THE MIDDLE CIVILIZATIONS 179 



has been going on since the arrival of the Spaniards, but 



the finds have mostly been thrown into the melting pot. 

 The burial places are sometimes marked by low plat- 

 forms built over a group of graves. An iron rod, giving 

 forth a hollow sound when the stone cysts are struck, is 

 used by the searchers. Human bones are found in these 

 graves, but seldom in a state of good preservation. 



Mr. Minor C. Keith's collection of gold work from 

 Costa Rica and Panama is unexcelled and illustrates 

 the range of technical processes as well as of ornamental 

 forms. Human forms are represented with peculiar 

 headdresses and with various objects carried in the 

 hands and often they are joined in pairs. Many of the 

 most beautiful amulets are frogs arranged either singly 

 or in groups of two or three. These figures are all pro- 

 vided with a ring on the under side for suspension. 

 Lizards, turtles, and crocodiles are frequently modeled 

 as well as clam shells, crabs, and monkeys. But per- 

 haps the most frequent amulets are those that picture 

 birds with outspread wings among which may be 

 recognized vultures, harpy eagles, gulls, man-of-war 

 birds, and parrots. The larger and more elaborate 

 pieces of gold work cast considerable light on the ancient 

 religion of the natives since beast gods are figured in 

 half human form. Bells of copper and gold were much 

 used in gala dress and were doubtless an object of trade 

 with the tribes farther north. 



In this consideration of the lesser civilizations that 

 are mostly to be attributed to the stimulus furnished by 

 the Mayas we have been carried forward in time until 

 arrived at a point where tradition and ethnology begin 

 to relieve the burden of proof that has hitherto been 

 placed on archaeology. We will now devote most of 

 our attention to belief and ceremony as given first hand 

 rather than to assumptions from art. 



