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.
Mound No. 18
Mound No. 18, situated less than half a mile from the next preceding, was 10 feet high, 70 feet in circumference, roughly conical in shape, and firmly built throughout of blocks of limestone the interstices between which were filled with earth and limestone dust. At the bottom of the mound, near its center, resting on the ground, was a cist, about 2 feet in diameter, roughly constructed of large flags of limestone. Within this were found two vessels: (a) A basin-shaped specimen of thin pottery, painted reddish-yellow and polished throughout; on its inner surface is depicted, in fine black lines, an object closely resembling a four-leafed shamrock. (b) A vase of the shape shown in figure [63], 13 cm. high and 13 cm. in diameter. This is made of rather thick pottery; it is painted light yellow and polished throughout. On the outer surface of the rim, outlined in thin black lines, is the glyph represented in figure [64], which is repeated all the way round the circumference. No additional objects were found in this cyst, nor were there any traces of bones in it, or in the rest of the mound, which was afterward examined.
Mound No. 19
Fig. 63.—Pottery vase found in Mound No. 18.
Mound No. 19, situated close to the preceding, was 6 feet in height, with flattened top, built solidly throughout of limestone blocks and a friable mortarlike substance. At the ground level, near the center of the mound, were discovered two cists, placed side by side, separated by a partition wall built of blocks of cut stone. Each cist was 6 feet long, 3 feet broad, nearly 4 feet deep, solidly constructed of stones mortared together. Neither the cists nor the body of the mound contained anything of interest except a few fragments of bone in the last stages of disintegration.