FEWKEs] ARCHEOLOaiCAL OBJECTS 89 



penetrated and found to be solid, without traces of artificial remains. 

 The loose soil contained bones of many animals which had served as 

 food, but no human remains and no evidences of cannibalistic feasts. 

 No shell breccia was detected. 



The pottei'v consisted of broken fragments — no whole jars were 

 obtained — raainlj- handles of large ollas, or cooking pots. They belong 

 to wai'e of the coarsest kind, and manj- still show soot on their sur- 

 faces. There were a few specimens of polished red ware, but none 

 were painted or had evidences of glazing or vitrified surfaces. In one 

 or two instances ridges indicating the coiled method of manufacture 

 were detected, but as a rule these coils had been rubbed down, making 

 a smooth surface. The curvature of the large fragments indicates vari- 

 ous forms of ceramic objects. There are evidences that some of them 

 were vases and bowls of almost globular shape; others were boat- 

 shaped or more like trenchers, and still others were flat dishes or plates. 

 Some of the last-mentioned kind had raised ribs across their bases. 

 Small clay heads, more than '25 of which were removed from the soil 

 of this cave, are fragments of relief decoration of potter3\ Their gen- 

 eral forms, as seen in some of the plates illustrating this work, do not 

 greatly difl'er from those found in the burial mounds, a fact which 

 would indicate identitj^ of culture in their makers. 



The few celts which were exhumed from the floor of this cave are 

 petaloid in form, but one specimen is beautifully polished and grooved, 

 resembling the axes characteristic of the Carib of St Vincent or of 

 Dominica. 



The evidence, so far as it goes, seems to indicate that tliis cave was a 

 camping place ora spot frequented l)y many natives for a consider- 

 al)le time, but there is nothing definite to identify the inhabitants as 

 Carib; the results of the foregoing investigation suggest that they 

 were people of the same general culture as those who lived in the 

 mountains. The pictographs on the walls of the cave, of which there 

 are many, are not materially difl'erent from those found in the open, 

 as will be shown later in this article. 



Examinations of one or two smaller caves near the Cueva de las 

 Golondrinas showed nothing exceptional. Farther down the coast, 

 near the mouth of the Manati river, there is another large cave, with 

 man}' fragments of pottery, which would be a good place for new 

 explorations. 



AKCHEOLOGICAL OBJECTS 



By far the most important means now available for the interpretation 

 of the culture of the prehistoric Porto Ricans is a study of archeolog- 

 ical objects that are being brought to light by chance discovery or 

 scientific exploration. When the extent to which prehistoric objects 

 may aid us in an interpretation of aboriginal life is more generally 



