274 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 177 
accessible water supply, although the Quatata River is not far away. 
Sherds were scattered on the surface over an area roughly 40 by 80 
meters, with the longest axis across the open strip. In addition to 
aboriginal materials, the site produced numerous glass and china 
fragments, pieces of tin and enamelware (see table L, pp. 315-317). 
Lawrence Hart, our guide, recalled this spot as a place where Indians 
lived some 20 years before, when he was a child, a dating that conforms 
to the position of R-8 in the ceramic seriation chart (fig. 125). 
R-9: QUATATA, VILLAGE 2 
Just north of the patch of forest adjacent to the north side of R-8 
is another habitation site (fig. 109). It occupies a section of savanna 
that is bounded on the south and west by patches of forest, but to the 
north permits an unobstructed view across.a nearby shallow ravine 
of the tree-dotted landscape to the distant peaks of the Pakaraima 
range (pl. 54,a). A swampy area in the ravine provides the closest 
water source. The soil is typical hard, pebbly laterite, and sherds 
were found on the surface only, scattered over an ovoid area 60 meters 
long by 25 meters wide. 
R-10: PIRARA LAKE 
About 2 km. south of the Pirara River and 1.5 km. south of Pirara 
Ranch is a small body of water known as Pirara Lake or E] Dorado 
Lake (fig. 109). Among the several smal] lakes in the north Rupu- 
nuni savanna, this one is most often equated by the resident ranchers 
with the mythical Lake Parima of E] Dorado fame. A low ridge 
dotted with cashew trees borders the lake on the south and west, pro- 
viding a suitable elevation for habitation during all parts of the year. 
The lake, although only about 500 meters in diameter and shallow, 
affords good fishing today and is frequented by numerous water birds. 
However, in spite of these seemingly attractive features, a survey of 
the vicinity produced no evidence of the existence of former villages 
of the type characteristic of the Rupununi Phase. One spot on the 
ridge west of the lake produced two sherds and a scattering of char- 
coal, representing a brief campsite at most. 
R-11: PIRARA ISLANDS 
Four kilometers south of Pirara Ranch are several slight forested 
elevations that do not flood in the rainy season (fig. 109). Nearby 
are small, shallow ravines in which water can be found throughout 
the year. An examination was made of this area because of the local 
belief that it was here that Schomburgk found Indian villages at the 
time of his visit in 1835. Only two sherds were found just inside the 
margin of a patch of very dense and tangled forest. Like R-10, these 
remains appear to represent a campsite rather than a village. 
