MOUNDS IN NORTHERN HONDURAS: 
By THomas GANN 
INTRODUCTION 
Such parts of British Honduras as have thus far been explored have 
proved extraordinarily rich in archeologic material of interest; but, 
unfortunately, owing to the impenetrable character of the bush, by 
far the greater part of the colony remains unexplored. 
One remarkable fact in connection with the distribution of mounds, 
or cerros, throughout the colony is that wherever they exist good 
maize-producing land is certain to be found, consequently the present 
Indians, taking advantage of their forefathers’ experience in removing 
their villages (which, owing to the rapid exhaustion of the soil, they 
are compelled to do at frequent intervals), invariably make their 
clearings in the vicinity of these groups of mounds, confidently antici- 
pating a good crop of maize. 
Near the village of Corozal, in the northern district of the colony, 
a clearing of about 500 acres was made some years ago, which was 
subsequently planted with sugar cane, and is now known as the estate 
of Santa Rita. When the clearing was first made between forty and 
fifty mounds were discovered, and it was found that the majority of 
these were built to a great extent of large blocks of limestone, many of 
which were squared, as if they had previously formed part of a build- 
ing. As stone is scarce in the vicinity a number of the mounds were 
completely destroyed in order to obtain the stone for erecting houses 
and water tanks. Of the pottery and other remains which must have 
been brought to light during the demolition of these mounds there is 
unfortunately no record, and the probability is that they were thrown 
away as useless. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE MOUNDS 
The site chosen by the builders of these mounds for their residence 
is one of the most favorable for many miles around, being on an 
extensive plateau 50 to 100 feet above the sea level, about one mile 
inland, and separated from the sea by a belt of swampy, malarial land, 
which must have formed a strong natural protection against enemies 
19 ETH, pr 2 7 661 

