gann] MAYA INDIANS OF YUCATAN AND BRITISH HONDURAS 87 



shells AV(^ro found also closely adjacent to tlu^ vase in the lime which 

 surrounded it. Beneath the layer of lime lay a layer of ])ro^^'n 

 sand, 3 feet thick, in which ahsolutely nothing was found. Below 

 tliis appeared another lajer of lime, mixed with sand, 4 feet tliick, 

 near the bottom of which were found 40 human skulls, neatly disposed 

 in rows. These, when first uncovered, seemed to he in a moderately 

 good state of preservation, but when removed from their bed of lime 

 and sand they crumbled so easily that it was found impossible to 

 preserve them. The skulls were all placed in the same horizontal 

 plane, each one nearly in contact with its neighbor. No other bones 

 were found with them, or in fact in any other part of this 

 mound, with the exception of two small oblong objects of bone, 

 about 2 inches in length, each still bearmg traces of paint, which 

 were discovered among the skulls. These skulls would seem to 

 have been either the result of secondary interments or the re- 

 mains of sacrificial victims whose bodies were either eaten or 

 buried elsewhere. In favor of the first theory is the fact that 



a ft 



Fig. 31.— Obsidian object and pottery vase from Moimd No. 10. 



the Maya did not practice human sacrifice to anything like the 

 same extent that their neighbors, the Aztecs, did, and slaughter 

 involving forty-odd victims must have been practically unknown 

 among them. Furthermore, in one or two instances small shallow 

 stone-hned graves, covered mth large slabs of stone, have been found 

 at and around the bases of large mounds, and it seems quite possible 

 that these graves may have held the bodies of distinguished dead until 

 their skulls were in a fit condition to be removed to the mound or 

 until a sufficient number had accumulated to make it worth while 

 opening the chamber for their reception. In favor of the second 

 theory is the fact that, judging by what could be seen of the teeth 

 and lower jaws, all the skulls were of individuals in the prime of fife, 

 no jaws of very young or of very old inchviduals being discovered. 

 Immediately beneath the skulls were unearthed 12 objects of chert 

 f asliioned withgreat care. Seven of these were spearheads, the other five 

 of eccentric form. The spearheads varied in length from 3 7 cm. (pi. 15, c) 

 to 29 cm. (pi. 15,/) ; they were very well made, some from gray, others 



