Chapter I: Pl. 12

Male, kneeling figure, supporting the head of a great vulture or «Rey de Zopilotes». It belonged to the same category as H, but has probably stood isolated, as the back was as neatly cut as the front. The head of the vulture was colossal in proportion to the human figure supporting it, and very carefully sculptured. The beak was very true to nature, the eye formed a semi-circular cavity, the anterior corner of the eye was well indicated. Backwards projected a massive round process, a sort of crest on the back of the head. On the top of the head was a tenon-shaped projection, which, however, could hardly have served the purpose of a tenon, as it was unusually thin in comparison with the tenons found on the statues around the mound 1. It may possibly have been designed to represent the comb of the beak of the vulture, though in such a case it was placed too far backwards. The anterior part of the head and the cheeks were carved with softness and elegance. Behind the head of the human figure the head of the vulture was united to its support by a snailshaped spiral (volute) with wide aperture. Although the kneeling male figure was not perhaps so well worked as the image H, yet it was well balanced, and of an easy posture. The forehead was straight, the nose slightly curved, the mouth closed, the lower lip thin, prominent; the cheeks were rather thin, the ears disproportionately large, and placed too far backwards. The neck was long, the Adam’s apple was indicated on the throat. The chest was rather little developed, the shoulders and upper arms vigorous, the hands pressed against the sides of the legs. The male organ was placed high up on the abdomen. The legs below the knees were of equal thickness throughout, without any trace of muscles, smoothly rounded backwards, without feet. The pedestal being broken, the statue was thrown down in the middle of the «plaza», the open place or square between the mounds 1, 2, 3 and 4. The length of the vulture’s head from the anterior edge of the beak to the posterior edge of the process at the back of the head was 100 cm., the height of the head from the top to the inferior edge of the lower jaw 37 cm. The whole length of the statue from the upper edge of the tenon-shaped projection to the upper edge of the pedestal was 154 cm. The upper part of the pedestal formed a square plinth, on which the human figure was kneeling.

K

Pl. 13.

Male, sitting figure, with its head strongly bent forward, supporting on its shoulders and the back of its head the large head of an animal, which was possibly meant to represent the head of a tortoise or a lizard. This head was rather little elaborated, evenly rounded above, having in front a round, beak-shaped mouth. A circular cavity before and over the posterior corner of the mouth represented the eye. At the back this head carried two high, rectangular, double plates, which may possibly be regarded as representing the beginning of the back armour of the tortoise, or perhaps the scales of a lizard or a serpent. The human figure was very well elaborated; next to the figure A it was certainly, from an artistic point of view, the most carefully finished one of all the statues at Punta del Sapote. The head was bent strongly forwards, as if depressed by the gigantic load; the forehead was high, the nose straight, the eyes were well cut out, the cheeks rounded, the ears small. The neck was stretched forth, very thick and muscular. The shoulders were not so powerful as should have been expected from the thickness of the neck, but they were neatly molded. The trunk and the back were very nobly and elegantly sculptured, and formed the best portion of the statue. The upper arms were rigorous and well proportioned, the lower arms perhaps a little too short. The hands were closed, resting on the knees. The legs were thick, and not so well worked as the upper portion of the statue, the feet clumsy, without distinct toes. The figure was seated on a high socle, with a low foot-stool under its feet. As was demonstrated by the unusually careful workmanship expended on the back portions, the statue has quite certainly stood isolated. The height of the statue from the summit of the head of the animal to the upper edge of the pedestal was 137 cm. The length of the face of the human figure was 20 cm. The length of the head of the animal was 82 cm., its greatest height 36 cm. This statue was pretty deeply imbedded in the earth, and was found nearly in the middle of the open place between the stone-mounds 2, 3, and 4.

K 1

Not figured.

Male, standing figure. This statue did not belong to the same category with H, I and K, but had probably served as support in the wall of a building, because the turban-shaped head-dress was surmounted by a tenon, and the back was not elaborated. It had suffered so much from the violence of human hands, and from the effects of the climate, that its outlines could hardly be distinguished. From the upper edge of the tenon to the thighs it measured 123 cm. The length of the face was 24 cm. It was found immediately north of the mound 6.