls of the vault were lined with flat stones 

 set upright. The cover of the vault was also composed of flat stones carefully fitted. 



1 Hist, mag., IX, 158, 1865. 



MEMOIRS CONN. ACAD., Vol. III. 25 



