ANTIQUITIKS OF (IFATKMALA 



108 



an imitation of an ear of maize. The tree with the ears of maize and the 

 animal tioures is lacking-. The third piece, v, one might actually sui)- 

 pose to be the representation of a Spaniard if this idea were not con- 

 tradicted hy the ear ornament, the ])road bead anjvlets, and, especially, 

 the maxtlatl. The figure may, perhaps, ])e thought to be clothed with 

 an ichcauipil, or quilted armor, unless we have before us, which is also 

 very pro])able, a Christian cacique in Spanish costume. Tnder the left 

 hand there is an object which looks almost like a Spanish shield, but 

 is perhaps a piece of cloth with a broad bordei-. It is this last figure 

 which suggests the idea that in all three pieces we have fantastic 

 images of recent date. On the other hand, I find in the photographs 

 of the Dieseldortf collection an ear of maize, which seems as if it were 

 broken from a figure similar to the one in <(. 



The fragments which Doctor Sapper found in his excavations in La 

 Cueva, near Santa Cruz, under- 

 taken with Mr Dieseldorff, 

 form an especiall}' valuable 

 part of his collection. This 

 ancient settlement, the plan of 

 which is here given, lies at 

 present near the boundarj^ line 

 between the districts in which 

 the Qu'ekchi and the Pokonchi 

 languages are spoken. Doctor 

 Sapper prefers to ascribe it 

 to the latter tribe, because the 

 plan of the settlement as well 

 as the finds especially difi'er in 

 many respects from the undoubted Qu'ekchi finds of San Juan. 

 Chamelco, etc. I am inclined to accept this opinion. Isolated pieces, 

 to be sure, agree with the undoubted Qu'ekchi finds. I have also 

 described above some among the latter. Owing to the geograph it- 

 proximity of the two places of discovery this is not to l)e wondered at. 



The mounds A, B, C were excavated by Messrs Sapper and Diesel- 

 dorff, and the chief discoveries were made in the southern mound, A. 

 a small terraced pyramid constructed of earth and stone (called in the 

 Indian dialect of that place tzak, that is, "masonry"). The finds 

 are, in the main, simple, undecorated vessels. Yet single richly dec- 

 orated ones were found among them, as, for example, one which Doctoi- 

 Sapper some years ag-o gave to Mr Lorenz Eyssen, then in (iuatcmala. 

 Among the others the next of importance are the vessels in the form 

 of kneeling female figures, whose removable heads form the covers of 

 the vessels. Three such vessels were found in the mound. One fell 

 to the share of Mr Dieseldorfi' when the result^s of the excavations 

 were divided, and he had the great kindness to present it to the Royal 



