FEWKEs] ARCHEOLOGICAL OBJECTS 193 



the breast, but extended to the abdomen, and that it is turned outward, 

 with the lingers closed on the palms. The umbilicus and genitals are 

 in evidence, and a projection on the head resembles a cap. 



The back view {d") shows little in addition to that already- noticed 

 except a backbone formed by a row of live rectangles, each with a 

 central pit, corresponding to the vertebra?. The soles of the feet 

 appear on this side, and the toes, like the lingers, are turned backward 

 over depressions that represent the bottoms of the feet. The whole 

 object is supposed to be a vomiting stick, one of those mentioned V)y 

 Gomara and certain other early ^vriters, that were used to help the 

 priests to vomit before they entered the presence of their idols. 

 Wooden sticks believed to have been used for the same purpose will 

 be considered later. 



The object figured e, fi'oni the Smithsonian collection, is likewise a 

 fine example of Porto Rican shell carving. Although too small to l)e 

 worn, this object has the general appearance of a mask and may ha\e 

 been attached to the forehead. It was evidently tied or attached to 

 some foreign object or used as a pendant, as the holes in the rim show. 

 The face is well cut, eyes, nose, and especially the teeth, being care- 

 fully' done. The folds under the chin were evidently intended to 

 represent appendages, as arms, all reseml:)lance to which is lost. 



Illustration/" represents a well-carved shell object, acquired like the 

 preceding, fi-om Archbishop Merifio. It is apparently one of those 

 amulets that warriors attached to tiieir foreheads when they went into 

 battle. Two parts are distinguishable — a shaft and a head, the latter 

 being united to the former b}' a short neck. The mouth is large, with 

 teeth well carved; the lips are small; the chin is absent. The nose is 

 prominently curved, but of the flat type elsewhere commented upon; 

 the eyes are large, I'ound, with orbits in which foreign objects were 

 formerly cemented. The forehead is wanting: the ears are far back 

 on the head. Seen from the front, the face is narrow and ears ai'e 

 prominent. The shaft is irregularly rectangular when seen in profile, 

 and perforated and notched on top and front. The surface opposite 

 the neck is very smooth. This is one of the finest known specimens of 

 Antillean shell carving. 



Specimen (j also is a finely carved bone representing a seated figure 

 with the hands on the knees. The back is plain and smooth, with a 

 perforation for suspension just behind the narrow' connection between 

 head and body, a region that is not the neck but the lower jaw, upon 

 which are markings representing the teeth. The eyes are shallow 

 concave pits; the ears in prominent relief. There is a representation 

 of a crown with feather's on the head. From comparison with other 

 objects, and from the fact that the eye depressions have a rough 

 surface, it is probable that gold nuggets were formerly inserted in 

 these sockets to represent eyeballs. 

 25 ETH — 07 13 



