62 ELLIOT SMITH, Distribution of Mummification. 



made of branches of juniper, mocan, or other incorruptible 

 wood. 



" The knives for opening the body were made of 

 sharp pieces of obsidian. 



" In the grotto of Tacoronte was the mummy of an 

 old woman dried in the sitting posture like that of the 

 Peruvian corpses." 



The mummies were wrapped in reddish goat skin, 

 just as the shroud of Egyptian mummies was often of 

 red linen. 



From the same article, in which, as the above quota- 

 tion states, the body was placed upon a stone for the 

 purpose of the embalmer's operations, I should like to 

 call attention to the following statement of a curious 

 custom which is found in the most diverse parts of the 

 world, in most cases in association with the practice of 

 mummification. 



Tradition says that at his installation the new Mencey 

 (or chief of a principality) is required to seat himself on a 

 stone, cut in the form of a chair and covered with skins : 

 one of his nearest relatives presents him with a sacred 

 relic — the bone of the right arm of the chief of the 

 reigning family (p. 107). I have already {supra) indi- 

 cated the significance of this characteristic feature of the 

 " heliolithic " culture. 



Reutter (63) gives some additional information in 

 reference to Guanche embalming. The incision was made 

 in the lower part of the abdomen (in the flank). After 

 the body had been treated with a saturated salt solution, 

 the viscera were returned to the body. The orifices of 

 the nose, mouth and eyes were " stopped with bitumen as 

 was the Egyptian practice." After packing the cavities 

 of the body with aromatic plants the body was exposed 

 either to the sun, or in a stove, to desiccate it. 



