258 CERTAIN ANTIQUITIES OF EASTERN MEXICO [eth. ann. 25 



CURVED STONES 



Among other problematical objects from the Totouac region — almost 

 unknown elsewhei'e — may be mentioned curved stones, bearing some 

 likeness in form to sections of the _yokes from which, however, they 

 ditler in size, shape, and superticial decoration. One of the best of 

 these, already referred to and shown in figure 53, exhibited in the 

 Museo Nacional of Mexico, has a figure of a human being engraved 

 in its outer or convex surface, with legs extending over one end of 

 the object, the feet showing on the under or concave surface of the 

 stone. Commonly these curved stones have smooth surfaces and 

 simple forms, as shown in the figures, sometimes resembling flatirons 

 (plate cxx, I) with curved surfaces and destitute of handles. The 

 remarkable object from the Museo Nacional of Mexico shown in figures 



Fig. 53. Convex side of curved stone. (Museo Nacional. Me.xico. i 



53 and 54, does not fall into either of the types of stone yokes illustra- 

 ted in the preceding pages, but is a unique representation of a type 

 of curved stones. The design on the surface extends across and 

 around one end and the inner surface. It represents a human being 

 with the face in profile and the arms extended, and the legs, body, 

 and feet in low relief. The use of the.se prolilenmtical stones, like 

 that of the yokes and rings, is unknown, but, like the latter, they 

 occur in greatest abundance in the Gulf states of Mexico. 



A true yoke in the same collection as the next preceding object like- 

 wise has a head with outstretched forearms recalled that on the curved 

 stone. 



Another of the stone yokes in the Museo Nacional, Mexico, has 

 three skulls cut in high relief, one on the anterior end and one on each 

 of the arms. 



