104 



BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



fBULL. 6-1 



Fig. 51.— Small cup-shaped 

 vase from Mound No. 15. 



consisted of light-brown earth, which contained nothing of interest. 

 For the next 3^ feet there were large blocks of limestone, the inter- 

 stices between which were filled with limestone dust and debris. In 

 these were found large quantities of potshej-ds, some well painted and 

 polished, together with part of the inferior maxilla of a medium- 

 sized carnivore, probably a puma. At a depth of 3^ feet a number of 

 stone flags, each nearly 5 feet in length and from 

 4 to 6 inches in thickness, were exposed ; on re- 

 moving these a small chamber appeared, of 

 which the flags formed the roof. The walls of 

 the chamber, or cist, were built of squared stones 

 mortared together; it was 6 feet long, 6 feet 

 high, and 4 feet broad ; the floor was of light- 

 brown, very fine river sand. On carefully re- 

 moving the sand the following objects were 

 brought to light at depths varying from 3 feet 

 below the surface of the sand to the bottom of the chamber: (a) A small 

 round, cup-shaped vase, shown in figure 51, pamted bright yellow 

 and finely polished. It is 10 cm. high by 8| cm. in its greatest 

 diameter. On its outer 

 surface are tw^o grotesque 

 monkey-like figures, the 

 outline of one of which is 

 shown in figure 52, a. 0^) A 

 small thin bowl of the shape 

 shown in figure 52, e, pamted 

 yellow throughout, well pol- 

 ished, and ornamented ex- 

 teriorly with geometrical de- 

 vices in red and black, (c) 

 A somewhat larger bowl 

 than the next preceding, of 

 the shape seen in figure 52,/. 

 The geometrical ornamen- 

 tation on the outer surface 

 is executed in low relief, 

 and was afterwards painted 

 over, (d) A large circular 

 plaque painted yellow throughout, 42 cm. in diameter. Tliis plaque 

 had been polished but shows considerable signs of hard usage before 

 burial, (e) A plaque-flke vessel, 9 cm. m height, with the design repre- 

 sented in figure 52, d, of a hmnanf ace separated from a dragon's head by 

 the Maya numeral 7, repeated around the outer surface of its rim, (f ) 

 A shallow plaque, 36 cm. in diameter, painted yeUow throughout, and 



nt'^\m^a 



Fig. 52.— Objects from Mound No. 15. 



