HARTMAN : ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF COSTA” RICA 63 
The only source of information as to the manner in which amulets were worn by 
the natives of Nicoya is found in the representations of human figures on objects of 
clay or stone from the burial-grounds. Only a very small number of these human 
effigies, however, are thus adorned. There are some clay figures from various locali- 
ties near the pueblo of Nicoya which have necklaces and on the breast a pendant. 
The use of large round ear-ornaments is also illustrated by figures of clay. 
Of all the objects found in the burial-ground of Las Guacas none are more 
numerous than the amulets. Several thousand specimens have been unearthed. 
The commonest are those which have the shape of a celt or a grooved axe, which 
has been divided lengthwise, the convex side serving as the front. 
As a rule the specimens of various forms of amulets show at most only insignifi- 
cant signs of wear, proving that they were strung and fastened in such a way that 
hardly any wear could take place. The absence of signs of wear is also explained 
by the facts that the amulets were mostly made of very hard stones and were not 
used for more than one generation, being apparently always interred with the 
owner at his death. 
The following classification has been adopted for the supposed amulets and 
other small objects of stone which were worn on the body or dress : 
1. CELT-SHAPED AMULETS. 
A. Worn in vertical position. 
(a) Designs anthropomorphice. 
(b) Designs ornithomorphie. 
(c) Plain. 
B. Worn in horizontal position. 
(a) Designs of alligators or fishes. 
(b) Plain. 
2. FIGURINES SCULPTURED IN THE ROUND. 
(a) Human figurines and heads. 
(>) Mammalian figurines and heads. 
(c) Bird-shaped figurines and heads. 
(d) Various animals of the lower orders. 
3. TUBES. 
4. BEADS. 
5. VARIOUS SMALL OBJECTS WITHOUT ANY BIOMORPHIC FEATURES. 
A number of amulets and other small stone ornaments, etc., from Las Guacas 
are figured on Pls. XX XII-XLV, and short descriptions of them are given in the 
following pages. 
