Mound No. 17

Fig. 58.—Obsidian disk inserted in tooth of skeleton found in Mound No. 17.

Mound No. 17 was situated within a mile of the mound last described, on high ground, about 1¹/₂ miles from the Rio Hondo, from which it is separated by a belt of swamp. It was conical in shape, about 40 feet high, nearly 90 yards in circumference, and was built throughout of large blocks of limestone, the interstices being filled with a friable mortar, made seemingly from limestone dust, earth, and sand mixed together. Near the summit was an irregular opening, about 4 feet across, which led into a small stone-faced chamber, 15 feet long, 5 feet broad, and 6 feet high. The opening had been made by the falling in of one of the flags which formed the roof of the chamber; this was found within the chamber with a pile of débris. The floor was composed of large flat flags, on removing one of which an aperture was made which led into a second chamber, of exactly the same size as the first, and immediately beneath it. The floor of this was covered to a depth of about 12 inches with a layer of soft brown river sand, in which were found: (a) Parts of a human skeleton, seemingly belonging to an adult male, the bones of which were very friable and greatly eroded. In one of the incisor teeth was inserted a small disk of obsidian, the outer surface of which was highly polished (fig. [58]). These ornamental tooth fillings are rather rare, though they have been found from time to time in Yucatan and as far south as Quirigua. They were usually made from greenstone, obsidian, or iron pyrites, all highly polished, the only teeth ornamented being the incisors and canines, usually in the upper jaw. The plugging seems to have been exclusively for ornamental purposes, not with any idea of filling a cavity, the result of caries in the tooth.[44]

Fig. 59.—Bird carrying a fish outlined on shallow plaque found in Mound No. 17.

(b) A shallow plaque, 28 cm. in diameter, painted throughout a dark reddish-yellow, and finely polished. Upon the upper surface was outlined in fine black lines a bird, apparently a sea hawk, carrying in its claw a good-sized fish, possibly a stone bass (fig. [59]). The artist probably witnessed this event many times, as the mouth of the Rio Hondo, where stone bass abound, is a favorite fishing ground for sea hawks and frigate birds.

Fig. 60.—Cylindrical pottery vase found in Mound No. 17.

Beneath this second chamber a third was discovered, roofed in with rough flags, of the same dimensions as the other two. The floor of this chamber was cemented over; nothing except limestone blocks and mortar was found between it and the bottom of the mound. Upon the floor lay a solitary plaque, of a deep reddish-yellow color, the upper surface divided by black lines into four equal spaces, in each of which was crudely outlined in black a fish, probably meant to represent a stone bass. On digging into the summit of the mound outside the area occupied by the chambers, the following objects were brought to light: (a) A cylindrical vase of light, thin, well-made pottery, 16¹/₂ cm. high by 13 cm. in diameter, painted light yellow throughout and finely polished (fig. [60]). Upon one side of the vase, within an oblong space outlined in black, are a number of curious mythological animals, above which is a row of six glyphs, seemingly explanatory of the picture beneath (pl. [19], a). Both animals and glyphs are very carefully executed in red, black, and brown, on a yellow background. The lowest figure on the right somewhat resembles that on a vase in the American Museum of Natural History,[45] upon which the Long-nosed god is associated with bulblike objects, flowers, and a bird (probably a pelican). On this vase the Long-nosed god is seen with a bulblike object, possibly a root, from which project interlacing stalks, at the ends of which are water-lily buds.

BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 64 PLATE 19.

b. DECORATION OF VESSEL FROM MOUND NO. 17

Fig. 61.—Larger pottery vase found in Mound No. 17.

Above these is a bird, possibly a sea hawk. The whole connotes water, or fertility. (b) A second vase, similar in shape, but somewhat larger (fig. [61]), is painted yellow and polished throughout. Upon this is depicted a cruciform object, with outgrowths from the upper and lateral limbs of the cross, probably a highly conventionalized tree. (c) A shallow circular plaque, 36 cm. in diameter, painted light yellow, and polished throughout. Upon its upper surface is painted, in red and black, a coiled plumed serpent (fig. [62]), doubtless intended to represent Cuculcan, the "Feathered Serpent." (d) Two circular objects of polished greenstone, somewhat resembling broad-brimmed hats from which the crowns have been removed (see fig. [57], b). Each has on the upper surface of the brim a small ovate piece of mother-of-pearl, firmly cemented to the stone. These objects were probably used as ear plugs; with them were five small perforated spherical beads of polished greenstone.

Fig. 62.—Coiled plumed serpent painted on plaque found in Mound No. 17.

At the base of the northern aspect of this mound was a small square enclosure, surrounded by a stone wall 2 to 3 feet in height. On digging into this, near its center, an alligator made of rough pottery, 15 inches long, was discovered. In the center of its back is a small circular opening, covered by a conical stopper, leading into the hollow interior, in which was found a small perforated polished jadeite bead, in the form of a grotesque human face. Close to the alligator lay a basin-shaped vessel, 28 cm. in diameter, painted yellow, and polished throughout. In the center of this, outlined in thin black lines, is the object seen in plate [19], b, probably meant to represent the two-headed dragon so common in Maya art.