64 MEMOIRS OF THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM 
1. Celt-shaped Amulets. 
Amulets of this form are by far the most numerous at LasGuacas. A large por- 
tion of them retain the shape of a divided, typical celt of this locality, the an- 
terior side of these amulets being more or less convex, the posterior flat. Many 
specimens of this group are provided with a groove at each edge near the upper end 
and thus take the shape of an ax. Many others are narrow, rectangular, and 
often very slender. Of these numerous specimens have even the anterior side flat, 
or nearly so. 
Most of the amulets are plain, but a very large number have the front adorned 
with anthropomorphic or zodmorphie designs, often reduced to simple geometrical 
patterns. Asa rule this ornamentation is limited to the upper half of the front of 
the amulet, which generally shows only the head and upper portion of the body of 
a man or bird, while the lower half of the amulet, representing the portion below 
the abdomen, is plain and usually cut quite thin, forming the “blade” of the tool. 
While much effort was expended on sculpturing and polishing these small objects, 
it is worthy of notice that in many cases very little attention was paid to finishing 
the back. The central ridge along the back, which was left when the specimen was 
produced by sawing into the stone from opposite sides and then breaking away the 
ornamented part from the block, although conspicuously rough, is in many cases 
retained. In other specimens this ridge was ground down and entirely removed. 
The process of making the celt-shaped amulets is plainly illustrated by two 
pieces of jade found in the burial-ground. Pl. XXXII, Figs. 1, 2, shows an oblong 
core or block of green stone found by me at Las Guacas, from which amulets 
had been cut. Along the longer side of this interesting specimen the ridge left after 
an amulet had been split is seen and on the top an elliptical base of another amulet 
which had been removed is distinguishable. Pl. XXXII, Figs. 5, 4, shows a large 
water-worn jade pebble from the Velasco collection. On the side which had been 
cut flat a ridge running along the middle is left, while on the rounded opposite side 
a straight groove or saw-cut has been made. 
The amulets have holes drilled into them for the cords by which they were sus- 
pended. In many specimens, which have been drilled from the face, only a single 
hole near the upper end is found, in other cases there are two such holes. In most 
cases only a single hole has been drilled through from the side parallel to the flat- 
tened surfaces of the amulet. 
Some of the celt-shaped amulets, plain as well as sculptured, were cut in two 
lengthwise. A few such twice divided specimens are illustrated on Pl. XXXIV, 
Figs. 10, 11, 12, 17; Pl XXXVI igs OF Oe ands x Oxey Ihsan 
