152 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 193 



possibly because of the apparent ceremonial rather than occupational 

 nature of the site. Both deer and bird bones, among others, were 

 found, but only one projectile point, again from the Trench 10 midden, 

 was recovered. A fairly large number of stone celts were excavated, 

 but their probable functional range is so broad that their presence 

 adds little information to our knowledge of their users' way of life. 

 One probable spindle whorl, suggesting textile manufacture, was 

 found. 



Some of the mounds (Mound I; possibly Mounds VI and VII) 

 seemingly were constructed in a number of stages. Others (Mounds 

 II, III, and V) appear to have been built up in a single stage. 

 Evidences of structures within the mounds are rare; fragments of 

 burned floors were found in Mounds I and VII and a layer or "floor" 

 of waterworn pebbles was encountered in Mound I. The latter was 

 faced at one end with boulders. No pestholes or waU remains were 

 found and, in view of the apparent use of fire in connection with some 

 of the burials, it is probable that the "burned floors" were related to 

 burial ceremonies rather than to habitations or "temples." 



Burial practices indicated at He-4 include the use of fire at some 

 stage in the burial ceremony, cremation proper, and secondary urn 

 burial. Spanish accounts attest to the practice of smoking or drying 

 the bodies of high ranking individuals.^^ It is possible that the 

 fragments of burned floor mentioned above, as well as the ash found 

 with some caches and burials (Find lO-oUa 2, Find 357, Find 382) and 

 the interior fire blackening of some vessels (Finds 5-c^, 6-6, 9-3, and 

 10-oUa 2), may be related to this custom. 



Examples of cremation definitely were present in Finds 347, 361, 

 and 377, but unfortunately the furniture associations do not provide us 

 with definite connections to polychrome styles. Find 347, four 

 partially cremated individuals including at least one adult and one 

 child, was accompanied by 51 pottery vessels of ubiquitous Red-buff 

 shapes; class "a" collared jars, ring-based plates, and one low pedestal 

 plate. Find 361 consisted of cremated human bone, several pieces of 

 copper, and an elongated sheU bead. Although the bead is probably 

 the same as the shell beads of Find 381, the contents of the latter are 

 not particularly helpful, consisting as they do of two small Eed-buff 

 collared jars (class "a"), fragments of gold-plated copper and some 

 perforated gold disks. Find 377, although containing many vessels, 

 is comprised largely of Red-buff ubiquitous shapes. The exception is 

 a pyramid-shaped bottle with affinities to Cerito and El Hatillo 



18 Lothrop (1937, pp. 43-48) notes that fire was used to desiccate the body of a deceased chief before placing 

 In the house of the dead. Adrian de Santo Thomas, a Spanish priest who worked In the Tabasar& River 

 area of western Veraguas between 1622 and 1637, also reports the use of fire for "smoking" the bodies of high 

 ranking [)ersonages before interment (Lothrop, 1960, p. 101). In neither instance are mounds mentioned. 



