COPAN. 43 



The elephant-like appearance of these heads has been the subject of much discussion, 

 but I fail to see any reason why the form may not have been taken from the head of 

 the tapir, an animal still commonly found in the neighbourhood. The exaggeration 

 in the length of the nose or trunk is too common a feature in almost all the numerous 

 grotesque heads found on these sculptures to call for any special comment in this case. 



On the upper part of the trunk orifices having the appearance of nostrils are clearly 

 defined, and there are some cross-hatched marks on the lower part of the trunk. The 

 eyes are almost surrounded by what appear to be scales. On the North side (Plates 

 XXXVI. A and XXXVII. A) the scroll-work usually attached to the serpent's head is 

 seen rising from the top of the ear, which is also furnished with a pendent ornament. 



Above both these trunked heads has probably been seated a small human figure, but 

 that on the South side only (Plates XXXVI. B and XXXVII. B) now remains. Each of 

 these figures carried in his hand a peculiar baton or sceptre with a grotesque head on the 

 top of it. This baton is seen on the side A, almost covering the eye of the trunked head. 



The grotesque head on the baton in A has a winged scroll arising from its forehead 

 and another from the top of its head. In B it is difficult to determine whether the 

 scroll which appears to rise from the head really belongs to it or whether it is attached 

 to the ear of the large trunked head. 



Down each side of the Stela, below the large trunked head, are three other heads 

 (tinted in alternate colours on Plate XXXVII.) with trunks less developed and with 

 eyes of another shape, and with large teeth curved in the opposite direction to those 

 of the upper heads. In the lowest of these heads only is the lower jaw shown. All three 

 heads on each side have the conventional ear with the serpent scroll rising from the top 

 of it, and also an ear-pendant with a small face on it. 



From under the eyelid of the uppermost of these three heads hangs a band, to 

 which is attached a grotesque head with a serpent scroll, hanging forehead downwards. 

 From the back of this head a band passes over the shoulders of a small human figure, 

 which is seated immediately above the prolonged teeth of the serpent's head attached 

 to the breastplate of the principal figure on the front of the Stela. Only one of these 

 small human figures can now be seen ; but it is probable that a similar figure has 

 been broken off the north side of the monument, and it has been restored in the 

 drawing in order to keep the balance of the design. 



Another small figure was seated on the trunk of each of the lowest of the three 

 large heads, and can be seen in both front and side views. 



The back of this Stela is decorated with a huge grotesque face which is shown in 

 Plate XXIV., n. The figure seated on the forehead of this face, and the glyphs from 

 the eyes and mouth, are figured below the photograph on Plate XXXVIII. 



*2 



