Mound No. 22
Mound No. 22, situated at Saltillo, near the mouth of the Rio Nuevo, northern district of British Honduras, was partially explored in 1908-9 on behalf of the Institute of Archæology of Liverpool University. The mound was about 30 feet high; it was built of limestone blocks, limestone dust, and rubble. It stands at one corner of a quadrangular space measuring 80 by 35 yards, and elevated from 4 to 5 feet above the surrounding ground level. This space is encompassed by four mounds, joined by a bank or rampart averaging 10 feet high. Around the base of the mound a great number of fragments of pottery incense burners were found, with the images of the gods, which decorated them externally. Eight complete heads and two broken ones were recovered, together with arms, legs, bodies with quilted cotton breastplates and maxtlis, elaborate headdresses, and various objects held in the hands of the figures. These vessels are almost exactly similar to those found along the valley of the Usumasintla and Rio de la Pasion, described by Seler in his "Antiquities of Guatemala." Rude specimens, with the face of the god only decorating the outside of the vessel, were found by Sapper and Charnay in use among the Lacandon Indians a few years ago. The dress and ornaments of these clay figurines, which vary from 1 to 2 feet in height, are those found almost universally throughout the Maya area. The large circular ear ornaments, with a tassel or twisted pendant hanging from the center, the curious projecting curved ornament above the nose, the small button-like labrets at each corner of the mouth, are present in all, and are highly characteristic. On all the feet elaborate sandals are worn, fastened by thongs attached between the first and second and third and fourth toes, with a band passing around the ankle ending in a broad dependent flap. Around the legs are plain bands and strings of beads; around the wrists, strings of beads, in some cases fastened by an ornamental loop. The breastplates are of quilted cotton, some very elaborate, and decorated with beads, studs, and tassels, while below the breastplate covering the genitals is the maxtli, or small apron, commonly worn by both Maya and Aztec. The objects held in the hands consist of birds, fans, globes, incense burners, and other less easily distinguishable articles. The whole of the space within the earthwork appears to have been sprinkled with these fragments of pottery vases and idols, but it was only around the base of the large mound that entire heads were found. The fragments seem to have been originally placed on the earth, and in course of time to have been covered by a thin layer of humus from decaying vegetation, as many of them still lie on the surface, and nowhere are they buried more than a few inches, except at the base of the mound, where earth from its side, washed down by rains, would naturally have covered them with a slightly deeper layer. On making excavations at various points within the enclosed space, the floor was found to consist first of the earth which contained the broken incense burners, with some blocks of limestone, and beneath this of a layer about 4 feet thick composed of marl dust, very small fragments of pottery, and rubble, welded together into an almost cement-like mass.