[28] Gann, Mounds in Northern Honduras.
[29] These large round ear plugs seem to have been universally worn; they are found in the paintings, on figurines, and on the incensarios. The plug may be funnel shaped or flat, plain, or decorated with a stud, rosette, or tassel. Describing the ear ornaments worn by the Itzas, Villagutierre says: "Si bien muchos de ollos rayadas las caras, y abujereadas las orejas.... Y que algunos Indios traían puestas, en las orejas que traíā, ynas Rosas de Plata, y otros las traían de Oro; y otros de Oro, y Plata."—Villagutierre, op. cit., pp. 402-403.
Landa, speaking of the Maya women, says: "Horadavanse las orejas, para ponerse zarzilloa al modo de sus maridos."—Landa, op. cit., p. 182.
[30] Figurines of animals with human heads projecting from their widely opened jaws are common in this area. The turtle, alligator, tiger, shark, and snake are usually the animals selected. Thomas says of this figure: "If we may judge from its use there is no doubt that the Mexican cipactli figure is a symbol of the earth or underworld. The usual form of the day symbol in the Mexican codices is shown in plate LXIV, 16, and more elaborately in plate LXIV, 17." [These correspond almost exactly with some of the figurines found.] "As proof that it indicates the earth, or underworld, there is shown on plate 73 of the Borglan Codex an individual, whose heart has been torn from his breast, plunging downward through the open jaws of the monster into the shade of the earth below.... It is therefore more than likely that the animal indicated by the Mexican name of the day is mythical, represented according to locality by some known animal which seems to indicate best the mythical conception. Some figures evidently refer to the alligator, and others apparently to the iguana; that on plates 4 and 5 of the Dresden Codex is purely mythical."—Thomas, Day Symbols of the Maya Year, p. 212.
Spinden explains these part human, part animal, monsters differently. He regards the human face as symbolical of the human mind contained within the animal body of the god.—A Study of Maya Art, pp. 35 and 62.
[31] Figured in pl. XXXVIII of the Nineteenth Rep. Bur. Amer. Ethn., as the Great Central Lookout Mound.
[32] Landa, in mentioning the beardlessness of the Yucatecans at the time of the conquest, says it was reported as being brought about by applying hot cloths to the chins of the children. This seems improbable. "No criavan barbas, y dezian que les quemavan los rostros sus madres con paños calientes, siendo niños, por que no les naciessen, y que agora crian barbas aunque muy asperas como cerdas de tocines."—Landa, op. cit., p. 114.
The pure-blood Indians of the present day have but a very scanty growth of hair on the face and pubes, and in some cases even the few straggling hairs which they possess are pulled out.
[33] "Tenian por costumbre averrarse los dientes dexandolos como diente de sierra y esto tenían por galanteria, y hazian este officio viejas, limandolos con ciertas piedras y agua."—Landa, op. cit., p. 182. Similarly filed teeth have been discovered at Copan and in caves at Loltun. See Joyce, Mexican Archæology, p. 294.
[34] Tozzer, in commenting on these chultuns at Nakum, says: "There is evidently no close connection, as in Yucatan, between the water supply and these underground rooms. In fact they are frequently found near sites where there is an abundant supply of water throughout the year. In almost no case do we find any drainage into them. They are usually found on ground slightly higher than that of the surrounding country. In this respect they differ from those in Yucatan. Another point against their use as storage for water is shown in the fact that in several the rock from which they are excavated is porous, and the walls do not seem in all cases to have been covered with an impervious layer of plaster. That they were used in some cases for the storage of maize and other foods is possible, as they are generally dry and would be suitable for such a purpose. That some were used for burial places is very probable."—Tozzer, A Preliminary Study of the Prehistoric Ruins of Nakum, Guatemala, p. 191.