262 



CERTAIN ANTIQUITIES OF EASTERN MEXICO [bth. ann. 25 



One of the most instructive of these paddle-shaped stones is shown 

 in plate cxviii, a. This specimen, which has a rare decoration, repre- 

 sents an alligator or lizai"d whose back is cut on the convex, the belly 



(figure 55) on the opposite or 

 flat side, the mouth being open 

 and the tail foi'ming a graceful 

 curve, so that if this specimen 

 were placed vertical the head 

 would be at the base and the 

 animal would be in an unnatural 

 posture. 



The design on plate cxvi rep- 

 resents a human figure bearing 

 a staff in the hand. As with 

 other human forms on these 

 stones, the eyes are closed as if 

 the 2Jerson represented were 

 dead or asleep. This figure, 

 like others, wears crests of 

 feathers, which in this specimen 

 appear to be very large. One 

 of the best made as well as the 

 most instructive designs on fig- 

 ure 57 shows a dancing figure 

 holding aloft an ear of corn, in 

 one hand, raised above the head. 

 Plate CXVIII, h, represents sev- 

 eral birds' heads more or less ob- 

 scured or concealed b^' the elab- 

 orate tracery of geometrical 

 ligures, feathers, and other or- 

 naments. A whole bird, with 

 extended wings, appears in fig- 

 ure 59. 



There are many similar speci- 

 mens, possibly having the same 

 use, somewhat different in form 

 from the paddle-shaped stones 

 above mentioned. Some of 

 these, as those figured (plate 

 cxix), are fanlike, with ridges 

 on each side radiating from a common base. Others appear more like 

 headdresses, the radiating feathers being cut from stone. It would 

 appear that all these different objects were connected in some way, but 

 how we can not yet answer satisfactorily. 



"^ 



Fig. 65. Paddle-shap 

 (Dehesa collection.) 



fl f^tom- repre-senling lizard, 

 (Reverse of a, plate cxviii.) 



