62 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 64 



The only unpainted object found in the urn was a natural-size 

 model of the human penis, in a state of semierection (fig. 17). This 

 differed from all the other objects in that it had been fired, instead of 

 merely sun dried, and is on that account much harder. Upon the 

 upper surface of the glans penis are three longitudinal incisions, 

 extending almost from base to apex, evidently made with a sharp- 

 pointed implement while the clay was still soft. 



With these figurines a number of perforated beads of jade and 

 some of a dark-red stone, all nicely polished, were found; also the 

 tooth of a large alligator, perforated at the base, evidently for sus- 

 pension with the beads. 



About 6 feet to the north of the center of the mound, at a depth 

 of 3 feet below the surface, was discovered a small stone cist 

 or chamber, 18 inches sr[uare, built of roughly cut blocks of 

 limestone. Within this were found most of the bones of a male of 

 medium height and fair muscular development. These bones were 



exceedingly friable, but showed no 

 effects of fire; with the exception 

 of the tibiae, they were in no way 

 abnormal. The upper articular sur- 

 face of the right tibia had disap- 

 peared. The shaft was rounded in 

 section, the prominent angles at the 

 front and sides being obliterated. It 

 was slightly bowed, with the con- 

 vexity anteriorly, and was consider- 

 ably enlarged, especially in its upper 

 two-thirds, which were composed 

 chiefly of very friable cancellous tis- 



FiG 17— T npaintcd object from \r()niirlNo 1 i • i i i t i 



sue, rendering the bone much lighter 

 than its appearance indicated. The surface of the upper part of 

 the bone was marked by the presence of a number of small 

 pits or depressions. Of the left tibia only a few fragments were 

 found, but so far as could be judged from these a change some- 

 what similar to that observed in the right tibia had taken 

 place in it. The bones and other objects found in this mound 

 would suggest at first sight the possibility of the individual buried 

 beneath it having suffered during life from some form of venereal 

 disease, closely allied to, if not identical with, syphilis. On reading 

 Landa's account^ of two forms of ceremonial self -mutilation car- 

 ried out by the Yucatecan Maya at the time of the conquest there 



' Otras, se harpavan To superfluo del mieml^ro vergongoso, dexandolo como las orejas, de lo qual se engano 

 el historiador general de las Indias, diziendo que se circumcidian. Otras vezes hazian iin suzio y penoso 

 sacrificio afiudandose los que lo hazian en el templo, donde puestos en rengla, se hazian sendos agujeros en 

 los mfembros viriles al soslayo por el lado, y heohos passavan toda la mas cantidad de hilo que podian 

 quedando assi todos asldos, y ensartados; tambien untavan con la sangre de todas estas partes al demonio 

 y el que mas hazia, por mas valiente era tenido.— Landa, op. cit., p. 162. 



