38 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 6l 



crania, which could be more directly compared with the better devel- 

 oped type of the coast skull, or with the shorter, undeformed crania 

 found mingled to some extent with the prevailing longer type in the 

 sierra of Huarochiri. 



Again as in the Nassa cave, the burials were plainly secondary, 

 and it was evident that in many instances a body only partly decom- 

 posed had been forcibly disjointed to a greater or lesser extent, 

 before being placed in its last resting place. 



Although the sun was shining when the writer entered the cave, 

 before he was through with the examination of the skeletal remains 

 lying on the surface, thick mists began to envelop everything about, 

 and were soon followed by the " aguacero " or cold drizzle. A large 

 quantity of skeletal material still remained buried in the refuse with 

 which the cave was filled, but it was necessary to hurry and only 

 the more accessible parts could be examined. The total number of 

 skulls inspected was more than ioo, and according to the indica- 

 tions there were possibly as many more in the cave. Besides the skulls 

 numerous other bones were looked over. Among this mass of ma- 

 terial not a single pathological skull or bone was discovered. Also, 

 there were neither pottery nor fabrics, but a number of various sized 

 undecorated gourds lay on the floor, probably representing vessels 

 that contained food and drink offerings. 



The native name for this cave is Cuxoxloma, which again is said 

 to be a Ouechua term, but of unknown signification. It is not 

 impossible, however, that these names are derived, in common with 

 some others met with later on in these regions, from some other 

 language. 



While the cave was being examined, the old woman and also 

 the writer's companion kept carefully at some distance away, for 

 fear of the dead. The limit of daring was shown by the younger 

 man in taking the selected specimens from before the opening of 

 the cave, out of which the writer pushed them, and placing them 

 with grass in bags. 



No cultivable grounds and no ruins exist in the proximity of 

 this cave or in the nearer neighborhood, and the remains must have 

 been brought here from some distance. Exactly who these people 

 were remains to be determined. The Aymara deformation may have 

 been only an extension of that habit from the real Aymara people 

 southeast of this region. 



Sta. Lucia to Nasca. — Having done what was possible in the 

 vicinity of Sta. Lucia and not being able to go farther inland, the 



