Mound No. 24
Fig. 67.—Another view of incense burner shown in plate [20].
Mound No. 24 was situated near the coast, at the northern extremity of Chetumal Bay, in Yucatan. This mound was 10 feet high by about 10 yards in diameter. Upon the summit, which was flattened, were found a great number of rough potsherds, partially buried in a layer of humus from 6 to 12 inches deep. These were evidently fragments of incense burners, as arms, legs, and parts of headdresses, faces, maxtlis, and breastplates were plentiful among them. Near the center of the summit, partially projecting from the earth, was discovered the almost complete incense burner shown in plate [20] and figure [67]. The vessel which served as a receptacle for the incense is 151/2 inches high by 9 inches in diameter at the mouth. The human figure which decorates the side of the vessel is 22 inches in height from the top of the headdress to the sole of the sandals. The figurine was not complete when first discovered, as the hands, arms, foot, maxtli, and feather ornaments from the sides and headdress were missing; nearly all of these, however, were unearthed, mixed with other pieces of pottery, not far from the incense burner. The headdress consists of a flat, broad cap with slightly projecting rim and large quadrangular flaps, which extend downward and outward over the large ear plugs. The back of the cap extends upward 3 inches; the crown is decorated with feather ornaments, while on each side appears an object resembling half an ear of maize, from the top of which depends a tassel. The nose is sharp, thin, and prominent; starting on each side of it and passing down almost to the angles of the jaw, where it ends in a little upward curl, is what might be intended as either a mustache or some form of nose ornament. From each angle of the mouth projects a circular labret; this evidently passes behind the upper lip, which it causes to bulge considerably. The ear plugs are large, round, and funnel-shaped (pl. [20]); these, as well as the shoulders, show traces of blue paint, with which the entire figure was evidently at one time covered. Around the neck is a flat collar decorated with five circular studs, to the sides and front of which is attached a hollow cylindrical bar, which supports the quilted cotton breastplate. The latter is decorated with six tassels, three above and three below, and below it is seen the plain apron (maxtli), which descends almost to the sandals. The shoulders are covered with caps or epaulets reaching just below the armpits; on the forearms are bracelets, fastened with loops on the inner side, and on the feet sandals, held in place by vertical heelpieces and thongs, and decorated with large flaps, which almost cover the dorsum of each foot. Attached to the incense burner, and forming a background for the figure, are projecting feather ornaments extending from the headdress to the elbow.
The mound was dug away to the ground level. It was found to be built of blocks of limestone and earth, but nothing of moment was found in it with the exception of numerous potsherds of all kinds.