rhea
sh egeit tee
‘ }
Bevan ey :
4) i: i i
RH aT
i
Hs ine i
a Sxae
se :
So - rs Bs <
MA EL bhe bat eae . We .
bd at De eet ets
—
ry
=
re zi
pers
Rags
7
rere eens
eee
Sees ;
=: =e
ee ie
Pa |
i
=
Sayre
SaaS
ie
He lpnaty
Hii
tise
Ci hits
sate 9!
yan
Th iti pekg a
it iw
alichalaniely
- -
ene Ee INSTITUTION
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
a BULLETIN 158 | =
LA VENTA, TABASCO
A STUDY OF OLMEC CERAMICS
: AND ART
By PHILIP DRUCKER
: With a Chapter on
Structural Investigations in 1943
By Waldo R. Wedel.
and Appendix on Technological Analyses
“By Anna O; Shepard
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
BULLETIN 153
LA VENTA, TABASCO
A STUDY OF OLMEC CERAMICS
AND ART
By PHILIP DRUCKER
With a Chapter on
Structural Investigations in 1943
By Waldo R. Wedel
and Appendix on Technological Analyses
By Anna O. Shepard
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON 1952
ea a eh ee A Nl ee
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office
Washington 25, D. C. - Price $1.25
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION,
Bureau or AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY,
Washington, D.C., May 1, 1951.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript entitled
“La Venta, Tabasco: A Study of Olmec Ceramics and Art,” by Philip
Drucker, with a chapter on “Structural Investigations in 19438,” by
Waldo R. Wedel, and an Appendix on “Technological Analysis,” by
Anna O. Shepard, and to recommend that it be published as a bulletin
of the Bureau of American Ethnology.
Very respectfully yours,
M. W. Sriruine, Director.
Dr. ALEXANDER WETMORE,
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution.
II
CONTENTS
PAGE
ENE TOC HILO renee eee tee eet ee eee eee ee a eee 1
Partie xcavations Aang arvitactseee ees as aie o ee eee ae eee 4
TH OeSItCTO LMA VIGIL EN meee mee Mts aE eee saan Seer eee 4
Them O4iexGavatiOnse eee ee ee ee ee eee eae en eam aes 10
Mentitrenchese see ee. ee Se eR a ee Oe ae sats eet 10
Stratigraphicitrenches=2: 22-2 2) 22) eee 20
SELUCLUTAloiMmVeSstipAtiONsess--9 5 ane een aa eee aes 22
Structural investigations in 1943, by Waldo R. Wedel_-__---------- 34
Excavations in Area A-1 (Ceremonial Court) ----------------- 36
NiGUndWexCa VaAtlONSplnie Ame sel eee eee ee ee eee rae 61
MoundkexcavationsuneArca A—o lee: 2a ss) eee eee eee ae 65
Excavations in the east embankment, Area A-4_____-_--------- 76
Summary of structural investigations_ ----------------------- a
Wherceramicsioltoluan Ventas ss. 2 en cae ee ee ee eee et eee ae 80
err GrOG Ct iO mes eee ee ee ee ee ee ee Ss a eee 80
NTE ET Lae te ea pes es at Mio Sa Nps A age i ge ed nahn NE 81
Coarsesbuliswalrehos coe oon ee nee ee onan oes ee eee 81
Coarsesblackawanreme eee = Soe tee eee ee eee ae eee eS 90
White-rimmed (or mottled Coarse Black ware) ------------ 92
@OaTSeL BLO WMEWARO see oe ee eee eee ea 92
@oarsesWihitewware= 35 sc 2et Bae eens eae ee eee ae 96
GoarsesRedswares eset. oon eee et eee Se ee eee eee 96
IBrownylacduen WALCt esse en ee ee 97
ITC MEAS tS VVENT CS te ee ke ee eee eer ere arora 98
Wanvientaskineseasteswanesa ee ee eae eee 101
Painted: WATS ope ee ee a ee ee ease ere 104
NesSea leh TINS eee eee ee ee Ne atid a een ee Ore Ee 107
DISHES ATIC LO WAS eee ee eee ee ee i es are 109
Nip rcteh ere rn men eee ewe ime A ofr et re a eee 115
IMiscellancousMorms ss == ee ee eee 119
Distributions of vessel forms by wares_-.-.------------------- 125
Rottery-making techniques: 222. 52-22 a ea ea 126
Vertical distributions of ceramic types------------------------ 126
Rotteny ie UnINGS eee eee eee 2 ee 132
CHaroyn ety gees he SO ee ee eee 132
ay Ventactigurine collections. 225-92 >s24>".2=—--—-==5—)- = 139
Miscellaneous objects of pottery... -- = -]_------= ----_-=---=_- 141
Witilitariany wOrkeinistones oa. 2c aoe ee eee ee eas 144
Ornamentaleworkedestone sae ss eee eee eee ae 146
CRON OOM yee eee See eee er ee ae 147
IV BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
PAGE
Part lly Che sculptors arttes—< 2-5 sen ese see eee eee eee eee 152
The:small carviNgs=-< 2225-22225 so-so ee Ss eee eee ee eee eee 153
Figurines representing human beings--_-_-_-_----------------- 153
JOR RS ON se eee ee Ap soe on eeSe SomSo aaa Soar ereseaonsee 160
Pendants forsearplugs: (?).< = 222520255 eae oe eee 162
Pendants (Other): 25-52 esse te oe ee ee ea ee 162
Hematite pendants. . 2-72-22 eee eee eo eee 163
@ryatal pendant=.. 52-3222 an So ae oe eee eee 164
Smalliflares 222022 220s Sees. -ce see ee ae eee ae eee 164
@elt§=22 5 es Sab Se Sat Soe sect ee eee See eee 164
Beads. 25... S- 2255.22 c5ens Seo te ee ee 166
Objects of unknown, Use... = 4. 532-2 eee 168
Manufacturing techniques..2_.-22_-- 222522 ee 172
Rheistone:monuments: 222222523 sees e soc sas eee eee eee 173
Stylistic characters of the sculptures=— =- 2s) a= eae ee 185
Representations of the human form_____-_--_---------------- 185
Jaguar-monsters.and jaguarsice oe eee ee 192
iBird=monsterstandsbirgs ae ors = eee ee a ee eer 194
Other faunali:themes~ = 2. 2224-22 ea en ee oe ee eee 195
Miscellaneous features: 32 u ==. 2 2 eae eee 196
Bloralomotifs =: 232 hse = See eee oe ee 196
Decorative elements... 3-2 22622255--0-— jee ee a 197
SUMMA AOL Sty ISticple atures eye ee eee ee ee 200
Areal relationshipsof the-art 'styles_--=2—-- === - = 5- > 204
Southern Veracruz and adjacent regions__________--___-_-___-_ 204
Centralé Veracruz. 22. oe SSS! See os See ee eee 215
whe-Maya area: Che Peténsise= 225-2 32 22S aie ee eee ee 217
The Maya area: The Guatemala Highland_______-____________ 221
Pacific coast of Chiapas, Guatemala, and El Salvador__________ 222
The: Maya area: Yucatan-- 222-22. 22822222. ee 224
Oaxaca 2.22 o.oo st OM LS as Oe eee ee 225
hei Central Mexican Highland 2:22.05) 2s eee 227
Conclusions as'to,areal relationships: ...--- 25-2. = S. e= 230
PURINA Yo es i een ht a Sc 231
Appendix: Technological analyses, by Anna O. Shepard_______________- 234
Upper Tres Zapotes Fine Paste sherds __.- 3-22-22 2225 ee ee 234
Middile-Tres Zapotes Hine Paste’sherds_ == 355 a eee ee 238
a Venta. Fine Paste sherds: 22.2 96s es ee ee ee 239
ibipiopraphy es. 22 asec eto he es ee ee ee 241
10.
ala
12.
13.
ILLUSTRATIONS
PLATES
(All plates following page 248)
. Tomb in Mound A-2. Left, Tomb cleared, prior to opening. Right, Interior
of tomb, showing flagstone flooring after removal of burials (1942 exca-
vations).
. Left, Monument 6, the coffer of sandstone, after clearing and removal of
most of the cover. Right, Close-up of layers of varicolored clays in wall
of cut through entryway, south end of Ceremonial Court, A-1 (1942
excavations).
. Adobes cut by pit in West Bastion of Ceremonial Court (1942 excavations).
. a, Portion of trench through Ceremonial Court, A—1, looking north; Monu-
ment 13 partially uncovered at center, Tomb A’ in background. 0b, Covered
pottery vessel deep in clay formation, overlaid by sandy drift, in Cere-
monial Court, A-1.
. a, Covered pottery vessels in upper sand of Ceremonial Court, A-1l. 5},
Celts in lower clay of main trench, Ceremonial Court, A-1. c, Monkey
statue (Monument 12) and slabs, in situ, in upper sand of Ceremonial
Court, A-1.
a, View north along columns on west side of Ceremonial Court, A-l. 8,
Columns exposed in situ in West Trench of Ceremonial Court, A-1.
a, Hast Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1, partially excavated, from
southeast; note row of inset blocks on east face. 6b, Exterior of north
wall of East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1, showing upright col-
umns, horizontal bracer, and stone facing band. ec, Interior of brickwork
in East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A—1.
, Brickwork and underlying clay rubble in East Platform of Ceremonial
Court, A-1. 6, Cruciform cache of celts and hematite mirror beneath
brickwork in East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1; top of cross
removed in earlier excavation.
8
. Interior of East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1, showing Pavement No.
1, clay rubble, brickwork, and overlying clay and sand.
Pavement No. 1 beneath East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1; four
appendages at bottom incompletely excavated (see also pl. 11). Top
of photo is north.
Detail of appendage at southeast corner of Pavement No. 1, beneath East
Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1; looking south.
a, Steps of columnar basalt leading to south edge of Forecourt of Ceremonial
Court, A-1, locking north. 0, View north along main trench through
Mound A-3 (foreground), across Ceremonial Court, A-1, to Mound A-2
(background).
a, Grave deposit or cache (Tomb E) in North Mound, A-2, showing location
relative to Tomb A and stone coffer excavated in 1942. b, Grave deposit
or cache (Tomb E) in Mound A-2, showing jade celts, earplugs, beads,
and other objects in situ.
Vv
Wal
14.
15.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY (Bull. 153
a, Stone cist (Tomb C) in South Mound, A-3, cleared but unopened. 6,
Stone cist (Tomb C) in South Mound, A-8, on completion of its
excavation.
a, Stone cylinder (Monument 14), showing stone plug in lower end; Mound
A-3. b, Jade burial offerings or cache from Tomb D on south slope of
Mound A-3, in situ; clay vessel at upper right. c. Cache of serpentine
celts south of Pavement No. 2, between Great Mound and Mound A-3.
. Pavement No. 2, near south edge of Mound A-3; top of photo is north.
. Left, Fragments of small rectangular vessels. Right, Rocker stamped sherds.
. Sherds of effigy vessels of Coarse Buff ware.
. Complete vessels from 1943 excavations (restored by preparators of Museo
Nacional de México).
. Incised, stamped, and punctate designs in various wares.
. Miscellaneous ceramic features.
. Ceramic techniques.
. Tres Zapotes figurine heads.
. Steps in construction of Style I figurine face, modeled in plasticene.
. Tres Zapotes figurine heads.
. La Venta figurines, general digging. (All figurines in following plates are
from La Venta.)
. Figurines, general digging.
. Figurines, general digging.
. Figurines, profiles of plate 28 specimens.
. Figurines, general digging.
. Figurines general digging. Left, Front view. Right, Side and back views.
ae
. Limb and body fragments of figurines.
. Figurines, stratitrench 1, Levels 1 and 2.
. Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 3.
. Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 3.
. Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 4.
. Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 4.
. Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 5
Figurines, general digging. Left, Front view. Right, Side and back views.
. Figurines, Stratitrench 3, Level ie
4A’ Figurines, Stratitrench 3, Level 2.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
Figurines, Stratitrench 3, Levels 3, 4, and 5.
Left, Aberrant figurines and miscellaneous objects of clay from general
digging. Right, Various forms of reworked sherds.
Aberrant figurines, strongly modeled (Style III).
Objects of stone and other materials.
Sample series of notched sherds (and disk, lower right-hand corner, from
Stratitrench 38.
Jade Figurines 1 and 2, from tomb in Mound A~2, front and side views.
Dorsal views of Jade Figurines 1 and 2, and front views of Figurines 3 and 4,
also from tomb in Mound A-2 (1 and 2 not same scale as plate 46).
Dorsal and profile views of Figurines 3 and 4.
Figurine 5, of serpentine, from stone coffer (Monument 6). Left, Front view.
Right, Profile view.
. Figurines 8, 9, and 10, from 1943 collections.
. Figurine 11. JZeft, facial detail. Right, Profile view.
. Offerings from Sandstone Cist, Mound A-3.
. Left, Clamshell-shaped jade pendant, from tomb in Mound A-2, concave
“interior” surface and “hinge” edge. Right, Jade objects of unknown use.
. Jade objects of unknown use.
ILLUSTRATIONS VII
55. Series of jade celts from offering, Tomb E (1943 season).
56. Left, Jade celt carved with Jaguar-monster design from offering, ‘“‘Tomb” E.
Right, Jade, and obsidian objects from Sandstone Cist, Mound A-3 and
Monument 6.
57. Jade bobs or pendants associated with earplugs.
57A. Various types of tubular jade beads (a—q), and heart-shaped object of
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
jade (r).
Part of series of jade spangles, found with limestone (?) figurine, decorated
earplugs, ete.
Left, Monument 8, Villahermosa, Tabasco. Right, Celt of dark stone, from
vicinity of Simojovel, Chiapas.
Left, Monument 9, facial detail. Right, Monument 10.
Monument 11. Finca San Vicente.
Monument 12. Carving representing a monkey.
Monument 13. Low relief carving and possible glyphs.
Monument 15. Fragments, presumably from same monument, with portions
of Jaguar-monster mask(s).
Altar 7, found in 1948.
Wash drawing of fragment of stone mask representing the Jaguar-monster,
from base of Middle Tres Zapotes deposit (Trench 13, Tres Zapotes).
(Drawing by Edwin G. Cassedy.)
FIGURES
PAGE
1. Sketch to show approximate relationships of structures, sherd areas
(S-1 to S—8), and monuments at La Venta.__._________________ 7
2. sketch map, locality of test pits I-Gss.4 +2 -) > cease teveee- Jessen 11
S) ketch map, locality of test pitsi7—10= 1. 5. sind ta 8 yee OR ge 13
4. Sketchimap, locality of test pits 11-21.-__ 1.2. 2222 .4-2-22L 222-22 2k 14
5: Sketch map, locality of test pits 22-27 20.0 24220-2222 bs cok 15
6) Sketch'map locality of ‘test; pits: 28-sl ae sss be bee shee Sele 16
7. Sketch map, locality of test pits 32-83__2__._.........-.-_-----___- 17
8. Sketch map, locality, of test pits: 84-39241. 245 ue tecob-2 beads Y_ek 18
OF Elevation and. pian, of features,in A—2-......-- ee et 24
10. a, Plan of tomb, Mound A-2. 0b, Celt cache, trench P—-1___________ 25
11. West wall, trench P-2 through entryway of Ceremonial Court, A-1__ 29
12. Plan of trench P-2 through entryway of Ceremonial Court, A-1____- 30
13. Trench P—4 west wall (near northwest corner) of A-]______________- 32
14. Sketch map showing principal known archeological features in Com-
plex Ay a. Vientasicdm pre! jini go th Se sy anes wou Ad Pysel bones 35
15. Section through clay platforms in Ceremonial Court, A-1__________- 41
16. a, Plan of West Trench. 0b, Section through west wall of
CWeremoniali@ount sAqtiyla lel pe fer piel Uy sepeeteel eeptoy, 46
17. Profile sketch of north exterior wall of East Platform as seen from
mside;the Ceremonial (Counts pA Site yan ely ee ee Pe Shei 2 52
18. North-south section through East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A—1_ 53
19. East-west section through East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1__- 54
20. Plan of Pavement No. 1, beneath East Platform of Ceremonial Court,
A-1, showing relationship to column enclosure and other struc-
tural features._ ===. ga SE aoe ee i on perniy Des est hye 57
21. Section through portion of Mound A-3.__-2 2 2b 2. 222-22 2225- 66
22. Plan of Sandstone Cist (Tomb C), with contents, in Mound A-3_____ 69
23. Plan of child’s grave(?), Tomb D, Mound A-3_-____--------_------- 72
24, PlanvotiPavementiNou2. ssiesiar ot. . otter unasie hoe. sedeoi- 74
VIII BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
PAGE
25. Course Buff ware sherds with incised decoration__-_--------------- 85
26. Coarse Buff ware with prefiring incised decoration______.----------- 86
27. Coarse Buff ware sherds with prefiring incised designs__------------ 87
28. Coarse. bur ware decorated’sherds-—-- = ee eae eee 88
29. Coarse Buff ware effigy bowl from Complex A___----_------------- 89
30. Suggested reconstruction of Coarse Buff ware effigy bowl, from
fragIMente S252 es sae eee eee eee ee ee ee ee ee 90
31. Coarse Black ware and Coarse White ware decorated sherds_-----_--_~ 91
Soe Coarse Browmlwane GeCOracved ISierc semen =e ee ee 95
33. Stamped(?) arc pattern from (interior) floor of Fine Paste Black ware
flaring-side:dishie* 422 occe ences ste cee ee ne See ee 103
345) Rine Paste Black ware decorated sherdst@=22 = 6222) ——- === eee ee 105
35. Profile and end of fragment of Fine Paste Orange ware small rectangu-
lar dishh swat hyd eeply incised cg Gs pms aren nee a ener eee ee 106
36. Fine Paste Orange ware sherds with incised decoration___--__---___- 106
SiS herds wathepainteds@ecoratlone jase = a See ee ee 107
38. Common dish and bowl shapes based on restorable and near-restora-
bleYspecimens~22 2 eee. nate Meee a ee ae ee eee en 108
39. Various common forms of jar rims and necks________-__-__--__-_-_- 116
AQ; Miscellaneous vessel shapes- 52-2. 228 oe oe ee Si 120
41. Complete vessels from 1943 excavations, drawn from photographs... 123
AZ VATIOUS Handles And =VeEsseleLoo ti (iy) mse ee ee 124
43. a. Design and cross section of cylindrical ‘seal’ fragment, Stratitrench
3:2; b, pottery flare(?) fragment, Stratitrench 3:1_____________ 142
44. Green jade “‘plaquette,”’ from Stratitrench 3, Level 3______________- 147
45. Suggested reconstruction of serpentine figurine fragment (Figurine
No. 7): from: ‘Stratitrench 3; bevel 42244 223 is Sangeet eae ae 148
46. a, Jade pendants; 6, face and profile, showing better preserved of the
designs, of pair of earplugs from Stone Cist_..._______-________ 160
47. Designs on decorated celts, cruciform cache of celts, Mound A-2_____- 165
48. Incised obsidian core, and Bird-monster design from it_..._____-__- 170
49. Stela 2, showing detail of principal figure, and nomenclature of minor
HQUNES 2) ee oa Skee ee IE Fee ee ee ae ee Beets. aerate 174
50. Stela 3, showing features of principal figures, and nomenclature of minor
Heures se 2 See ese J ae ae ee hites eer ht Se Ae Ele ee 175
pl: “Altar 3, showing nomenclature: = “sre ree 1 err tele Sees peer ee 176
52. Altar 5, showing nomenclature of figures._...._._._._-_.__._.___-=_. Lid
53. Incised ornaments from Monument 12, partly restored____.________- 180
54. Suggested reconstruction of Monument 15 fragments______________- 183
55. Figurines of jade and other stone, showing components of features____ 186
56. Monumental sculptures, human faces in front view (not to scale) _____ 188
57. Various human profiles (not to scale), showing typical portrayal of
heavy jaws, thick everted lips, large noses, and some miscellaneous
features; csuch«as beards, ornaments sa. — suse eens ae eee 190
58. Components of Jaguar-monster ‘‘masks” (not to scale)__-___________ 193
59. Heads of Bird-monsters and birds (not to scale)___________________- 195
60. Common decorative elements, from monuments and from small
sculptures: (motto iscale)s “aie of _chienbiieles ealeaiee Same 198
61; Outhne-of figure/on, Monument 13, 2222-4... eee ee 203
62. Jaguar-monster, Stela C, Tres Zapotes_....____--2222 2 22222 222 206
63. Component parts of Tres Zapotes Stela C Jaguar-monster mask-panel__ 207
64, Fragment of small effigy bowl, Figurine type III-A-3, in low relief and
incising, and reconstruction of missing portion, from Lower
horizon at Tres Zapotes. Over-all height of fragment, 5.6cem._._. 212
FOREWORD
This report on two brief seasons of excavations at La Venta seems
to have been doomed from the outset to the hopper of the sort of
mill that, whether or not it grinds fine, certainly grinds exceeding
slow. This was unfortunate, for when the field work was being done,
there was considerable interest in the Olmec problem, and a more
timely appearance of the report would have been desirable. However,
the attack on Pearl Harbor, which interrupted many crucial things,
reduced the first season’s program drastically, and then separated
me from field notes and sherd and jade collections for some 3 years.
After the war, in between other tasks, I was able to work on the re-
port. Finally it was nearly done, and I found myself about to go
back on active duty. Just 3 years ago, I hastily checked through the
rough manuscript, with a thick sheaf of notes and sketches about the
illustrations and figures, and dumped the whole hodgepodge into the
hands of the Bureau of American Ethnology’s editor, Miss M. Helen
Palmer. While I luxuriated on Micronesia’s coral strands and blue
lagoons, Miss Palmer pulled the report together. I am offering her
my thanks here. The readers of this report should thank her, too,
for giving it such readability as it may have, and for editing out
my grammatical lapses. The reader and I owe her thanks also for
seeing the art work through, a particularly rugged chore when the
author is as out of reach as I was.
Drs. Shepard and Wedel have made signal contributions to the
present report, and I am indebted to them. It will be the reader’s
responsibility, however, to integrate the results of their sections with
those I wrote, for I have seen their final versions only in the galley
proofs, which made it too late for me to make any major revisions.
The report will be improved if the conclusions of Miss Shepard’s
“Appendix” and Wedel’s chapter are tied in with the rest, but the
reader will have to undertake that task, blaming me and not my col-
leagues for the added burden.
It is also a matter of some embarrassment that I have not been able
to take into account the various major contributions to our knowledge
of Mesoamerican prehistory that have appeared in the 3 years since
I submitted the manuscript. The results of such studies as Smith’s
Uaxactun report, Miss Proskouriakoff’s analysis of Mayan sculpture,
and Garcia Payon’s researches in the archeology of central Veracruz,
IX
x BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
to mention a few of the outstanding reports appearing since 1948, all
bear in one way or another on the Olmec problem, and at some points
appear to substantiate parts of my arguments and at others seem to
be in sharp conflict with them. Ideally, these recent publications
should be considered in the present study, whether doing so involved
extensive changes or not. As a practical matter, such additions or
changes cannot be made at this point. The present report therefore
requires an added indulgence on the part of the reader: it must be
read as of October 1948, and in the light of the comparative data on
Mesoamerican prehistory then current.
Puitie DRUCKER,
Lieutenant Commander, USNR.
OctosBer 1951.
LA VENTA, TABASCO
A STUDY OF OLMEC CERAMICS AND ART
By Puimipe Drucker
INTRODUCTION |
The present paper has a twofold aim. The first is to describe the
excavations of the Smithsonian Institution-National Geographic
archeological expeditions at La Venta, in western Tabasco, México,
in 1942 and 1943, and to analyze the ceramic materials collected; the
second is to describe and analyze a series of art objects from the same
site with the object of defining the art style they represent. The work
in 1942 was carried out by the writer. Most of the excavations that
season consisted of test-pits to locate refuse beds containing pottery,
and stratigraphic trenches to collect adequate samples of the local
wares for placing the site chronologically in relation to other Meso-
american cultures. Some exploration of structures was done at the
end of the season, and at that time an important series of carvings
of jade and other materials was found. In 1943 Drs. Stirling and
Wedel carried out excavations, chiefly of structural features of the
site, and added considerably to the series of art objects as well as
assembling important data on the constructions. Wedel is de-
scribing that phase of the work in a separate chapter. He and
Stirling have both made notes and other materials available to me
for the study of the pottery and of the art objects; Stirling has
added other materials from his survey of sites throughout the state
of Tabasco and southern Veracruz. However, for errors of treatment
and of interpretation of this material only the present writer is to be
blamed. The National Geographic Society in addition to sponsoring
the field work has very liberally supplied me with prints from their
official expedition photographic files, made by the expedition photog-
rapher, Mr. Richard Stewart.
The investigations at La Venta were a part of Stirling’s program
of attack on the problem of Mesoamerican culture growth outside the
area known to have been inhabited by Mayan peoples. During
Stirling’s reconnaissance of La Venta in 1940 he discovered a con-
}
2 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
siderable number of stone monuments there, and judged it to have been
a ceremonial center of major importance (Stirling, 1943). He chose
the site for excavation for the 1942 season, planning a large-scale
investigation. The program had to be curtailed because of the out-
break of the war, but was carried out by the writer for a 3-month
season, with a small crew. Just before the opening of the Round
Table Conference at Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, on the Olmec problem,
Stirling was able to visit the site briefly, very fortunately, just as
certain interesting structural features in Complex A were being un-
covered : a peculiar tomb made of basalt columns, and a great carved
cofferlike affair of sandstone. He took charge of the excavation of
the contents of these features, which proved to contain some interesting
jade objects, and which he described at the Tuxtla Conference and in
a popular article as well.1_ In 1943, the results of the brief investiga-
tions of Complex A was followed up by a full season’s work with a
good-sized crew, directed, as has been remarked, by Stirling and Wedel.
The fact of the matter is that even at the end of the 1943 season
the site of La Venta was a long way from being completely excavated.
The structures are large and complex, and several seasons of inten-
sive excavation should still be carried on—we hope that it may be
possible to return to the site some time in the future. For that reason
the sections of this report describing the results of work in the struc-
tures are to be regarded as preliminary. We have at best only a frag-
mentary notion of the nature of the Ceremonial Court, and its untested
portions undoubtedly contain numerous features—and if those that
have been found are a fair sample they will probably include some
strange and completely unsuspected types. We are better off, how-
ever, in regard to the ceramics and the sculptures, for both series are
large enough so that we may derive decisive conclusions from them.
The Round Table Conference on the Olmec question arrived at cer-
tain conclusions which can be checked with the present material, and
also formulated a series of problems which must be dealt with in this
report. The temporal placing of the culture can be treated through
a study of the pottery, an approach that has not been possible pre-
viously. Study of the sculptures, large and small, shows that the site
of La Venta was a center of typical and pure Olmec art in its highest
form. From the series of sculptures, it should be possible to define
the distinctive features of the art style with considerable precision.
In this account, as in a previous brief discussion of some aspects
of the ceramics (Drucker, 1947), I have seized the bull by the horns,
or perhaps I should say the wildcat by the tail, and have used the term
1 Soe. Mexicana de Antropologia, Mayas y Olmecas. Segunda Reunién do Mesa Redonda,
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, 1942. (Cited hereafter as “Mayas y Olmecas’’) ; Stirling and
Stirling, 1942.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 3
“Olmec” to refer to the culture of which La Venta is one manifesta-
tion. This usage, contrary to that worked out at the Round Table
Conference, is based on the following grounds. First of all, the terms
“La Venta,” recommended by the Conference as a name for the cul-
ture, is awkward, because the site of La Venta proved to represent
a single horizon or period of a cultural sequence determined at the
neighboring site of Tres Zapotes. It seems preferable to limit the
use of the term La Venta to that particular period. Second, as
Covarrubias and others have pointed out, the term “Olmec” has
been applied to objects made in the distinctive art style for long enough
to have some familiarity, and its extension to other aspects of culture
associated with that art style is convenient. Third, as Jimenez
Moreno’s painstaking ethnohistoric studies have brought out, the term
Olmec actually has no stable ethnic significance, but seems to have
been applied to various groups at different times.
For these reasons I have used the name for the archeological cul-
ture as a whole. It carries here none of the ethnic implications of
Jimenez Moreno’s Paleo-Olmec, Proto-Olmec, and the rest. We have
no shred of evidence as to the linguistic affiliation of the people who
constructed the mounds, made the pottery, and carved the monuments
and jades in the southern Veracruz-western Tabasco region. At the
present time the native Indian population includes a variety of dialects,
some said to be related to Mixe, others to Zoque, as well as a number
of communities in which a variety of Nahua is spoken. Presumably
the last-mentioned people had nothing to do with the Olmec arche-
ological remains, but whether or not the ancestors of one or the other
of the Mixe- and Zoque-speaking populations had is a complete
mystery. We desperately need investigations working back from
identifiable historic sites if we are ever to identify the bearers of
Olmec culture, and even then it may not be possible, except by a
process of elimination, for the principal strain of Olmec culture seems
to have faded out of existence about the tenth century of our era.
PART I: EXCAVATIONS AND ARTIFACTS
THE SITE OF LA VENTA
Geographical setting.—The archeological site of La Venta is situ-
ated on the low coastal plain of western Tabasco, ten or a dozen miles
inland, between systems of streams and sloughs draining into the Rio
Tonalé. The terrain in this region is predominantly swamp, next to
impassable to foot travelers. Mangrove swamps line the riverbanks
for many miles inland, indicating the reach of the low Gulf tides in
the flat plain. Here and there are elevated areas, varying from a
few square feet to a good number of acres in extent. It is such places
that are occupied at the present day, and were selected for habitation
in ancient times as well.
The traveler in the region cannot but be impressed by the sudden
change from the rolling red earth hills of Minatitlin which are a
gradually descending extension of the foothills of the Tuxtla Moun-
tains, and the high sand dunes around Puerto México (Coatzacoalcos),
to the flat swamp plain, just barely above sea level, that extends for
miles to the eastward, along the coast. This whole swamp zone must
have been formerly open sea—a great bay that gradually silted in.
Oil geologists working in the La Venta zone have told me that test-
ing and drilling operations show a layer of almost a hundred feet of
swamp muck extending downward from the present surface, with, here
and there, beds of marine or brackish-water shells. Potsherds and
fragments of figurines often come from considerable depths in this
muck. We can be certain that these objects do not represent ancient
horizons buried by modern swamp, but are undoubtedly things lost
overboard from canoes at a time when there was more open water
than at the present day.
The best account of the regional geography available is that of
Krynine (1935). His account is worth quoting in extenso:
The region under discussion lies along the coast of the Gulf of Campeche .. .
It comprises the western part of the state of Tabasco and small adjoining parts
of the state of Veracruz and Chiapas, Mexico.
The climate is tropical with an exceedingly heavy rainfall. The mean annual
temperature is 80° F. (25°-26° C.). The rainfall differs in the four geomorphic
provinces of the region. On the coast it fluctuates between 100 and 120 inches,
and in the mountains it reaches 250 and even 300 inches per year.
{In a set of tables, Krynine gives the following data from a station (Puerto
México) in the Coast Plain geomorphic province: Mean yearly temperature:
4
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 5
25° C.; annual rainfall: 2,914 mm.; dry season rainfall: 151 mm.; climatic
type (K6oppen) : Amw’”’.]
There is a marked dry season in April and May, when there is no rain what-
ever. Occasional storms take place in March, June, July and August. The heavy
rains are concentrated between September and February.
Geologically the region belongs to Central rather than to North America.
Deposition was active during Tertiary time and over 12,000 feet of sedimentary
rocks were formed during that period. They are mostly sandstones and shales
with subordinate limestones and locally thick and well-indurated conglomerates.
Feldspathie and micaceous material is abundant throughout the series. Some
of the Miocene horizons can definitely be classified as arkoses.
The topography of the region reflects the two major structural movements
which have taken place since the end of the Pliocene period. The main post-
Pliocene orogenesis created the mountain front and the foothills and shaped the
broad geomorphic features of the country.
After erosion in the southern mountains and deposition in the northern plains
had been in progress, a rotational tilting movement elevated the eastern part of
the basin of deposition and subjected it to renewed erosion. At the same time
the western part of the basin was depressed and here sedimentation kept on
progressing.
As a result we have in the northern and northwestern parts of the region,
first, a swampy alluvial plain, and then, further inland, a flat savanna. Both
are covered with a thick mantle of Pleistocene and recent alluvium. In fhe
central and southeastern parts, this alluvial mantle is being subjected to erosion
and forms a hilly topography of moderate relief. Further south, the country
consists of rugged hills made of Tertiary rocks which gradually pass into the
high mountains of the Sierra Central of Chiapas. In accordance with this, the
area can be divided into the four geomorphic provinces described below.
The Low Coastal Plain: The shoreline of western Tabasco is essentially a
shoreline of emergence, partly modified by later submergence. Between Tonald
and Santa Ana a line of sand dunes skirts the straight and monotonous sandy
beach, and extending for a distance of two to four kilometers inland it rises to
elevations up to 50 feet. As a result of coastal emergence the dune belt has
been gradually widened and the older dunes, once left behind, have been
immediately seized and fixated by a luxuriant vegetation.
Reed marshes flank the jungle-covered sand-dune belt. The jungle again
gains a foothold on the higher ground formed by the natural levees along the
margins of inland streams and arroyos which drain these swamps. To the
south the marshes give way to large areas of jungle-covered flats, the real
mainland. The monotony of the northern part of the coastal plain is inter-
rupted by a few isolated low hills which appear as remnants of an older
topography buried by recent alluvium.” [Krynine, 1935, pp. 354 ff.]
These buried hills, of which La Venta is one, belong of course to
geologic formations antedating the submergence and swamp forma-
tion in western Tabasco. The La Venta structure, and apparently
the larger “island” at the oil camp of Agua Dulce, not far away, and
probably all the “hills” of the vicinity, consist of bases of well-
indurated yellowish-brown sandstones capped by a bed of heavy clay
developed from the sedimentary formation. The soil formation is
very uniform: The upper horizon, except for a few inches at the
surface stained by dark brown humus materials, is an intense brick—
6 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
red color; its lower margin is mottled, passing into the lower (ap-
purently the eluvial) horizon of a clay similar in texture but of a
light creamy-yellow color which lies directly on the parent rock. In
the absence of a chemical analysis, it is impossible to describe the
soil structure properly, but it appears to be a clay formation develop-
ing toward laterite. The most significant fact for the present, how-
ever, is that both soil and parent rock so closely duplicate the
characteristic formation of the Tuxtla region as to make it almost
certain that La Venta and other islands in the swamp are outliers
of the (prevolcanic) eroded Miocene peneplain of the Tuxtlas. A
striking fact is that this structure has not been encountered, or so
T was informed, in the drilling operations a scant half mile from
the edge of firm ground at La Venta. The island must therefore
have been eroded out into a high and very steep-sided block, prior to
the submergence, to which Krynine refers, of the western end of
the basin. The soil formation is complicated by the occurrence of
sandy deposits of two types: One, the arkose beds described by
Krynine, which apparently filled in old drainage channels prior to
the recent emergence of the region; ? the other, windblown sand and
light soil which in some places assumes a dunelike structure. The
cultural remains at La Venta are for the most part associated with
this last-named formation, lying in and sometimes being covered by
the windblown sandy soil.
The island of La Venta is between 6 and 7 kilometers long, running
more or less north and south (fig. 1). Width varies considerably for
a series of long narrow peninsulas run out into the swamps on either
side, but the main body of the island is about a kilometer and a half
across, with a maximum width of probably 4 kilometers. The maxi-
mum height of the present-day soil surface is somewhere between 10
and 12 meters, save for the sizable hill, “Cerro de San Cristobal,” on
the west central edge. The northern and western borders are higher
and more abrupt; on the other sides the firm ground merges almost
imperceptibly into the swamp. The three outcrops of country rock
noted are all on or near the west edge of the island, suggesting a mod-
erately strong dip of the basic formation. From some distance off,
the island appears as a dark green elevation easily distinguishable
above the yellowish and pale greens of the swamp vegetation. The
present surface is quite irregular, cut by numerous ephemeral stream
courses, and frequently with grown-over dune formations augmenting
the height of the clay knolls and ridges.
? Krynine, 1935. La Venta, frequently explored by oil-seekers in the last two or three
decades, is probably the locality discussed by this author, although his regional map,
perhaps due to its small scale, seems to show the arkose beds about halfway between
La Venta and the Coast.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 7
\
4 :
RANCHER/A
\\ ° .
“ cerno
( sam carsroeat |
=
oO /
—EeE—e—e—eE—E—e—eeEeeee
SCALE (IN KM.
©) AREAS TESTED (5-1, 5-2, etc. = SHERD AREA }
ry 42, efc.
ty
\) EXTENT OF STRUCTURAL FEATURES
BELIEVED TO GELONG TO CENTRAL GROUP
ON BASIS OF ALIGNMENT OF FEATURES
MOUND
AREAS INVESTIGATEO, WITH NO SHERO DEPOSITS Ss
COMPLEX 'A'
GREAT MOUND.
Ficure 1.—Sketch to show approximate relationships of structures, sherd areas (S-1 to
S-8), and monuments at La Venta. This and the following sketch maps (figs. 1-8) are
to approximate scale only. Note: Variation of the magnetic campass in 1942-43 was
9° 10’ E[U. S. N. Hydrogr. Off. Chart No. 1706].
947310—52 2
8 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
Flora and fauna of La Venta are pretty much the same as those
of Tres Zapotes in the Tuxtla region, for climatic conditions, soils,
and soil climates are very similar. It may be that annual precipita-
tion figures would show a slightly greater rainfall at La Venta, lying
as it does not only nearer but directly south of the Gulf, and being
surrounded by swamps. To a nonbotanist, however, the plant cover,
both second growth and old forest, looks about the same in both places,
and not only the domestic crops but the planting and harvesting sea-
sons are the same. (I refer of course to the floral conditions of the
island, not of the swamp.) ‘Two crops of corn a year, a minor “quick
crop” planted just before, and the main one just after the February-
to-May dry season, are the rule. While coffee is the chief cash crop
of present-day inhabitants, cane was grown with some success in the
recent past. An occasional rubber tree planted for local use is to be
seen here and there. Small plantings of pineapple, sweet potatoes,
jicama, etc., are made for home consumption. The faunal assemblage
appears nothing remarkable for the general area. Of larger forms,
deer, peccary, kinkajou, howler monkeys, jaguar, and ocelot are
found. None of these are at all abundant, however. Local people
assured us that these animals (with the exception of the monkeys),
could pick their way through the swamps even in the wet season and
thus tended to visit the island from the more extensive high ground of
Blasillo where they are all more abundant, rather than dwelling there
permanently. Among smaller forms, rabbits, squirrels, kinkajous,
opossums, and mice are most common. The bird life appears to be
quite rich, and to follow the general pattern of the Tuxtla region.
Archeologic remains—The archeologic remains at La Venta con-
sist of a few earth mounds and other structures, a number of large
stone monuments, and refuse deposits. There are no elaborate com-
plexes consisting of numerous mounds, as for example at Tres Zapotes,
but the principal group of structures and monuments shows evidence
of purposeful arrangement. This part of the zone, which we may
term the Central Group, is built around the largest mound of the
site and the Ceremonial Court which lies just to the north. The
top of the Great Mound has been measured as 32.3 m. above the ad-
jacent ground level; it forms the dominant landmark of the site. Its
horizontal dimensions are hard to establish because of the heavy for-
est cover. The mound proper rests on a rectangular platform 4 or 5 m.
high (included in the over-all mound height) which measures about
120 m. north-south, and which appears to be a trifle narrower, east—
west. On the south side of the mound, extending out over the plat-
form, are two aprons, on one of which are two much-battered basalt
altars (Altars 2, 3).3
§’ Nomenclature of stone monuments is according to Stirling, 1943 a.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 9
About 100 m. north of the Great Mound is the Ceremonial Court
which appeared before investigation as a slightly elevated rectangle
enclosed by vertical basalt columns whose ends just showed above the
surface. The court and its surrounding features north of the Great
Mound have been designated “ Complex A.” The court itself is A-1.
On the north side of the court is a broad gently sloping mound (A-2)
about 4 m. high, and just off the south edge two small mounds 1.5 to
2m. above the general ground level. 2s > Roce =
= = = = 2
= Ss Ss = s
© Oras z $
= S ie >
= uy = 7a, >
: : % 3
Ss =
< = ALTAR z
= = aK a & >
Z
5 S ua) bin e
= = MU train
= = {Iu
= s |/2
; a S
S — :
< =
c ~
S (12)
Ficure 3.—Sketch map, locality of test pits 7-10. Sherd area 2 (S—2) in fig. 1.
against the advice of the local people who told me there were no
sherds there. They were quite right. None of these pits, which
were carried down to depths ranging from 150 to 210 cm. yielded
anything more than a scant handful of badly eroded scraps of pottery
from the uppermost few inches, and some handsome examples of
sterile subsoil. With this system of tests may be added T-11, dug
alongside of the large stone head at the south side of the Great
Mound, which likewise yielded nothing.
The locality of tests T-12 to T-21 (fig. 4), staked off on the ridges
forming the west edge of the swale, and just to the north of the
preceding series, resulted more positively. T-12 and T-13 were dug
in a slight hollow that traversed the ridges; T-15 to T-21 were dug
to the north and south of them along the main ridge. T-14 was dug
in a small knoll a short distance to the west of the ridge. A tabula-
tion of the results of this series follows:
14 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
vita,
7 A ~ =
wy rie 4 Zz Cris
2 4 L ZH, v =
L IAN AN =
: sg Ze S
7 ~
Zz NANG cs
= aN nin Y= =
RNY : 0 eae ee
4 € % 3 /§4 S crear = §
s 3 2Siiss = Se
r-/4(] iz TATES S = mounn = &
3 ¢ wy etl s 9s =>
> a % Qs z8 = Singsie
4% rn Mu, > Seu = y =
MA Vay, = < AAAI =
“ly, , = << SS
7 S ¢ y
(2 4LAr Fi Zz wes
N. 3 “yp Anil
OF RAN SS VAIN
CHE,
RIA yw
vw
T-l2
m.—”
INIA
wv L,
ss 4
@) WAON.
Orv
a
re
rz {]
NARANARA CUMIN Eo,
ww
NACA CA VV
r2a/ 0
ANAT AINAAAA ALMA
Ficure 4.—Sketch map, locality of test pits 11-21. Sherd area 3 (S—3) in fig. 1.
TaBLE 2.—Summary of test trenches T-12 to T-21
Trench No. eee Sherd layer del pee Condition 2 Remarks
cm. cm.
Da12sesrs eS 228 | 0 to 100/112 3______ 250
Meatgerrcs aie SID TOON eee oe 130 Sherd layer water deposited.
Aa ee eee 20ST OlLots eae eee (5) Appeared artificial fill.
1 1 | ee 193) LOtO OU/4 32 ee 60 3 small complete vessels.
4h ees 254A NO to 52/h77 eae 85
4) 15 [yee ee 132) Oitonil4 12225 sees 160 Metate fragments, some figu-
rines.
M18 Hes 2 = OARS ||() cea la es Se 100 Some sherds in alluvium 161
to 215 cm.
T1922 aS NSSm | OitOp 2 fae ee ee 125 Large bow] fragments.
4 ee ee 193) (Oto La5/13 5a anaes 66
Ny) Dae eee IOP ioe ee es eee 40
1 Approximate only. Based on rough sherd count, divided by nearest cu. m. of sherd—-bearing soil.
2 Condition in 3-step scale: Good; Fair; Poor.
3 Bar (/) in measurements indicates irregularity of stratum: i. e., ‘‘0 to 25/37”’ means contact of layer varied
from 25 cm. to 37 cm. from the surface within the area exposed by the trench.
4 Water level.
5 Almost none.
6 Sharp depression in subsoil to 224 cm. in one end of trench, filled with mix.
The general picture of the deposits in this locality is obviously
more promising. Not only were the sherd layers shown to be relatively
thick, but the condition of the fragments was better. Only in two
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 15
instances, T—13 and the base of T-18, did the deposit appear to be
mainly alluvial fill, and this was to be expected owing to the location
of the two tests, one being near the mouth of a little draw that cuts
through the ridges, and the other on a terrace or bench halfway up
the main ridge. It was on the strength of these findings that the first
stratigraphic section, Str—1, shortly to be described, was staked out
in this locality.
1} (7-30)
| =
. =
3 =
9° ~
s
e S ;
~“
= S
S S
eS SS
N
~
T26 AY N
Z, »
4,
4 AK ne
Ah Ia,
4 4 ”n
“
7,
+
+
rAV AY AA LAD
Ve TAVAYA)
VAWAGAM
ail
[== er)
4
Zz
>
oi
Zz
9
S
rt
2
“law
ob
cS
\
Rh
nN
nis
AVAVATAWAWAUAVINA| Ay AUNVIVIN
Nang,
yt 4,
a
yin
VAAL Wivau
\
vt
MON O
Ny, wa)
MARAT yi
I
&
6 4 9 fe) = Be
< < ; ey
x = = “~ “a
= 7-27 3 0 = oe
5 3 = Bere :
= S 7-22 (==) = oe see ar
2 = 7-25 = Low “ANI
% “ 9. =
ARTA re 2
2 RIDGE
Ficure 5.—Sketch map, locality of test pits 22-27. Sherd area 4 (S-4) in fig. 1.
ments shown are small stone heads just north of Complex A.
Monu-
Tests T-22 to T-31 were scattered over the hilly area from the
Ceremonial Patio to the north edge of the island (figs. 5,6)). Since
few of them revealed deposit of any depth or richness, they may be
grouped into a single locality despite their rather wide distribution.
16 BUREAU OF
AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
wAM ?
Ss
WAWIVIUA AUANALANARALAMEA CALA RALARARALA ALA W/
nny OUND (anann
WAV ALL
AVAViTALae
Annee ee
v
FAVAUS
nl
qvad Mana ANALADN AAA Ang,
ans .
wih 7
wait ;
s
>
| 3
| :
ool ta
",
“AN a, 7
LAA AAA ARAA AINA RAAAAIN AAR AGAR
SHERROD Ne tae i aee
pannnanlananaswAnnannany LAaaAnnann
acne
co 7-29
c
5
ay
Vv,
ACT Va :
LATAVATAVAVAYE AYAVAVIVAVVAY AACA
ANAND MANA AANA
Sd
—<
| :
~
:
~
\y
"9
~
; X
| 3
=
| y
| &
| ke}
[] ~v0 S |
~
S
=
Si
© s
x
+
ok
ny 9
kK MILPA Pk tal
i ea ——xK=—
Ficure 6.—Sketch map, locality of test pits 28-31.
Sherd area 5 (S—5) in fig. 1.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 17
TaBLE 3.—Summary of test trenches T-22 to T-31
Trench No. Che Sherd layer Reels per Condition 2 Remarks
cm. cm
Done ee Obs |POtOr09 es seen ene Oa Ras eee ee
Y ay eee TGA | Oey e th oe See ee Scanti||iaires eaemnee re
24 ee oe THLE | LO COW OGse== se eee it ROOTS ae wees eee
Uleo ee TG7e LOMO s4 ee eee Scantalpe corse eee Appeared alluvial fill.
LUD.) ae eee LG ie | MOWLO}OG Sea GOL Boor
Man ose ae LS 2EROHLONS eee wena Scant? | MP OOn anaes
Ge ee 228 nOtoMO9S=sse eee LOS | etre Swe Se eee Near sherd-filled creek bed.
P= 20 Wee 162) Oito44oce seers Scant 7 |-e ss Bee gs ss
ThOO2> ssa 160 } 0 to 50/78 4_.-_____- Scant | Piseesia tes Bo
i Ness) Lee ee T5ON ROMO 89/1012 - 2a 30) Mair we
1 Approximate only. Based on rough sherd count, divided by nearest cu. m. of sherd-bearing soil.
2 Condition in three-step scale: Good; Fair; Poor.
3 Pit from sherd layer in west end of trench to 177 cm.
4 Bar (/) in measurements indicates irregularity of stratum; i. e., ‘0 to 25/37’’ means contact of layer varied
from 25 cm. to 37 cm. from the surface within the area exposed by the trench.
The negative yield of most of these cuts speaks for itself. It is
worth repeating however that occasional surface sherds, or as in the
case of T-28, numerous washed-out sherds in an arroyo bed, occurred
in the vicinity of every test pit.
ee eRe a,
{] 7-32
Sy
< 2
eon S = %
2 4 uN 3 panne aa,
fs Tannin 3 an *,
e Z.
cs 3 = =
8 GREAT MD. S ‘ a
< 3 > fl T-33 3
‘ ion :
-
4 2 3 $
3 3
3 $ 2
>] S :
a
av
Ay
w
VU
Ficure 7.—Sketch map, locality of test pits 32-33. Sherd area 6 (S-6) in fig. 1.
Tests T-32 and T-33 were laid out just to the east of the High
Mound (fig. 7). T-32 was dug in a little swale close by a stream bed
in which great quantities of sherds were to be seen. It produced an
abundance of sherds. The soil matrix however suggested that most
of this material probably was washed down from the ridge behind
the trench, and for this reason T-33 was dug on the higher ground,
in hope of tapping the primary deposit. The results of this excava-
tion were negative, however. The measurements follow:
18 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
TaBLE 4.—Summary of test trenches T-32 to T—32
pe es EE MS ae a PN oe
Yield pe: sys
Trench No. denn Sherd layer si ae id Condition 2 Remarks
cm. cm. ;
TBO! oh cs 1620 |(¢20itonlOQMeas= eee 4000) Hair: 2-22 5 aee Hey sherds in alluvium below
cm.
MaB8sec 22222 186) | (O)stol48e-22=—--- GV) (inl Obey 1 ames erga ees sa Pit in south end to 87 cm.
1 Approximate only. Based on rough sherd count, divided by nearest cu. m. of sherd-bearing soil.
3 Condition in three-step scale: Good; Fair; Poor.
Wy
a "An,
Ns ?
vt ANIMAL,
‘
0
oo
~ \
A
y
~~
is)
cS
~\
Cw LvIv¥9 OL Wo0002
©
Ficure 8.—Sketch map, locality of test pits 34-39. Sherd area 7 (S-7) in fig. 1. Solid
straight line is edge of cleared area.
Tests T-34 to T-39 were dug to the south of the preceding local-
ities, about a half kilometer west of the mound with the three sand-
stone monuments which appear to mark the south end of the Central
Group (fig. 8). This locality, a considerable part of which had been
cleared for milpas in recent years, appeared on the basis of surface
sherds to be one of the richest of the site. Great quantities of pottery
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 19
fragments occur there. The tests however revealed an unexpectedly
spotty distribution of deposit:
TaBLE 5.—Summary of test trenches T-34 to T-39
Trench No. piece Sherd layer Vield per Condition 2 Remarks
cm. cm.
JS) ns SA OMOMUIG ie eee SCalita | pROOnsssesseee ae
4s eee ee 198 | 0 to 175/183 3______- 2250 Poor tosbair =o Concentration in 76 to 175/183
cm. level, with much char-
coal, ash.
10 eee SSH LOMO Desa ee 203 |PEoonee=
aBieasensose UG 0to' 30 ee Scant. |=. se eee ee
NES eee PINOy PEL SS Ee SRS Op ROOns sees aes
M392 ia nOrtorlO7/ iii sae aaen Sl plge bee. a a
1 Approximate only. Based on rough sherd count, divided by nearest cu. m. of sherd-bearing soil.
2 Condition in 3-step scale: Good; Fair; Poor.
3 Bar (/) in measurements indicates irregularity of stratum; i. e., ‘‘0 to 25/37’’ means contact of layer varied
from 25 em. to 37 cm. from the surface within the area exposed by the trench.
4 Pit from sherd layer to 162 cm. in west end.
The final test pit, T-40, was dug at the extreme south end of the
island on a low knoll about 50 m. across. Surface sherds were
abundant on the elevation. A little over a hundred yards beyond, the
firm ground disappeared beneath the edge of the swamp. ‘The trench,
put down to a maximum depth of 122 cm., revealed a rich sherd-bear-
ing layer to a depth varying from 81 to 94cm. The rough calculation
gave a per-cubic-meter yield of 350 sherds, which were in fair condi-
tion. Occurrence of charcoal lenses, stone (mano and metate frag-
ments), and the like, gave the impression of primary deposit.
The data from the test pits, in addition to pointing out the most
likely localities for the digging of stratigraphic sections, offer some
interesting clues as to the occupation of the island. We shall bring
this question up again in another connection, but it may be brought
out here that the evidence is all against the site having been occupied
by a large group—not even as large a one as could have obtained their
daily bread—or rather, their daily tortillas—from it. The meter or
more of primary sherd deposits in some places point to a moderately
long period of occupation, but the restricted area of such deposits, as
witness the variation in yield of T—34, T-35, and T-36, a few hundred
feet apart on the same ridge, very clearly indicates a rather small
number of occupants. Re-use of deposits in mound construction does
not enter into the question, for not only do no sherds appear on the
eroded slopes of these features, but the structural investigations show
that varicolored clays (sterile subsoil formations) were deliberately
selected for building purposes. It is probably legitimate to regard the
areas of deposit as the rubbish heaps of individual dwellings, or small
clusters of dwellings, and these must have been scattered and few in
number. The logical explanation is that the site was most likely never
20 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
a “town” or independent subsistence unit in ancient times, but rather
a ceremonial center occupied regularly only by a relatively small num-
ber of priests and perhaps nobles, and their households, except during
brief periods of construction and monument moving. The manpower
for all the major constructions must have been brought in from the
scattered habitable areas for some distance around La Venta.
STRATIGRAPHIC TRENCHES
On the basis of the information afforded by the test pits, three
stratigraphic sections were dug. These were put down in cuts approx-
imately 30 cm. thick (due to the fact that the only steel rules that I had
were marked in the United States system of feet and inches, the levels
were dug in 1-foot (actually 30.48 cm.) cuts), all the sherds and other
cultural materials from each level of each trench being carefully seg-
regated. The levels are numbered from top downward; i. e., level 1
is the 0-30 em. (actually 0-12 inches), level 2 the next below, and so on.
Deep pits were put down into the subsoil in two of the cuts for the
purpose of verifying the data on local soil formation from the tests.
The first of these, Str-1, was located on the main ridge of the local-
ity tested by T-12 to T-21, between T-17 and T-19. While the de-
posit sectioned by these tests was slightly shallower than that of T-18,
the indications of admixture of slope wash in the bed exposed by the
latter made a section on the crest of the ridge preferable. The trench
was 13.7 m. long north-south by 3 m. east-west. The depth of the
trench was 152 cm., except in the south end, where a 3 m. by 3 m. pit
was put down to a maximum depth of 355 cm. As exposed by the
trench, the deposit consisted of a layer of medium dark brown sandy
soil, with a thin very dark humus-stained cap, overlying an irregular
subsoil of orange-red clay. Here and there in the brown mix were
concentrations of charcoal, especially in the south end of the trench.
The uneven contact of deposit and subsoil had been made still more
irregular by numerous pits and hollows scooped out by the early in-
habitants of the ridge, causing it to vary in depth from 91.0 to 162.5
cm. The average depth of culture-bearing deposit for the trench as a
whole was about 122 cm. Aside from the humus-stained cap, there
was no structural differentiation within the deposit. The subsoil be-
low 228 cm. consisted of mottled orange and yellow-buff clays, becom-
ing distinctly lighter in color (an increasing proportion of yellow ma-
terial) toward the bottom of the depth test. In other words, the
deposit had been built up by a combination of human activity, accu-
mulation of wind-borne sand and light soil and processes of soil for-
mation on top of a normal undisturbed soil horizon formed in situ.
No inhumations, animal bones, or sizable stones were encountered in
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 21
the excavation. The sherd yield of the two uppermost 30-cm. cuts
(levels 1 and 2) were low but material was abundant in the remainder.
Level 5 (122 cm.+) contained a fair amount of material from the
pockets and pits in the original surface.
Str-2 was marked off 12 m. long ina NNE.-SSW. direction, by 3 m.
wide, on the edge of the high ground on which T-1 was located. T-1
was the only test in that locality to have shown a primary deposit, and
since it had yielded moderately in sherds and handsomely in figurines,
seemed a fairly likely place for a stratitest. Str—2, however, whose
southeast corner was but 6 m. up the ridge from T-1, gave only a
niggardly yield. The deposit, which had only a low per-yard sherd
content, varied from 62 cm. in depth in the north half of the trench
to a maximum of 99 cm. in the southern end. Beneath the deposit
lay 27 to 35 cm. of clean angular yellow sand, and under this the
orange-red clay subsoil. The trench was excavated to a maximum of
91 cm. in the north half and 152 em. in the south. Two small (1.2 by
1.2 m.) pits dug at 15 m. intervals outward from the southeast corner
of Str-2 revealed low-grade deposit to depths of 101 and 83 cm.,
respectively. Apparently we had here another instance of the very
spotty and localized distribution of deposit. T-1 must have cut into
a rather small dump or concentration of debris.*
Str-3 was much more productive. It was laid out 12 m. long in a
northeast-southwest direction by 3 m. wide, in the low knoll at the
south end of the island close by T-40. It was a little more up on the
crest of the knoll than the exploratory test pit. The yield was moder-
ate at first but increased steadily downward. The deposit, consisting
principally of a medium brown sandy mix extended downward to a
point 150 to 155 cm. below the present surface. Some depressions at
the northeast end extended 5 to 7 cm. deeper. Beneath lay a 33 to
36-cm.-thick layer of yellow sand (probably arkose materials), then
89 cm. of sand with some clay, which overlay the normal orange-red
clay soil of the island. The trench was dug in 5 levels, each 30.48 cm.
(originally 12 inches) to a depth of 152.4 em., with a 3 m. by 3 m. pit
in the northeast end to a maximum depth of 315 cm. from the surface.
In the main trench, in levels 4 and 5 (at a depth of 99 to 101 cm. below
the surface) was an area 25 to 82 cm. thick which was noticeably
lighter in color and texture than the rest of the deposit, although no
difference could be detected in quantity or condition of the sherds in it.
It could not be determined whether or not this represented the begin-
ning of a process of soil formation. The color change was made more
striking by the occurrence of a very black pit or trench 1.5 to 1.7 m.
across, which ran across the trench beginning at depth 84 cm. with its
4 Post holes, ete., dug in building camp some 250 feet across the ridge revealed 1.2 to 1.5
m. of sandy topsoil with low sherd content.
99) BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
lower edge at 182 cm. Below the deposit in the northeast end was
found a broken but complete Coarse Buff ware vessel. The lowest
portions were at 195.5 cm. This object had apparently been placed
mouth down in a pit dug into the sand before intensive occupation of
that part of the ridge, for the pit was indicated only by a few random
flecks of charcoal, not by mix as would have been the case had it been
dug down from the upper levels.
STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATIONS
As elsewhere remarked, the only explorations of structures in the
1942 season were conducted in Complex A just to the north of the
Great Mound. Clearing of the cover of dense scrub which had grown
up in the 15 or 20 years since the locality was last farmed revealed the
Ceremonial Court itself (A-1) to be an elevated rectangle 56.8 m. by
43.2m. Itslong dimension lay at right angles to the N. 7° W. (353° T.)
line that runs through most of the features of the Central Group. The
eastern and western edges are marked by broken lines, probably once
continuous, of vertically placed basalt columns, whose tops extend a
foot or two above the present surface. On the north side the rows of
columns make corners, continuing for short distances toward Mound
A-2. The central portion of their course is interrupted by the lower
slope of Mound A-2, which stands just off the north side of the court.
This feature, which stands nearly 4 m. above the level of the adjacent
terrain, and about 2.5 m. above the present level of the court, is
elliptical in plan, extending approximately 30 m. east-west and 18 m.
north-south. It was in this mound that the first of the structural
trenches was dug in 1942. To the south of Mound A-2, directly on
the line from its crest to the top of the Great Mound, is a low eleva-
tion just inside the southern border of the elevated area. This was
the location of the second 1942 trench. Interrupting the southern
edge of the platform are two rectangles roughly 8 m. square, and 9 m.
in from either corner. These are marked by slight elevations sur-
rounded by incomplete rows of vertical columns. They appear to
extend out a short distance from the general line of the court and give
a bastionlike effect. In the western rectangle was dug a system of
excavations in 1942. A fourth cut was dug in the northwest corner
of the court to explore the construction of the “fence” of basalt columns.
In addition to the features just described, there is a small mound
(Mound A-3) flanked by two long tumuli (A-4 and A-5), just south
of the court. None of these were investigated in 1942. Two stone
monuments occur at present within the enclosure, Stela 3, and Monu-
ment 5, on the west and east sides, just in from the small rectangles.
There were formerly more, for according to local information Stela 1
was dragged out of the enclosure years ago by loggers, and several
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 23
Olmec monuments now in Villahermosa, Comalcalco, and Finca San
Vicente are believed to have come from this same place.
The trench in Mound A-2 was laid off 4.5 m. wide by 9 m. long,
with its northern end inside a row of five inclined columns that showed
just above the surface of the ground. It was subsequently enlarged
to permit the excavation of a number of features encountered (fig.
9). The first of these was the Tomb. The inclined columns were
found to be leaned in against a layer of nine horizontal ones, run-
ning east and west (pl. 1). The two northernmost, and the sixth
and seventh (counting from the north) had snapped in two from their
own weight and sagged down inward. Continued digging showed
the horizontal members to be supported at either end by a wall of
vertical columns, with a row of five under the ninth column closing
off the south end of the structure. Flanking the inclined columns
which covered the north end were three stepped blocks which thus
closed the side openings of the “doorway.” All these stones were
of columnar basalt, varying from 33 to 43 cm. in diameter. Those
forming the roof varied from 2.97 m. to 3.55 m. in length; those
covering the entry, 2.81 m. to 3.09 m. Removal of the inclined columns
disclosed that the structure had been intentionally filled with the same
bright orange-red clay of which the mound was built. Series of thin
horizontal and lenticular areas marked by shght color differences in
the fill indicated loading. On excavating this material, a floor of
flat waterworn slabs of limestone appeared 1.62 m. below the roof.
The wall columns varied somewhat in length. Apparently some, a
trifle longer than the rest, had been set more deeply in the clay base
to avoid having to cut them to length. It is worth noting that in the
case of roof and wall columns alike, the widest and smoothest of the
five sides of each column had been faced toward the inside—the struc-
ture was obviously built for interior rather than for exterior appear-
ance. Just over the paving of the floor was a layer of heavy olive-
brown clay or swamp muck 5.0 to 15.2 em. thick. Within this, heavily
coated with red cinnabar (7?) paint, were the remains of two bundle
burials, each probably containing at least one individual (fig. 10,
a). Little remained of the acid-leached bones save for a mass of
splinters, stained a dark chocolate-brown color. They appeared
to be remnants of long bones mainly, and gave the impression of
small light bones, probably of juveniles, as did the deciduous teeth
found in Bundle 2. With each bundle were associated a number of
small objects, for the most part of jade. Bundle 1 contained the
following: 1 small seated figurine of jade, representing a male; 1
flat conventionalized standing figurine; 1 pendant of jade in the form
of an elongate clamshell; 2 matching rectangles of jade, perforated
at the center, with engraved designs; 3 small D-shaped jade objects;
947310—52-—3
(Bull. 153
OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
BUREAU
24
‘7-V Ul soinqesy fo uejd pue uoneasy—'6 ayno1g
NY 7d
eseq aiqeqouy
| '
y v
SD ape
eesti wi)
Y F714 O%
f
D
/
f /
4
MMU LEU MY yyy yy,
/
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 25
POD HOEQOOESALGA
wird
le
————————E
SCALE IN /NCHES
X DECORATED CELTS
---- AREA O/MSTURBEO 68Y
UL WORKMEN
GLa (02 PROBABLE LOCATION
a TT b OISTURBEO CELT
aecee
ww eee
Ficure 10.—a, Plan of tomb, Mound A-2. c, Basalt columns of walls. s, Short basal
columns at entryway. /, Limestone slabs, or flagging. J, Burial bundle I. JJ, Burial
bundle II. Compass arrow points True North (000°). 6, Celt cache, Trench P-1.
2 matching polished obsidian disks (eyes of a mask?); 1 elliptical
polished hematite object (mirror?) with three perforations; 5 cylin-
drical jade beads; and a rectangular block of serpentine 23.5 cm. by
18.1 em. by 7.9 em. thick, squared and polished on the sides and one
face. Bundle 2 contained: 1 small seated jade figurine, representing
26 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
a female, with a polished hematite disk ornament on her breast; 1
conventionalized standing jade figurine; 2 matching hands of jade;
1 jade object shaped like a modern awl handle; 1 small disk with
a central perforation and scalloped edge; 1 small jade ornament rep-
resenting a frog; 1 jade object representing a sting ray tail, along with
the remains of a number of real tail tips; 1 small heart-formed
object of jade; 4 tubular jade beads; and 1 shark tooth.’
A test under the floor of the tomb gave no indication of deeper
deposits associated with this feature. That and the fact that some
of the wall columns ended at about the level of the limestone flagging
indicated that the tomb had been built solely to house the two bundles
and their contents just described.
The trench walls to the east and west of the tomb showed clearly
low irregular mounds at either side, just a trifle lower than the walls
of the tomb. Probably these were reinforcing or bracing structures
erected as construction aids. All the evidence—these rough buttresses,
the careful interior facing of the columns, the deliberate filling of the
structure—points to its having been built to be buried by the mound.
It was clearly never intended to stand out as an edifice crowning the
elevation. While difficult to prove, the peculiar type of construction,
unparalleled so far as I know in Middle America, suggests an imi-
tation in stone of a pattern of construction of logs. In this region
of abundant wood and little serviceable stone, poles and logs were
probably the normal building materials. Only for structures of espe-
cial importance would other materials be sought, and then they were
utilized in the same fashion as the more customary wooden materials.®
At a point 3.8 m. south of the tomb, very shallowly buried, there
appeared a rectangular sandstone slab 312.4 em. long by 109.0 cm.
wide and averaging 20.3 cm. thick. The top and sides were neatly
dressed and squared. In the top was a rectangular depression carved
to a depth of 1.9 cm., and 205.6 cm. long by 73.6 em. wide. The block
was broken in several places, the north end, in fact, being pretty
badly shattered. It was found to be the cover of a rectangular sand-
stone coffer. The box was 281.9 cm. long by 96.4 em. wide, 88.9 cm.
high on the east side and 81.2 cm. on the west. Its base was just
slightly higher than the floor of the tomb. On the north end was a
strongly carved “jaguar mask” (pl. 2, /eft), and along the two sides
a decorated band and the remnants of stylized legs could be made
out. The south end was so badly eroded that no trace of a design,
if it ever had one, could be seen.
°These tomb finds are merely to be listed for the present. They will be described in
detail in a later section.
® Pole beams, supported by wooden posts varying from light to massive, held up the roofs
of most of the Kaminaljuyti tombs. (Kidder, Jennings and Shook, 1946, pp. 46-85, and
ae 87-88.) The method of support is similar, though none were entirely roofed over with
eams.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO raf
Removal of the broken portions of the cover showed a compact
intentional fill of clay. The rectangular cavity of the coffer on
excavation proved to be 238.7 cm. long by 68.5 em. wide, and 58.4 cm.
deep. Sides and bottom were well smoothed, and the corners were very
nearly square. Lying on the bottom of the box were a serpentine
figurine, two large thin jade ear spools, two hollow-ground pendants
in the form of jaguar teeth, one with each ear spool, and a long pointed
object of jade which may have been a punch or awl or an ornament
meant to be inserted in a wooden mask. While the box, to western
eyes, gave the impression of a great sarcophagus, there was not the
least indication that it had been used or even intended for a burial.
There were no traces of bone—not even tooth caps or discoloration
in the clay—in it. Perhaps it was a receptacle for offerings, or once
contained an image of wood or matting, or similar perishable nature.
Between the Tomb and the stone box, nearly touching the latter, was
a series of 11 irregularly placed basalt columns, 2.2 m. to 2.9 m. long,
of the same sort as those used in the construction of the tomb, but of
smaller diameter and less regular cross section. They were all laid
more or less north-south, and varied in depth from the mound sur-
face at that point from 0.68 m. to 1.49 m., some being considerably
tilted. Those in the middle averaged deeper than the outer ones.
The intervening spaces varied; some of the columns nearly touched,
and some were far apart. Investigation in 1943 proved them to have
covered a deposit of small articles of jade.
Excavation of a depth test in the south end of the trench showed
at least one enlargement of the mound. There may have been others.
At a depth of 2.61 m. measured from the peak of the mound was a
clearly marked contact line of enlargement. The superimposed struc-
ture likely represents a unit construction and includes tomb, box, and
covering. Ata depth of 3.85 m. an offering of jade celts was found
extending back into the wall from the test. There were 37 of these
objects, laid out in neat rows, bits to the north except 2 which were
stood up on end (fig. 10,2). Five were removed by workmen’s picks,
but their probable position is indicated on the diagram. Three
of the largest have glyphlike engravings. The objects were embedded
in a layer 7 to 10 em. thick of very compact olive-brown clay.
Continued excavation in the depth test to 1.2 m. below the level of
the celts showed the mound material to continue downward. The
original preconstruction surface was not found, but comparison with
the ground level revealed in the trench in A-1 suggested that it lay
between 2.0 and 2.4 m. below the level of the celt cache.
In the general digging to clear the tomb, two small jade ear spools,
a few jade beads, and an incomplete serpentine figurine were found
over an area of 2 m., or so, to the south of the structure. These objects
28 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
were scattered in the clay mound material with no indication that they
had been purposefully placed there. It is worth comment at this
point that both the lower portion and the enlargement of the mound
were built entirely of tight local clays, of the orange-red and the
mottled red and-yellow (transition zone) varieties. No topsoil what-
soever was used. Not more than a half dozen sherds, and these badly
leached, were encountered in the entire excavation, but occasional
flecks of charcoal and nearly disintegrated shot-size crumbs of pottery
could be seen throughout the mound mass, indicating the artificial
nature of the deposit.
The second 1942 trench, P-2, in Complex A was dug directly in front
of Mound A-2 in the low elevation on the south side of the Ceremonial
Court. It was originally laid out 6 m. north-south by 3 m. east-west,
with the two extensions added subsequently, a 3 m. by 1 m. one in the
northwest corner, and a 2.4 m. by 3 m. one in the middle of the east
wall. This trench yielded nothing at all in the way of ceramic or
other material but revealed a structure or series of structures of some
complexity (fig. 11). The completed profile of the west wall shows
what appear to have been four enlargements of an original low stile-
like entryway (A in the profile diagram). Each addition was made
of clays or sandy clays deliberately selected for their color. The
basic structure (A) consists of a thick layer of mottled pink-and-
white clay on a low base formed by layers of orange-and-buff sandy
clays with streaks of white. This in turn rested on what seems to
have been the original ground surface, an easily recognizable humus-
stained sandy soil. Incidentally, no formation of pink-and-white
clay similar to the cap of this structure was encountered by us
anywhere on the island. Stile A seemed to have had low broad
treaded steps on either side. Above this was enlargement B, consist-
ing of a sandy clay fill, capped by thin layers, or floors, of vividly
colored clays, red, white, orange, and buff in color. Apues e41um
pue jing agueso jo sudke;
Vv
Kej>
@LIUM pue YUId pajjow
Kej> as pues Moak ust; >
—- Talal bhi idaseded se <0 EMMA UI EM awerrs re Lh
a)
that 17 = fer “
4j9Q pue aBueio Pal{zow
4ej> pas - apuer?
[!0s Apues umosq ‘paw
.
Ay
.
oe
eeeee
=< 5
eoartestees,
° .
e
°
*
eeeereees.,
°
30 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
south side were shorter—more comfortable—than those descending
on the north. There appears to have been a sort of landing a little
more than halfway up on the south side. KE, the final structure, was
somewhat domed instead of being flat on top like the rest. Although
this form may be due to erosion, its maximum height above the orig-
inal (?) ground level was 2.89 m. Only one of its steps was sectioned
by the trench—a high awkward-looking one on the north side. This
final enlargement is capped by a layer of hght sandy soil, presumably
wind-blown deposit, which has accumulated in a thin layer on top
and thicker over the descending sides of the entry since abandonment
of the site. There can be little doubt that these structures formed
the entryway to the ceremonial enclosure.
N F°w
Ficure 12.—Plan of trench P-2 through entryway of Ceremonial Court, A-l.
The profile of the east wall of the trench differed from the pre-
ceding due to a large pit that had been dug down through the early
structures, presumably from enlargement E. The outline of the pit
was the most clearly observed at the 119 cm. level, where it passed
through the charcoal-covered floor of structure C. It was for the
purpose of defining the limits of this pit and excavating it that the
extension was dug in the east wall (fig. 12). The pit narrowed down
funnel-fashion to an off-center elliptical bottom 1.67 m. long by 0.81
m. across, a few centimeters below the dark humus-stained subsoil
line. The pitfall all the way down was marked by the mixture of
the various colored clays of which the structures were composed,
chunks of the still-adhering floor layers of B being quite noticeable.
The pit contained no burial or cache or anything else to indicate a
reason for its existence. The several structures continued on beyond
it in the east wall of the extension.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 31
The excavations, P-3, in the western of the two bastionlike rec-
tangles consisted of a set of trenches to clear and investigate the smali
stone enclosure near the southwest corner of the Ceremonial Court.
It was found to consist of a rectangle formed by 1.8 to 2.1 m. lengths
of columnar basalt set vertically in a dike of orange-red clay covered
on the outside of the structure by about 91 cm. of drift soil. Along
the outside of the columns at the point at which they were embedded
in the clay lay horizontal sections of columns, 1.2 to 2.1 m. long,
apparently serving as buttresses or supports. In one place two such
braces were placed one on top of the other. There were 12 columns
across the north side, 12 down the west side. Only 10 were found on
the south. The east row was not completely uncovered, but there
seemed to be some columns missing. The structure (not counting
the horizontal braces or the edges of the clay wall, which were not
uncovered) measured 7.16 m. east-west by 6.60 m. north-south, and
was very close to rectangular. The smoother broader faces of the
stones seemed to be outward, in most cases. The row across the south
side was about 60 cm. lower than that across the north. At a point
1.52 m. south of the northeast corner was an east-west row of 13 short
lengths of columns, mostly fallen over. These were mostly rather
short lengths, and did not have horizontal supports along their bases.
The row ended 5.47 m. east of the “bastion,” nearly in front of the
stile or entryway sectioned by the trench previously described.
As part of the same system, a small (1 m. by 2 m.) cut was put
down in the middle of the enclosure. This surprisingly enough re-
vealed the stone fence to enclose a small platform of adobes, or unbaked
bricks.? Beneath 33 cm. of loose drift soil on the surface, there was
a 40.6 cm. cap of orange-red clay. Beneath this was a 223.5 cm. layer
consisting of 16 courses of adobes of olive-brown clay laid in orange-
red clay “mortar,” (pl. 38). The bricks were not fired. They varied
in length from 22.8 to 45.6 cm., in width from 17.7 to 25.4 em., and in
thickness from 7.6 to 12.7cm. Theclay mortar between courses varied
from 2.5 to 7.6 cm. thick. The trench walls showed clear breaking of
joints in the courses, but this is more likely a result of the irregularity
of size of the bricks rather than a deliberate attempt to increase the
strength of the platform. Under the bricks, on both north and east
sides of the trench, were found two small caches of serpentine celts.
The cache on the north side consisted of two specimens, that on the
east of four. In both cases the objects were enveloped in masses of
very hard dark olive-brown clay which contained impressions of straw
or grasses. The original ground level was not found, although the
7 Considerably more data were obtained from the excavation of the eastern “bastion” in
1943, concerning the structure of these features.
32 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
trench was continued down another 1.4 m. through a fill of clay, some
sand, bits of charcoal, and tiny pellets of sherds.
This platform must have been built to support some structure, or
even more likely, a stone monument. It is not improbable that “Stela
1” (which should be classed as a monument, not a stela), or one of the
monuments now in Villahermosa formerly stood here. ‘The small
Monument 5 still standing in the main enclosure must be on a similar
raised platform, or it would be today deeply buried under the layer of
drift soil which has filled the areas between structures of the patio.
4-E Wiese
Ficure 13.—Trench P—4 west wall (near northwest corner) of A-1.
A small trench, P-4, dug in the northwest corner of A-1, provided
some data, augmented by the 1943 work, as to the construction of the
“fence” of basalt columns (fig. 13.) The vertical sections were found
to be pieces of 1.8 to 2.1 m. long, with their lower ends embedded 15 to 26
cm. deep in a wall or dike of compact orange-red clay whose upper
surface lay 106 cm. below the modern driftsoil level. Fifty-five and
eight tenths cm. east (inside) of the columns, the clay wall dipped at a
steep angle, continuing down below the bottom of the trench. We may
presume that the wall had a similar profile on the outer side, and more
than likely a row of horizontal lengths of columns to brace the vertical
ones more firmly, as in the case of the western rectangle (“bastion”).
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 33
On the inside at the edge of the clay wall was a horizontal row of very
neatly squared basalt blocks laid end to end, and inclined slightly to rest
firmly against the slanting face of the wall. These blocks averaged
50.8 cm. long, 22.8 cm. wide, and 11.4 cm. in thickness. There were
seven of them in the trench. Ata point 1.9 m. below present ground
level were three serpentine blocks, somewhat larger in size and placed
similarly with regard to the wall except that their ends did not touch.
Just below them was the clearly marked line of a horizontal layer of
orange-red clayey soil, probably fill forming an enlargement, or a
sort of step or platform along the inside of the wall. All these features
with the exception of the rows of basalt and serpentine blocks were
found repeated in a short extension of the trench which followed
around the corner along the east-west section of the fence.
STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATIONS IN 19438
By Wa po R. WrepEL
The excavations at La Venta in 1948 were carried on principally in
that sectioa of the site lying just north of the Great Mound, in what
has been designated Complex A (see sketch map, fig. 14). As Drucker
has pointed out, most of the archeological features here appeared to be
definitely oriented along a line bisecting the summit of the Great
Mound and running northward through the Ceremonial Court and
across Mound A-2. Since a general description of the site, including
the portion under consideration here, has already been presented, fur-
ther remarks need be added at this point only in amplification of
certain surface features very briefly noted by Drucker. These were
clearly seen only after the rank jungle growth between the base of the
Great Mound and the Ceremonial Court was entirely removed in
preparation for our investigations.
Lying on the north-south axis of the site and centering at a point
some 32 m. south of the Ceremonial Court was a low inconspicuous
mound from 1.5 to 2.5 m. high—depending on the angle from which
it was viewed—by some 30 m. in diameter. This feature was desig-
nated Mound A-3; further details concerning it and its contents are
presented elsewhere in the present section.
Mound A--3 was flanked on the east and west by two low linear em-
bankments. These averaged approximately 15 to 18 m. in width, and
were perhaps 1 m. high at their north ends; to the south, they merged
into the basal platform of the Great Mound. On the north, they
approached within 10 or 12 m. of the southeast and southwest corners
of the Ceremonial Court, from which they were separated, as from
Mound A-3, by shallow swales. The north-south midline of each of
these structures, projected northward, coincided approximately with
the rows of upright basalt columns marking the east and west sides of
the Ceremonial Court. An unworked basalt boulder lay at the north
end of the west embankment; otherwise, there was no surface evidence
of monuments or other stonework that might once have been in any
way associated with either. The results of a test trench dug by us
through the north end of the east embankment, A—4, are set forth
elsewhere in this section.
34
Drucker |
LA VENTA, TABASCO
a aatiayy,
Ui
ws My
SS My,
WS » A a “ny
S UG
= %
S %
= TOMB E 2
= cCorreR (TOMB B)=
= CELT CACHE.
= NORTH MOUND
SY
w
x
grteeter eens \S
: CELT ROW: R\\
? “Ny ww
: MTUsy of
: ALTAR (MONUMENT 13)
z
i CEREMONIAL couRT {(A-/)
WEST
S ae
i £L MONO.
: x
: STELA 3
i CLAY
i PLATFORMS
: (1942-43)
i
i
bf
3
i gneecscccees con 's Pegs}
: WEST : i 5
yeaTFon, FORE) COWRT eA Oe:
: (942) } , WO.2 :
i
ol Hit ‘ny,
S B
SUWNWORKED OC %
S G0UllFR Z%
= z My,
= “ny
E %G
%
TOMB CZ
(CISL
fARTH
EMBANKMENT
TLL CL
M4 ty
Ficure 14.—Sketch map
UTTERLY TAT ETT CL
ym
|
x
MONUMENT S
uty,
G
%
ZB
Z
%
Z,
Z
Zz
=
EFARTH
= EMBANKMENT =
A-4 =
N =
SERPENTINE =
AXES" (253) 7] =
= AND *1/RROR 2 =
= Bit yess
= ° s 10 =
> PIETERS
° 7” 70 «3O
POTTERY as
APPROXIMATE
OEPOSIT he
showing principal known archeological features in
La Venta.
30
Complex A,
36 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
Our excavations in 1943 consisted of a series of connected trenches
directed basically at further study of features on and near the north—
south axis line bisecting Complex A. From the base of the Great
Mound, this main trench system ran northward about 150 m. to end
in Drucker’s 1942 cuts in Mound A-2. Our cut varied greatly in
width and depth, depending on what it disclosed here and there in the
way of subsurface features that seemed to call for further investiga-
tion. From south to north, it bisected Mound A-8, the Ceremonial
Court, and the south half of Mound A-2. In addition, we made
smaller cuts at each end of the Court, in search of further informa-
tion on the construction of the columned enclosure; briefly investi-
gated certain structural features at the southeast corner of the Court;
cleared the small columned platform near the southeast corner of the
Court; and test trenched the north end of the east embankment, A-4.
Such was the size and complexity of the area and its various subsur-
face features that, despite the employment of a labor force substan-
tially larger than was at Drucker’s disposal in 1942° we left
unanswered far more problems than we finally settled.
EXCAVATIONS IN AREA A-1 (CEREMONIAL COURT)
The Ceremonial Court designated as A-1 was a rectangular area
partially outlined by a stockade of more or less upright basalt columns.°
The area thus defined was, by my measurements, approximately 58
by 40 m., with the longer dimension lying at right angles to the north-
south line that bisects virtually all of the principal features of Com-
plex A. Some of the columns had slipped out of position or were
leaning badly, so that precise measurements were not possible, which
perhaps accounts for the slight discrepancy between my figures and
those given by Drucker (supra, p.22). Along the west side, beginning
at the southwest corner, 53 columns were visible above ground; then
came a gap of about 8 m. where no columns were evident, followed
by another series of 12 and a corner column. From this, the northwest
corner, 12 columns could be counted in a continuous row extending
eastward. From the northeast corner, going west, another series of
®’ Our working force consisted of 18 to 20 men; the digging began on February 6 and
ended on April 28, 1943.
®° These columns, whose use for various purposes constitutes one of La Venta’s outstand-
ing archeological characteristics, merit further brief comment. They are of columnar
basalt, roughly pentagonal or hexagonal in cross section, with the ends usually more or less
rounded off; commonly, one surface is slightly wider, flatter, and smoother than the
others. Their size varies; average diameter probably approximates 30 to 45 cm. while
the length of unbroken columns ranges from 2 to 3.5 m. Their calculated weight varies
between 1,500 and 2,300 pounds each.
Stirling (1943 a, p. 50) notes that the nearest known occurrence of volcanic rock is in the
region of San Martin Pajapan volcano, about 60 miles in an airline to the north, and
suggests that the columns and other massive carved stone blocks at La Venta, some
exceeding 25 tons in weight, were probably transported by raft to the island.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO a
12 or 13 columns was visible. None could be seen throughout most of
the extent of the north wall line of the Court, that is, between the two
short series running east from the northwest corner and west from the
northeast corner. Proceeding southward from the northeast corner
along the east wall of the Court, there were 34 visible columns plus
gaps that would accommodate perhaps three to six more. Here the
row ended ; limited tests along the line which should have been marked
by columns yelded only negative results. No stones could be found
at or near the point where the southeast corner of the Court should
have been, or westward from that point along what was evidently the
south side of the Court area.
Approximately 10 m. west from the calculated southeast corner of
the Ceremonial Court, a columned platform projected southward from
the wall line of the Court. Rectangular in plan, this structure meas-
ured approximately 8 m. east-west by 6.5 m., corresponding in size,
shape, and position to another similar platform excavated in 1942 by
Drucker near the southwest corner of the Court (supra, p. 31, excava-
tion P-3). The results of our investigations in the East Platform,
which turned out to be unexpectedly complicated, will be detailed
elsewhere.
About midway between the two platforms just noted, and slightly to
the north just within the south wall line of the Ceremonial Court, was
another low elevation. It lay directly on the line from the crest of
the north mound, A-2, to the top of the Great Mound. Most of this
feature, scene of Drucker’s Trench P-2, had been removed before the
1943 work began, but our main profile trench through the Court cut
its west side.
Profile Trench, Area A-1.—Of our north-south profile trench along
the major axis of Complex A, some 40 meters lay within the area
designated as the Ceremonial Court. The approximate center of this
particular area had been computed from the crossed diagonals con-
necting the four corners of the Ceremonial Court, and this point we
may designate as Datum A. From a point 4 m. south of Datum A
northward 24 m. to where our trench crossed a line connecting the
northeast and northwest corners of the Court, the trench had a width
of 8 m. Southward from this section, it narrowed to 1.5 m. for a dis-
tance of about 12 m. where it again widened to 6 m. for the remainder
of its length within the Court area. The floor of the trench was at
a more or less uniform level throughout ; but owing to the irregularities
of the ground surface, depth of the trench varied from about 2.7 m.
in the central portion of the Court to 3.3 m. or slightly more at either
end.
Throughout approximately 16 m. of its length within the Court,
beginning 8 m. south of Datum A (pl. 4, a), the upper portions of
38 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
the trench walls consisted of 1.2 to 1.5 m. of soft gray sand, very
easy to handle with shovel or trowel. This sand graded downward
into tougher, somewhat irregular, clay deposit. Below this, at a
depth of about 1.6 m. beneath ground surface, was an even, almost
level, band of finely layered red, yellow, green, and purple sandy
clays—approximately dubbed “tierra bonita” by our workmen. This
band averaged 10 to 12 em. in thickness and showed a good many
breaks; but, as will become apparent in the next pages, it seems to
have covered much or most of the area within the Court. Beneath it,
was a massive clay formation, dark red in its upper portions, but soon
becoming a mottled yellow, and throughout of exceedingly tough com-
position. Only at the north edge of the Court area, where our trench
reached a depth of just over 3.8 m., and again at the south edge, at
approximately 3 m., did we succeed in penetrating through this clay
bed to find what appeared to be clean sand underneath. There is no
doubt whatever that the clay formation had been carried in and
deposited over most or all of the Court area, and was throughout a
man-made feature of the site.
A number of artifacts came to light during excavation of this
section of trench. The first were a series of small covered pottery
vessels, all in the lower portion of the soft upper sands, and north
of Datum A. Several of these were uncovered and removed by the
workmen during our absence from the dig, and there are for them
no precise provenience data. Subsequently, three or four others were
found, under circumstances said by our native foreman and other
workmen to parallel those of the earlier finds.
Of the occurrences we observed, the first consisted of two medium-
sized cylindrical flat-bottomed plainware vessels standing side by side;
over each was inverted a shallow flat-bottomed saucerlike bowl with
flared walls (pl. 5, a). South of this pair, 2.7 m. distant and at the
same level, 1.1 m. below ground surface, was another cylindrical ves-
sel, this one encircled by an incised line just above its base. A few
small sherds scattered about nearby may have been from a covering
bowl. Three meters north and about one meter west of the pair first
noted above, according to the foreman, were sherds from a fourth
cylindrical vessel and, apparently, a covering bowl. AI of these finds
were well above the local base of the upper gray sands.
South of this pottery area, directly under Datum A and perhaps
marking the center of the Court, lay two plain limestone slabs. Lying
1.4 m. below ground surface, they covered an area 45 by 65 cm. across.
Two larger slabs, covering an area 72 by 110 cm., were found 2.4 m.
to the south; they were at the same depth below surface but, owing to a
rising ground surface, lay about 20 cm. above the first two. Three and
a half meters south of the slabs below Datum A, and 1.4 m. to the
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 39
west, lay a well-made monkey statue of serpentine, elsewhere described
by Drucker as Monument 12 (see infra, p. 179 and pls. 5,c, and 62). It,
too, was in the upper sand; but whether it had been associated origi-
nally with one of the two small slab areas nearby to the north, as just
described, with a stepped clay platform complex just to the south, or
with neither, we have at present no way of knowing.
It is possible that the carved altar subsequently designated by
Drucker as Monument 13, which was found in the upper sand some
14 meters north of Datum A and about 6 meters inside the north wall
line of the Ceremonial Court (pls. 4, a, and 63), also belonged to the
archeological or ceremonial complex represented by the materials just
described from the upper sand. It rested, actually, on the red clay
core sloping southward from Mound A—2; and so I have chosen to
discuss it in connection with that section of our workings.
Other artifacts came to light during the slow process of removing
the tough mottled clay which underlay the upper sand. About mid-
way between Datum A and the north wall line of the Court, from the
clay formation between 1.5 and 2.5 m. underground, came a dozen
or so celts of serpentine. These were scattered about at various depths
and lay at all angles, in no way suggesting an orderly cache deposit.
For the most part, the specimens themselves were rather crudely
shaped and of inferior workmanship.
Also in this general area, 5 m. north of Datum A and at depth of
2.85 m. underground, was another cylindrical flat-bottomed clay vessel
over which had been inverted another shallower vessel (pl. 4, 6).
These were in a small pocket of soft gray sand entirely surrounded
and covered by more than 1 m. of mottled clay. So far as we could
determine, this find corresponded in all particulars to the several
covered pots previously found more than 1 m. higher up, in the upper
sand.
Seventeen meters north of Datum A, and perhaps 3 m. south of the
north wall line of the Court, a series of six serpentine celts came to
light. They had been set upright, blades down, with edges touching
so as to form an east-west row 50 em. long (pl. 5, 6). Standing in
the mottled yellow clay at a depth of 2.5 m. underground, this row
intersected transversely the north-south axis line of Complex A.
Here, again, the objects were not especially well made or carefully
shaped, and there was a good deal of variation in their size and pro-
portions. Like the vast majority of celts found during the 19438
excavations, these would have functioned poorly as utilitarian tools.
Clay platforms, A—1.—Six meters south of Datum A, the ground
surface rose some 40 or 50 cm. Here, also, our central profile trench
revealed a rather abrupt thinning of the upper gray sands to about
60 cm., and a corresponding rise in the surface of the clay underlying
947310—52 4
40 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
the sand. Our trench in this section was under 2 m. wide, and was
separated by less than 50 cm. from the west edge of Drucker’s 1942
Trench P-2 in a series of clay platforms. These platforms were
rather well shown in the west wall of our trench, which here reached
a maximum depth of 3.1 m. Unfortunately, at this depth we were
nearly 30 cm. below the clay composing the platforms and into a soft
gray underlying sand. When this sand dried out under the narrow but
heavy clay wall separating our trench from Drucker’s earlier one, it
crumbled and brought down the entire east face of our profile trench
through the platforms. Only at the south end of the section were we
able to get the various soil formations from bottom to top of our cut.
The lowest soil formation thus revealed was a soft black sand, ex-
posed to a depth of 45 em. in our trench and continuing to an undeter-
mined depth below our cut. Above this was a band of thin vari-
colored, but predominantly pinkish, buff, and white sandy clay layers
totalling 20 cm. in thickness. This disappeared beneath the caved-in
dirt, and no trace of it could be found beyond to the north. Above
this was a massive mottled reddish and white clay that attained a
maximum thickness of 1.28 m. The top of this clay was marked by a
thin but readily distinguishable band of gray sandy clay traceable
horizontally for 6.1m. At the south end, this band fell away in a
series of three nearly vertical steps which measured 55, 40, and 22
em. high in descending order. At the north end, a single step 60 cm.
high was visible. The middle step (fig. 15, A’) at the south and the
single step (fig. 15, A’’) on the north were strongly marked by innu-
merable hair-line thicknesses of brightly colored red, purple, olive-
green, and other pigments, each backed by slightly thicker whitish
sandy clays. These striped formations attained a total thickness of
10 to 15 cm.; they were thickest, of course, on the horizontal surfaces
or treads, but evidently had once continued vertically up the front
of each riser as well. I would suppose that the whitish sandy clay
backings may represent layers of plaster, now much softened by
weathering, and the colored seams are the remnants of successive coats
of paint with which the stepped platform was freshened up from time
to time by its users.
Above the flat top of this structure were some 30 cm. of yellow sand
(at the south end) and heavy mottled clay (at the north). There
was some evidence of horizontal bedding in the yellow sand, suggest-
ing periodic heightening of the platform. None of these bedding
lines, however, was very pronounced.
Overlying the yellow sand and clay, 30 cm. above the platform, was
a black carbonaceous stratum 5 em. thick, evidently the result of burn-
ing. In its horizontal extent, this coincided almost exactly with the
lower platform surface. Thirty centimeters beyond its south end,
4]
LA VENTA, TABASCO
Drucker]
*(6z ‘d osje 99g) 9 *J—-VW ‘J4noD jeruoUIND Ul sunoyjed Avo ysnosyy uoNs9Gg—*¢] FANOIY
YOOTA HINTYL
yILIW I
ONYS wIYTE
PEELS
Qa DANAE EPG ODP DEAE GIFAWDS
————
i"
= WLINOE VYAT/L
= } WLINOG VYYT/L
\
ONVYS AZAVTID AYA
ONYS MOTTZIA
a OE ee
ONYS MOTTIA
_ ECON OS FAY TD Ed Gee See nee Ff
TEE J)
.
LLL ES ADS
PP sn ST TEE OP =
YIAYT AZAYTD ‘OFY "LH91/7 2
247 §SOYFHS STVODUKHI HLIM ‘F7IGYIAKA SAVTD HSIGIIA
42 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
and beginning at a point some 50 em. below, was what appeared to be
a continuation of this burned stratum; it began in the midst of a band
of finely bedded colored earths which soon curved sharply upward,
and ran out 60 em. away beneath a more or less horizontal band of
similar colored materials. There was inconclusive evidence of a step-
like arrangement at the north end. All of this, indicated by BB’B”
in figure 15, rather suggests the remnants of another stepped clay plat-
form overlying and perhaps completely covering that represented by
AA’A’’.
The burned layer just discussed at B’B’’ was covered with 15 cm. of
gray sand capped by a well-defined 5-cm. band of light reddish clay
(fig. 15, C’). This had about the same horizontal extent as the two
preceding platform surfaces, being traceable for some 6.87 m. north
to south. It ran northward 38 cm. beyond the lowest, A’A’’. Here,
just 6 m. south of Datum A, there was a steep drop of 65 to 70 cm.,
marked by a thin yellow line which flattened out into a horizontal
band of thin yellow, white, and purplish soil layers (fig. 15, C’’).
This band, the uppermost and latest of the several marking successive
platform fronts, connected with the “tierra bonita” previously de-
scribed as extending northward across the Ceremonial Court at ca.
1.6 m. depth and underlying the upper sand.
To the south, this topmost platform was more difficult to work out.
I suspect that the band of finely bedded colored earths marked by C in
figure 15, and running northward just above the burned layer B, cor-
responds to the similar colored band at C’’. It is possible that some of
the upturning colored soils at the north end of burned layer B repre-
sented the south front of this final and latest platform, in which event
the structure at this point would have coincided closely with the im-
mediately preceding platform. There was otherwise nothing in our
profile to suggest a step elsewhere in this section.
Overlying the topmost clay-floored platform and its associated col-
ored soils, as indicated by CC’C’’ in figure 15, was a rather variable
reddish clay containing some bits of charcoal, occasional tiny sherds,
and other cultural detritus. Over the platforms this clay averaged
some 60 cm. in thickness; on the south above the steps and platform
remnants B and C, the red clay reached a maximum depth of 1.2 m.
Here, too, directly over the colored band C, there was some evidence
that this clay mass fell away in two poorly marked steps to a flat sur-
face some 95 cm. lower (fig. 15). What was evidently a continuation
of this lower clay surface was found in our trench to the south, form-
ing a sort of raised forecourt along at least the middle third of the
south front of the Ceremonial Court. This feature will be further de-
scribed elsewhere.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 43
On the north, the red clay sloped downward and merged into a
mottled yellowish-white clay layer; there was no suggestion of steps.
Overlying the red-clay structure, if such it actually was, was a clean
soft gray sand averaging 60 cm. in thickness. This merged evenly
into the upper sand, 1 to 1.5 m. thick, found as the upper soil forma-
tion in the profile through the Ceremonial Court to the north, and
into a somewhat lesser thickness of similar sand covering the area im-
mediately south of the platform complex. The top of this sand,
which was also the present ground surface, fell away sharply south of
the area included in the platform profile (fig. 15), and two or three
meters away, in the forecourt, was less than one meter thick over the
level clay surface.
There can be no doubt, I think, that at least three successive stages
of platform-building were indicated in our excavations. These are
indicated in figure 15 by profiles AA’A’’, the earliest; BB’B’’, the
second; and CC’C”’, the third. It is possible there was a fourth one,
as suggested by the stepped arrangement of the red clay at the south
side, but I am not altogether convinced that this was a structure
actually comparable to the earlier, more clearly delineated, ones. If
it was, it was certainly erected with less care and effort than were
expended in the first three platforms.
It is gratifying to note that our profile through the west edge of
the clay platform complex, as described in the foregoing pages, seems
to correlate at all major points with the views presented by Drucker
on the basis of a test pit into the heart of the structures. I did not
see Drucker’s manuscript or notes before I went into the field, and
our terminologies differ somewhat (cf. figs. 11 and 15). In certain
particulars, too, Drucker presents more detail, perhaps in part be-
cause of the location of his test in the heart of the platform complex.
Nevertheless, the two sets of independent observations can be
satisfactorily harmonized.
The “soft gray sand” of my profile is, of course, the somewhat thin-
ner “medium brown sandy soil (drift)” observed by Drucker, and
his “orange-red clay” formation (KE) is my “reddish clay, vari-
able...” Of the structure he indicates at D, I noted no good evi-
dence, unless my OC’ surface is a part of it. Unquestionably, Drucker’s
charcoal layer topping C is identical with my “burned layer” at B’B”’;
both of us found this distinctive horizon at 1.2 or 1.3 m. below ground
surface. What I have designated as a rather well-defined platform
surface at A’A’’ closely approximates Drucker’s line at B; beneath
these levels, we both noted mottled clay. I am inclined to believe,
also, that the “banded sand” I show at ca. 2.8 m. depth equates with
the upper portion of Drucker’s “layers of orange buff and white sandy
44 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
clays” just below his line A. Finally, Drucker’s “dark brown humus-
stained sand (original surface)” at 3.15 m. clearly is the “black sand”
I show at the same depth.
Certain correlations can be made also between the various platforms
and the materials found within the Ceremonial Court to the north.
The overlying sands are continuous from platform area to all, or
nearly all, parts of the Court. The reddish clay next below, shading
into a mottled yellowish clay at the north evidently equates in time
with a clay that underlies the upper sand and overlies the widespread
“tierra bonita” stratum. The “tierra bonita” north of the platform
complex is certainly to be correlated with the CC’C”’ platform; and
therefore, of course, all features found above this stratum in the Court
area, including Monument 12 and the covered pottery vessels in the
upper sand, are probably no earlier than platform CC’C”. They
could be from a still later period represented by the red clay
platform (?) overlying CC’C’’.
The mottled clay which, in the Court area north of the platforms,
underlies the “tierra bonita,” probably correlates with platform
BB’B”, or with AA’A”’, or perhaps with both. As shown in figure 15,
platform AA’A” consisted largely of mottled clay separated by a
colored band directly overlying a black sand. Mottled clay also ap-
peared under circumstances suggesting that it partly underlay, and
thus partly preceded, platform BB’B’’. The numerous serpentine
celts we found scattered through the tough clay north of Datum A,
and probably also the single covered pottery vessel found in the same
formation, might then correlate roughly with platform AA’A”’ and/or
BB’B”’. The row of celts (pl. 5, 6) 17 m. north of Datum A, at
slightly over 2.5 m. depth, probably would also correlate with one of
these earlier structures.
East Trench, A-1.—As noted above, the east side of the Ceremonial
Court was partially defined above ground by a row of 34 upright
basalt columns, with occasional gaps in the series that would have
accommodated from 3 to 6 more. These began at the northeast corner
and ran due south for 19 m., from which point no more columns were
visible. In search of some explanation for this abrupt ending of the
row halfway between the northeast and presumed southeast corners
of the Court, and in an effort to learn something of the nature of
construction of the wall, we sank a test trench 4.5 m. wide, starting | m.
outside the wall line and running 6 m. west into the Court. Owing to
the loose character of the soil to a depth of nearly 1.5 m., it was neces-
sary to reduce the area of our test trench as its depth increased. This
reduction resulted finally in a test pit 1.5 by 2.4 m., which reached a
total depth of 3.95 m. beneath ground surface.
i
{
«
i
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 45
The soil formations revealed in this trench parallel in general those
found elsewhere in our tests and trenches in the Court area. The
upper 1.5 m. consisted of a loose gray drift sand, fairly dark with
humus at the surface but becoming lighter with increasing depth.
In the lower part of this sand zone and roughly 1 m. inside the line
(projected) of the stone columns was a disorderly mass of small rec-
tangular dressed stone blocks. There was nothing to show how these
had originally been placed; but from analogy with the west wall, to
be discussed next, it may be presumed that they had once been a row
of blocks set on edge against a clay or brick embankment and facing
inward toward the Ceremonial Court.
Below the upper sand, at 1.5 m. depth, was a 10-cm. stratum of thin
reddish, brown, and yellow sandy clay layers—evidently the “tierra
bonita” of our main trench across the Court. This was underlain by
50 em. of reddish and brownish sandy soils, from which the fine even
bedding lines of the “tierra bonita” were entirely absent. Below this
was another 15-cm. stratum of “tierra bonita’”—well-marked red,
brown, white, and dark seams that apparently pinched out and pre-
sumably disappeared a short distance east of our deepest test at
this spot.
The lower “tierra bonita” was underlain by a 50-cm. thickness of
variegated sandy soils, predominantly reddish-brown, with very faint
suggestions of bedding lines. Below this came 80 cm. of alternate
red-brown and light-colored lenses and pockets of fine-textured sands.
These strongly contrasting pockets and lenses suggested loading,
similar to that noted occasionally elsewhere in our diggings.
Beneath the lensed soils was a gray clayey sand, finely mottled with
red streaks and blotches. Owing to relatively higher clay content, this
formation was much tougher than any of the overlying ones. Its
depth was not determined, since at the time we were inclined to suppose
this might represent bottom. In light of subsequent findings else-
where, I am now doubtful that it actually did mean this.
This test trench unfortunately gave us little real information on
wall construction, partly because of complete absence of any columns
and partly because of the very restricted size of our cut. In light of
our more extensive and definitive test in the opposite wall, I doubt
that further work on the East Trench would have been justified. The
complete absence of any columns and the disorderly manner of occur-
rence of the rectangular blocks encountered in the upper sands suggest
that the Court wall here had been broken down by the Indians them-
selves and that anything Eke an accurate reconstruction would have
been out of the question for us.
Other than the shaped stone blocks mentioned, no artifacts came to
light in this trench.
46 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
West Trench, A-1.—F urther details regarding construction of the
walls of the Ceremonial Court were obtained from a trench across the
west side, directly opposite the East Trench just described (pl. 6 and
fig. 16). The West Trench measured 4 m. in width by 9 m. in length,
the long axis running east-west and centering on the line of visible
basalt columns. At its east end, inside the Court, this trench reached
EXTERIOR COLUMNS
FACING BLOCKS
/NTER/OR
FACING BLOCKS
/ METER FEET
W<— COLUMNS
SOFT GRAY SAND
i eces | r
Ze = Ls
if yo uv sae = S LIGHT ~COLOREO
ri 69.06? SE BRIcKS JF MOTTLED CLAY
ye «of onc o |G g ———
ee ot cor GS25 ———————
" ER a
WW “OADED SAN
4
“BLACK” SAND
© ‘ OMNae a3
es oo’
4 METER FEET
2”
TIERRA BONITA,
THICKENS TO EAST
SANDY
SAND, STREAKED
ANO LENSED
CHARCOAL LAYER.
DARK SAND, STREAKY
8LACK SAND (CARBONACEOU.
L£/GHT SOFT SAND
b
Ficure 16.—a, Planof West Trench. 6, Section through west wall of Ceremonial Court,
A-1; exterior of Court wall is to left.
a depth of 5 m.; but in the interests of safety for our workmen, we
had to reduce its area here to a 2.5 m. square. At the west end, outside
the Court, the test reached a depth of 4.2 m. We did not attempt
removal of the row of columns, and had learned from hard experience
that their great weight called for a fairly substantial base. An unex-
cavated block 2.5 m. thick, along the center of which stood the columns,
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 47
was therefore left between the inner and outer pits of this trench
(fig. 16).
Considering first the findings on the inner, or Court, end of the
trench, the uppermost formation revealed was again a soft gray sand—
the same that showed up elsewhere in our excavations in and about the
Court. Where this formation came into our West Trench, it had a
thickness of about 18 m. At 1.5 m. from the row of columns, its
lower margin dipped sharply to about 2.3 m. depth which level, if
maintained westward into the block we did not excavate, would pre-
sumably have run just under the probable base of the columns.
Actually, this thickening sand formation ended abruptly against a
clay bench. This showed a flat upper surface 1.25 m. below ground
level, extending 1 m. east from the row of columns, and then dropping
away in a nearly vertical front facing into the Court. Set into the
upper edge of the clay front were four shaped rectangular stone blocks
forming a sort of facing band apparently similar to that uncovered
by Drucker (supra, p. 32, and figure 13, c) in the inside northwest
corner of the Court. The blocks we uncovered, averaging about 40 to
50 em. long, 20 cm. wide, and 8 to 10 em. thick, were without much
doubt the remnants of a once continuous row that faced inward on the
Court. Above the level of this band was only soft gray sand; beneath
and behind, to the row of columns, was a tough clay. We found no
evidence of the second and lower series of blocks reported by Drucker
on the inside face of the wall.
Below the soft gray upper sand, between 1.3 and 2 m. depth, was
a light-colored mottled clay, underlain in turn by a band of “tierra
bonita” which seemed to thicken where it passed eastward out of our
trench. This band presumably connects with the traces of similar
material underlying the upper sands along our main north-south
trench through the Court. It is at, or very near, the level at which
Drucker (supra, p. 32) reported ‘a sort of step or platform along
the inside of the wall” in the northwest corner.
Below the “tierra bonita” was a sandy reddish clay that changed to
a gray color and showed progressively more clay content westward
to the unexcavated bleck. Its lower contact was uneven, and the
thickness of the zone varied from about 60 cm. on the east to nearly
110 cm. on the west. It is tempting to regard this as the west edge
of the massive mottled clay that formed the lower part of our main
trench walls in the north half of the Ceremonial Court; but further
excavation between our West Trench and the main trench across the
Court would be needed to prove or disprove this point. So far as
stratigraphic position is concerned, the material is at any rate
analogous to, if not identical with, the mottled clay.
Under the clay just noted, our excavation disclosed only a series of
variable sand formations. The first of these, lying between 3- and 4-m.
48 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
depth, was streaked and somewhat lensed, in places suggesting load-
ing. At 4 m. there was a thin seam of charcoal such as might have
resulted from the incomplete burning of brush; and there was evi-
dence that the surface on which this burning had taken place extended
beyond the limits of our trench in all directions. Below this, the sand
was again dark and streaky, apparently with a high carbon content.
At 5 m., bottom of our trench, only light soft clean sand was visible;
its depth was not ascertained.
Other than the changing soil formations, some of which certainly
correlate with native uses of the Court area, the only evidence of
purposeful construction in this part of the West Trench was the clay
bench fronting the row of columns and the four rectangular blocks set
into its upper inner edge.
On the outside of the Court wall, there was evidence of a rather
more involved structure (fig. 16, 6). The uppermost soil forma-
tion was again the soft gray sand, some 60 cm. deep against the
columns and deepening to 1.6 m. at a distance of four or five meters
outside. Beneath this, near the columns, was a reddish clay layer 50
to 60 cm. thick, which sloped downward toward the west into a
mottled light-colored clay.
Underlying the reddish clay was a sort of platform or rampart of
sun-dried brick. The uppermost course of bricks, 1.25 m. below
ground surface, was on a level with the stone facing blocks on the
inside of the Court wall. At a point 2.25 m. from the columns, the
brickwork fell away sharply for 50 cm., where there was a ledge 40
to 50 cm. wide. Below the ledge, other brickwork amounting to eight
or nine courses, formed another steep slope of 75 cm. vertical height.
Below, and 25 cm. outside the lower toe of this platform, were several
stone facing blocks that were evidently the remnants of a horizontal
band corresponding in appearance to that found on the inner side of
the wall. This outer band lay 1.25 m. lower than the inner, and very
nearly on a level with the contact between sandy red clay and the
streaked sand inside the Court wall. No traces of this band were
reported by Drucker in his excavations at the northwest corner of the
Court.
Beneath the brickwork came a series of sand formations. Upper-
most was a lensed sand, alternately dark and light in color, that
rather strongly suggested loading; it averaged some 25 to 30 em. thick.
Below this was a 1-m. depth of light gray fairly clean sand, in turn
underlain by 30 to 50 cm. of very dark gray sand. As will be apparent
from figure 16, the soil formations on the outside do not exactly cor-
respond with those on the inside; but there are unconformities both in-
side and out that look suspiciously like related surfaces. Unfortu-
nately, the unexcavated block separating the two deeper ends of our
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 49
trench still holds the final answer to the question of soil correlations
here.
I am inclined to suspect that the original ground surface on which
the Ceremonial Court was started, was somewhere in or on one of the
lower sandy formations, not less than three or four meters beneath the
present ground surface. All soils found east of the wall to 3-m. depth
can be tentatively, but plausibly, correlated with one or another of the
several horizons exposed in our main trench across the Court.
Whether the black sand at about 4 m. in the West Trench is the same
as the black sand underlying the stepped platform complex (see p. 40)
I cannot say from the evidence at hand.
The “loaded” sand on the outside of the wall at 2- to 2.75-m. depth
suggests a capping on a prepared sand base erected to carry the main
wall. Above it was a substantial platform of sun-dried brick, at least
1.5 m. thick and of an uncertain breadth that certainly did not exceed
4m. This brick platform, fronted on the west by a horizontal band of
shaped stone blocks set on edge, was stepped on its west face and seems
to have had a flat top. Whether this flat top was left so when the
Court was in use, I have no way of knowing; it seems possible the red
clay was added to the outside of the wall to give greater support to the
columns, and that the brickwork was entirely concealed. On the other
hand, the clay that covered the bricks also covered the rows of stone
blocks, which were almost certainly ornamental rather than utilitarian.
My guess is that the brick rampart and its rows of inner and outer fac-
ing blocks, like the upper 1 to 1.5 m. of the upright columns, were fully
visible at the time they were in active use. The lower ends of the
columns, though nowhere uncovered in the West Trench, were infer-
entially on or near the level of the base of the observable brickwork,
and were presumably bedded in massive clay rather than in brickwork.
As indicated in figure 16, upper, the basalt columns had been set with
their flattest and smoothest surfaces facing inward onto the Ceremo-
nial Court (pl. 6, 6). We found no evidence of horizontal bracing
columns against the outside bases of the uprights. The total width of
the wall at its base was between 4.5 and 5 m.; its height, from the top
of the columns down to the base of the brickwork, was probably in the
neighborhood of 3.5 m.
It may be noted in passing that the West Trench yielded no arti-
facts of pottery, stone, or other materials, other than the items already
mentioned as actually forming a part of the wall itself.
East Platform, A-1—The East Platform, as noted above, was a
rectangular column-enclosed structure projecting southward from the
wall line of the Ceremonial Court about 10 m. from its southeast corner.
Like the apparently similar structure excavated in 1942 by Drucker
near the southwest corner, as Trench P-3, the East Platform was sur-
50 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
rounded by incomplete rows of more or less upright basalt columns,
and measured roughly 6.5 by 8 m.
The entire East Platform was isolated by trenches 1 to 1.5 m. wide
by approximately 2 m. in depth; greater depth would have been
desirable, but was not feasible because of the risk of collapse of the
enclosing columns. These trenches, nevertheless, afforded a fairly
adequate idea as to the exterior appearance of the structure. It con-
sisted of originally vertical basalt columns, averaging 2.25 to 2.75 m.
in length, which had been set closely side by side to enclose an area
measuring 6.3 by 7.8 m., the longer dimension being east-west. The
north and south sides each included 16 columns; the shorter east and
west sides consisted of 12 and 14, respectively. They stood appar-
ently in or on a clay embankment, and were secured in an upright
position by means of horizontal columns laid against them at a height
of about one meter above their bases. There were three of these hori-
zontal bracers on the north and south sides, and two on the east and
west sides.
Owing to the badly tumbled condition of the south and west sides,
no further details could be learned regarding their construction below
the horizontal bracers. On the east and north sides, however, further
excavation showed that the horizontal columns lay on a clay bench
ca. 50 to 70 cm. wide. Against the outer upper edge of the bench, set
into the clay along the east side, was a row of 13 rectangular basalt
blocks. These averaged 25 to 45 cm. in length, 22 to 24 em. wide, and
about 10 cm. thick. They were set on edge, with the long axis hori-
zontal and the ends touching, so as to form a continuous band along the
edge of the clay bench. On the east side, there was some suggestion
that these blocks rose slightly from south to north, as if they had been
set in a series of terraces (pl. 7, a) ; but this appearance may have been
a result of slumping of some of the blocks.
The bands of facing blocks on the east and north sides intersected
at the northeast corner of the platform. Those on the north wall,
averaging uniformly 45 cm. in length, were rather badly disarranged ;
but enough remained in place to show their probable original arrange-
ment. It soon became evident, too, that this band of facers was not
the only feature here. Lying against the base of the row was a line
of smaller stones, less carefully shaped and finished but each having
one flat surface, which was turned downward. These secondary blocks
were all under 30 cm. long, 15 to 20 em. wide, and 8 to 10 em. thick.
Not many of these remained in place, but it can be safely inferred,
JT think, that they had once formed a narrow stone benchlike structure
all along the north wall of the platform, facing northward onto the
Court area (pl. 7,5). They rested on the same clay base as did the
vertical facing stones behind them and also the columns.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 51
As already indicated, limitations of time prevented complete ex-
cavation of the east, south, and west sides of this platform and a
determination of the nature and extent of the clay foundations on
which the columns and other stone work rested. Along the north
wall, however, we cut a trench to an average depth of 3 m. below
ground level, or about 1.5 m. below the presumed bases of the upright
columns. This showed (fig. 17) that the tough reddish clay support-
ing the stonework gave way, not far below the band of facing blocks, to
a mottled sandy clay without bedding lines and containing occasional
lumps of charcoal, minute fragments of pottery, and other cultural
debris. This material continued to the bottom of our trench, which
at no point penetrated to the original pre-Court ground surface.
Our trench along the outside north wall of the East Platform also
gave some indication of the vertical relationship between the structure
and the fill within the Court enclosure. Above the facing blocks, the
fill consisted of a loose gray sand about 1.35 m. deep. In the north
wall of our trench, this was underlain by 30 cm. of sandy clay, and this
in turn by a 15-em. band of finely layered reddish, brownish, and yel-
low earths—without much doubt, I think, the “tierra bonita” found at
practically the same depth in our main north-south trench across the
Court. Beneath this, reading downward, came successively a 60-cm.
thickness of heavy mottled clay; a 7-cm. band of varicolored finely
layered sands; and then ca. 50 cm. more of the mottled clay. In
general, except for the lower band of colored sands, these formations
coincided in all respects with those found in our main trench across
the Court.
Returning again to the excavations in the East Platform, removal
of the fill within the enclosed rectangle revealed (figs. 18, 19; pl. 7, ¢)
first a layer of sandy gray humus and topsoil approximately 40 to 45
cm. deep. Beneath this was a layer of reddish clay which also ap-
proximated 40 to 45 em. in thickness over the entire enclosed area,
except where it thickened markedly next to the columns on all sides.
Apparently, it formed a base or matrix into which the upright columns
had been set, and also the bench around the outside on which lay the
horizontal bracing columns and at the edge of which were set the small
rectangular facing blocks. This judgment is based in part on infer-
ence; the weight of the remaining columns and their position were such
that at most points we did not excavate all of the supporting and
underlying soil.
With increasing depth, the reddish clay became varicolored and
streaked or blotchy, and, at a depth of 1 m. below ground surface, this
gave way to a structure of sun-dried bricks. These lay in some 12
to 15, or even more, horizontal courses (pl. 8, a). The bricks varied
a good deal in size and proportions; several that may be regarded
ETHNOLOGY [Bull, 153
BUREAU OF AMERICAN
52
(q wh ‘\d pue [¢ ‘d os|e 22S) EN ainodg [etuoWsIo7) 94} episul WOlF UZ0S se WIOF}E[ J sey fO |[BM 10119} xo yiiou jo Yo Joys a4YOlg—'/T ce: dete) |
41777
Scere a ee Oe ae |
r & f 4 oO
YFILIW /
ee eee
‘2L7 “SOYTHS TYNOISYIIO “SIN/7T ONIGGIG YWVINDIY ON “WII AONYS GITLLOW / °
= FIFI LSYF
_ NMOQ JAS Lev 77 OW _ FHL NO ISOHL SLIIS
FISIMIIAT “S¥I078 YILNI SHIOTE ONIIe4
SO MOY HLYON FHL
og
AUT NI ea
LIS SNI078 Gp aS eS ban Nee Satna yy lee FYFH WOW SYFLIW c
YY TNOINY :
ie SHIOTI hata ONYS Avw9 1798 j
“J7IPM FHL
UIIWWOD OL ‘WIOTE _ NWATOD,S
INO LSOW LY YO
'SWIO7G ON SHIV7 .
ATEYEONdS GNI SIHL
J <— - — MM
53
LA VENTA, TABASCO
Drucker]
(‘TE *d ose 99g) *[-Y “NOD [eruoUsIaD jo WOPeg seq YINosYI vores YINos-yWON—*g] AUNT
LIFTS
(a ya)
& @ ‘ °
VFILIW /
(yee)
4 °
LW A
q7 ees
LZ
HIOT8 THLNOZ/SOH A
SMIOTG ODNIDFS
NOILISOS LHIOIASN TYN/IDIYO
OL GIVYOLSTY NWIATOD
N—
CILYAVYPIX INA
4 4
ji— (2 HLddI7 7) NOILPONNOS HLlYYF ONY FTIGNY INOLS —> Y%
Y
1°ON LNIWFN GS ASUW FAOL
AW7D MOTTIA
HONOL
FIGGNY AY7D GFx
ONY HSILIHM = AGNYS OFTLLOW
LISOPDTS IXY WHOSW/DIIIN,
2a1Cs 1S)
Sse cacacicacR SSS SSSseacscie bs
[en] SSS SS. S336 Gate ta =
eae en Ys | ce [ees [| ee] ah a
w
SNWITOD Pl
NIHWOYT ONY
NIT7T¥S SO T7NY
ig & FOSS SIHL 2
NWIITOD YIWYAS
NOILISOd LH9/adSN
TYN/IDIYO OL
OFAOLSTY NWNTIOD
LNIWSNb¢d YOAS INIT ISVG LSIM-LSVF —S
[Bull. 153
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
54
(T¢ “d osje 99g) “JV ‘unoD JeluouTsIa_ fo wOpE(g Iseq Y3no1y} uore8 JsoM-]se3]—'6] TANI
]
dg =/ wd \ Aer A. ” a) x 7 N n
VEEP; Y,
[ ao eo Pa ee lL ee a eh ee ee oe ee ee ee ee oe
aa eg ata Y ISVS AVTI C/'ON LNININKS HMSYW FHO/L
YR I /
| See ea |
/ °
g r
S ITGGNY AVTO AQNYS S
w
2 +
" <
wD)
J >
mc
R = Ooo SSoosaonmoae Sl leeion =
d = (em (on [pe SSIs
L Ac See ee eee = ua [ems [een] ees easter 3
3 ‘=a [oes oom [on [ome [ed Cac SSsSses %
6 ae 7 seats :
ce 3S Zz
; Si
Yl =r Si Le aS 20.7 CG. Lv. ==" 2s
7
Vy Y a} ,
ey VS. sce ipl
YY la VII oes SOI ae
SSmaoago000 Sao
ATO Ji,
Jj< ANIWIAVA YO INIT FSV HLNOS - HLYON —>M
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO ao
as average specimens approximated 35 by 22 by 10 cm. Most were
olive-gray to greenish and yellowish in color, and they had been set
in a reddish clay; when freshly exposed, they formed a rather strik-
ing pattern of colors. They composed a solid mass extending nearly
to the columns on all sides, from which, however, they were separated
by an apparently brick-free red clay. We were unable to determine
with certainty whether the brickwork extended laterally below the
columns. J am inclined to doubt that it did; but there is the possibility
that more carefully cut sections through the wall than we were able to
make would show traces of such a foundation, perhaps somewhat
obscured by crushing of the bricks under the great weight of the
columns.
The maximum observed thickness of the coursed brickwork totalled
approximately 2.25 m. Its lower limit vertically was rather strongly
marked, unlike the lateral and upper margins, where the weathering
and disintegration of the adobes had largely obscured their extent.
Beneath the brickwork, and about three meters below the ground
surface, the character of the fill changed abruptly to a light mottled
pinkish sand mixed with lumps of dirty whitish clay. The contact
between this material and the overlying bricks was horizontal and
perfectly even throughout the extent of the platform area (pl. 9).
Some 15 or 20 cm. below the contact plane between bricks and under-
lying sandy clay rubble, completely enclosed by the latter material,
and about 50 cm. west of the center of the column-enclosed area, was
a cruciform cache of 20 celts (pl. 8) and other objects. In this arrange-
ment (pl. 8, 6), the upright of the cross was oriented north-south,
with its shortest arm, represented by three celts lying side by side,
toward the south. Below these lay two large celts, also side by side
and about 20 cm. apart; then came successively three large celts, three
smaller ones, a hematite mirror pendant, and finally a single celt.
Each of the celts in the upright of the cross was oriented with its long
axis north-south, paralleling the axis of the upright. The arms of
the cross each consisted of one group of three medium to small celts
and a single large one at the end, all these specimens lying with their
long axis east-west. The celts were of moderately good workman-
ship; most were of serpentine, but two or three were of some harder
stone, apparently jade. In north-south extent, the cross measured
1.1 m.; in east-west extent, 1.25 m. There was no evidence of a
specially prepared bed for the celts.
Between the two large celts, where the upright and horizontal arms
of the cross intersected, there was a circular blackened layer, slightly
concave, and measuring 17 cm. in diameter. Near its center were
traces of charred or oxidized wood that had apparently been covered
with reg pigment; the entire area had a curiously fibrous or grainy
947310525
56 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
structure. I presume there had once been a circular wooden plaque
here, probably painted with red ochre or cinnabar; but the faint sur-
viving traces offered no clue to its further appearance.
The hematite mirror near the north end of the cross was irregularly
oblong in shape, and measured 8.8 by 6.0 by 0.5 cm. Its upper sur-
face had been carefully ground and polished to a shallow concavity
with a low flat border. Near one of the longer sides, marked by a
broken and unfinished edge, were two small perforations 5 cm. apart.
Beneath the cruciform celt cache, the mottled sandy clay continued
to a depth of 1.8m. more. Here, at a depth of slightly less than 5
m. below ground surface (pl. 9), was the most interesting feature
of all—a carefully built pavement of stone blocks representing, ap-
parently, a conventionalized jaguar mask. This, the first of two
such constructions uncovered in the 1943 excavations, was designated
Pavement No. 1 (pl. 10 and fig. 20).
Pavement No. 1 was within a few centimeters of being perfectly
square in outline, its four sides varying in length between 4.63 and
4.7m. It consisted of 443 blocks of serpentine, each carefully dressed
to a square or rectangular form with smoothed upper and nether
surfaces. In size they varied from small pieces approximately 12
cm. across to others as much as 80 or 40 cm. in maximum dimension;
thickness averaged consistently in the neighborhood of 5 or 6 cm.
All of these blocks had apparently been laid in a thin layer of asphalt
or pitch, which occurred under and between them. Underlying the
asphalt was an exceedingly tough brownish-yellow clay, 5 to 7 cm.
thick, below which, in turn, was a compact stone rubble consisting
of irregular fragments of serpentine and other rock held together
with more clay. This rubble underlay the entire pavement, extend-
ing beyond it in all directions to and beyond the edge of our exca-
vations. The stone fragments were so thoroughly compacted and
interlocked as to be almost impossible to remove; and we finally gave
up our attempts to get through the mass when, 60 cm. below its sur-
face, we found ourselves still in the rubble. Even here it was so
compact that a pick could be driven only a few centimeters into it.
There is, thus, no way of telling at this time how much deeper the
rubble continued; but what we saw represented an extraordinarily
solid foundation for the pavement and all that lay above.
The pavement has been described as approximately square in out-
line, at any rate in its principal section. Basically, it had been con-
structed as an open square, with three rows of blocks on the west,
north, and east sides, and two rows across the south. Almost without
exception, the blocks in these rows lay with their long axes north-
south. The first row on the north was not complete throughout its
length; at its center three or four blocks had been omitted to leave a
=—
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 57
gap approximately 50 cm. wide. The second row included a central
gap also, but this had been partially filled by two blocks laid with
their long axes running east-west. The third row, of 32 blocks, was
unbroken throughout its length, as were the bordering rows on the
east, south, and west sides of the pavement.
ANDO CROSS SECTION
&-W BASEL/NE FOR PAVEMENT
fear
(See also pls. 10, 11.)
i
EDGE OF EXCAVATION
(ey
——
N-S BASELINE FOR PAVEMENT
ANDO CROSS SECTION
Boise
aN
Ry
Ficure 20.—Plan of Pavement’ No. 1, beneath East Platform) of Ceremonial Court, A-1, showing rela-
Oe game Rg OA ee lew te case
(cy fai Y ia Y Pao:
A N ‘ a“
ag See! ‘
ose
-sy77
a
aN
cr
£OGE OF EXCAVATION
tionship to column enclosure and other structural features.
poms eras
“
a“
’
oN
KO
NUMEROUS FALLEN
COLUMNS IN UPPER
PORTION OF THIS AREA |
ta
8 9 9 9399 So oe a SSS SSeS
=
Within the hollow square thus created, various rows and other
groupings of blocks divided the enclosed area into five unpaved sec-
tions of varying sizes and shapes. The largest was at the north; it
consisted of an open area 3.6 m. east—west by 80 to 85 cm. north-south.
Ten cm. inside the west, north, and east sides ran a line of narrow
blocks, 7 to 10 cm. wide by 12 to 25 cm. long; there were three blocks
each on the east and west sides and 15 along the north. Along the
58 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
south side were two short rows of fairly large blocks, so spaced as
to leave a 45 cm. gap in the middle and somewhat longer gaps between
their respective ends and the border blocks. The gap separating
these two short rows was due south of the central notch at the north
edge of the pavement. South of this space, two solid rows of blocks
ran entirely across the square.
The north-south midline of the pavement, as suggested, ran through
the notch at the north side and also through the space separating
the two short rows of blocks along the south edge of the north un-
paved area, just described. In the south half, it ran along the mid-
line of a narrow rectangular paved area 3 blocks, or 50 cm., wide by
7 blocks, 1.45 m., long in the north-south direction. This rectangle
was surrounded by a narrow unpaved border averaging 12 to 15 cm.
wide. Three rows of blocks running north-south on each side
separated this panel and its border from other unpaved areas to east
and west.
These latter areas, one in the southeast quarter of the pavement,
the other in the southwest quarter, each measured 1 m. wide, east—
west by 2 m. long. Each in turn was divided into two sections by a
double row of blocks running east-west. On the west, this resulted
in 2 small rectangular areas; that on the north was 75 cm. north-
south by 1 m., while that on the south was 85 cm. by 1m. On the
east, the same measurements were retained, but with the larger open-
ing on the north. Along the south side of each of these 4 openings
was a single row of 5 slabs and then, touching these on the north, 2
single blocks set 25 to 35 cm. apart.
So much for the main body of the pavement. When we were clear-
ing along the south edge in preparation for photographing, we found
to our surprise that additional slabs, also set in asphalt, continued
southward under the wall of the excavation. With our allotted time
fast running out, we here discovered a series of four large diamond-
shaped appendages running well beyond the south line of columns
topping and outlining the East Platform. A cave-in of the entire upper
south wall of our excavation, following a heavy rain, forced us to
snake out the fallen columns, and thus enabled us to work farther
into the area surrounding the pavement in something approaching
safety. Here, by tunneling nearly one meter beyond the south line
of columns, we finally found the ends of two of the diamond-shaped
appendages (pl. 11).
As stated, the appendages were four in number. Their over-all
width totalled 4.6 m., practically the same as that of the main pave-
ment. ach consisted of four large petaloid limestone slabs, with one
end more or less carefully squared. They ranged in length from 50
to 60 cm., and in width from 25 to 35cm. They were laid flat, in most
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 59
instances with the rounded end of one against the corner of the next,
and with one corner of each of the squares or lozenges so formed
touching the south edge of the main pavement area. At each corner of
the squares was set a small squarish or triangular stone, sometimes
augmented by two still smaller triangular ones. At the south corner
of each, the small stones were uniformly triangular in shape. Next to
these, in each of the two units completely cleared, lay another large
rectangular slab measuring 20 by 50 cm., with its long axis east-west.
Extending off the south side of each slab were 4 smaller rectangular
blocks, each measuring 15 by 35 cm. ‘These radiated out fanwise to-
ward the south. They were proportionately narrower and less care-
fully finished than the large blocks from which they fanned out. The
extreme south end of the two fans exposed was 1.7 m. from the south
edge of the main pavement square. We assume that the two unex-
cavated appendages, shown by broken lines in the ground plan (fig.
20), probably terminated in similar fashion.
When the appendages were cleared, it was found that the large
asphalt-encrusted slabs were bordered by about 5 cm. of the tough
yellow clay. Within the triangular and diamond-shaped areas thus
delimited, there was a compact fill of greenish-gray clay mottled and
streaked with purplish-red, the whole forming a very striking color
pattern when freshly exposed or otherwise dampened. The large
slabs were encrusted with asphalt to a thickness of as much as 2 to 4
mm.; they were the only stones which, as a group, gave any evidence of
having once been asphalt-coated on their upper visible surface.
The lengthy and, I fear, not very lucid description just given can-
not adequately set forth the impressiveness of the pavement as it finally
lay revealed to our gaze. The blocks of green serpentine, set in asphalt
on a yellow clay bed, with a purplish-red veined background for the
appendages along the south, presented a most striking picture—
particularly so, when the entire surface was cleaned with water and
the colors came out in all their richness. Only a full-color photo-
graph, for which the circumstances regrettably were unfavorable,
would have done it something approaching justice.
The Forecourt, A-1.—Approximately 1 m. south of the stepped clay
platforms in the south central part of the Ceremonial Court, our
north-south main trench increased in width from 1.5 to6 m. Here,
beneath 75 to 85 cm. of soft gray sand, we uncovered a level surface of
compact reddish clay extending east and west into and beyond the walls
of our cut. Southward, it was readily traced for some 10.5 m., i. e.,
approximately to a line connecting the south fronts of the East and
West Platforms. At this point, 27 m. south of the center of the Cere-
monial Court (i. e., Datum A), the red clay surface gave way abruptly
to a soft sandy fill of undetermined depth and extent. About one
60 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
meter in front of the clay-floored surface lay three basalt columns,
arranged like steps to give easy passage downward from the platform.
The columns (pl. 12, a) averaged between 30 and 40 cm. in diameter
by 2.7 to 2.9 m. in length. As found, they formed a series of risers
15 to 20 em. high, and treads of approximately the same breadth.
Between the topmost column and the actual clay front, in a sandy fill,
were short fragments of two or more columns, evidently not in their
original position. These suggest that the steps may once have risen
slightly higher or, more probably, that between the steps and the plat-
form there was once a sort of landing made of column sections. Be-
neath the columns, and concentrated chiefly at their west end, was a
scattered mass of limestone boulders and fragments; their purpose
was not clear. The arrangement here, in general, suggests a level clay
platform or forecourt, bounded on the north by the stepped clay plat-
forms, on the west and east by the West and East Platforms, respec-
tively, and on the south by a rather abrupt break into a lower plaza to
which access was facilitated by the columns forming a short stairway.
Directly south of the lowermost step column, and at the same level
about one meter below ground surface, lay the corner of a broken
carved table altar; another smaller fragment lay about one meter to
the southwest at the same level. Both pieces were in the soft sandy
fill that began at the steps and ran, to an undetermined depth, south-
ward to the edge of Mound A-3. No other fragments of this altar
(pl. 64 and fig. 54) came to light, nor can we say with certainty just
where the object stood when in use. A detailed description and re-
construction has been made elsewhere by Drucker (infra, p. 182).
Miscellaneous features, A—1—Elsewhere I have noted that the
southeast corner of the Ceremonial Court, unlike the other three
corners, was not visible on the cleared ground surface. With tape
and compass we computed the approximate location of the missing
point, and then set workmen to the task of locating some subsurface
evidence of it. In this we were unsuccessful; a test pit to nearly 1.5
m. depth disclosed not the slightest trace of any stonework or columns
that could be interpreted as proof of a marked spot or corner. There
was evidence, however, of adobe construction in the north face of our
pit here—an observation that assumed some significance in light of
the brickwork subsequently found when we uncovered a section of the
west wall of the Ceremonial Court.
Closer inspection of the surface contours here led us to suspect
that some sort of platform or other structure had once lain near or
at the probable southeast corner. The tops of six closely set upright
basalt columns were visible, beginning 5.75 m. southwest of the cal-
culated corner of the Court and running 3 m. due south. The north
end of this row was 3.5 to 4 m. from the presumed wall line of the
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 61
Court. On excavation, it was found that 4 or 5 columns lay criss-
cross, apparently in purposeless fashion, against the base of these
uprights. Just east of the southernmost upright, about 7.5 m. from
the wall line of the Court, was a band of six shaped rectangular
blocks. The blocks varied in size from 25 to 60 cm.; they were set
on edge, end to end, and extended east for 3m. Behind, that is north,
of these blocks was a compact clay fill rising some 60 cm. above their
level. The thickness and horizontal extent of this material were not
determined. In that portion of the area here cleared of surface sand,
however, a heavy washing rain disclosed clear evidence of laid up
sun-dried bricks. It may be suggested that the six upright columns
and the nearby facing blocks once marked the corner of a brick plat-
form perhaps 4 m. wide and extending 7 m. or more south from the
main rectangle of the Ceremonial Court at its southeast corner. So
far as I am aware, there were no comparable surface stones or columns
at the southwest corner of the Court; but the ground contours gave
some hint there, too, of an underlying platform or other slightly
elevated structure.
There is a hint, too, I think, that the facing blocks fronting the
structure at the southeast corner were not primarily made for use
here. They consisted actually of two distinct sizes and shapes. The
stone at the west end of the row and the two at the east end, ‘were
carefully dressed on all surfaces; they averaged very close to 50 by
22 by 8cm. The remaining three blocks were all much smaller, about
30 by 20 by 7 cm.; they were uniformly less well made, with only one
surface flattened, the others rounded off but not dressed down. These
two sizes of blocks were employed together, but each with a distinct
place, in the north wall of the East Platform, as described in connec-
tion with that feature in a preceding section. Their use at the south-
east corner of the Court suggests possible utilization of left-over or
plundered building material made originally for use elsewhere; and
it thus seems possible that the structure which once stood here may
have been a later addition, originally not planned for, to the Court
area.
MOUND EXCAVATIONS IN AREA A-2
The 1948 excavations in the North Mound, A-2, lying immediately
beyond the Ceremonial Court, consisted of a trench 3 m. wide con-
necting with our main north-south trench through the Court and
extending northward to the summit of A-2. Our principal objectives
were: (a) to determine, if possible, the exact relationship of A-2 to
the Ceremonial Court, and (0) to learn something more about the
nature and construction of the mound itself. It is most embarrassing
to have to admit that the profile diagram made of our trench wall has
been unaccountably lost and is not available at time of this writing.
62 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
There are at hand only my rather sketchy field notes, which were in-
tended to supplement rather than parallel the diagram.
Drucker has noted that his 1942 excavations showed at least one
enlargement of the mound. This is described as consisting of the
heightening of an older structure by some 2.57 m. of later fill, in which
were enclosed a tomb built of columns (Tomb A of the sketch map,
fig. 14), a large stone coffer, and other materials. Our trench through
the south half of the mound suggested that its core consisted of a series
of clay platforms or, perhaps, a low stepped pyramid, somewhat re-
sembling the clay platforms we sectioned in the south central part of
the Court.
Throughout most of our 1943 cut, which reached a maximum depth
of slightly more than 5 m., the lowest formation was a very dark soft
sand, underlain at one point by an equally soft clean white sand.
Above the dark sand was a massive deposit of whitish sandy clay, with
a lumpy appearance that suggested material brought in as large clods
and irregular chunks. This layer, apparently forming a rude but sub-
stantial base for the overlying mound platform, varied in thickness
from 30 to 100 cm. It, like the overlying platform surfaces, ended
abruptly at the north some 5 or 6 m. south of the stone coffer uncovered
by Drucker in 1942 and about 2 or 3 m. south of his deepest test. pit.
Here there was a steeply sloping break accentuated by a thin but
unmistakable line of purplish soil, north of which the structural lines
gave way to a rather chaotic mass of clay of various colors. How far
northward this apparent structural break extended we could not de-
termine, since there was not sufficient time to trace it through or be-
yond the unexcavated block on which still stood the stone coffer and
Tomb A. My impression, which unfortunately cannot be checked
against a detailed field diagram, was that of a large pit dug by the
natives into a series of older platforms, with the coffer and Tomb A
placed in or on a more or less structureless fill, and then covered with
red-orange clay.
In the south part of the mound, the several observable steps or plat-
form fronts gradually faded away just north of a point where the
short north walls of the Court, if projected toward each other, would
have intersected our trench. The terrace fronts and platforms were
marked by thin purplish seams, in some places clearly numbering 20
or more layers within a distance of 2 or 3 cm. The lumpy-looking
clay also ended abruptly at about the same point in a 30-cm. drop;
and the underlying dark basal sand dipped sharply downward nearly
1 meter. There was no evidence of stone columns or other structures
at this point ; but for some 2 or 3 m. farther southward into the Court
area proper, there was only a mass of unstratified reddish and yellow-
ish clay. The upper portion of this mass tended to be redder, and
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 63
apparently correlated with the material forming the upper part of the
mound proper—the red-orange clay described by Drucker as sur-
rounding and underlying Tomb A, the coffer, and other nearby fea-
tures. As a thinning wedge, the red clay extended southward for
another 2 m., suggesting that the southern limit of Mound A-2 actually
lay about 6 or 7 m. within the northern wall line of the Court area.
Below this mound edge, at depth of 1.9 m., we again recognized the
“tierra bonita” layer already described from the exposures in the main
Court trench ; above it was 1.6 m. of loose gray sand.
The only feature remaining to be described from this part of our
diggings is a carved stone altar elsewhere described by Drucker as
Monument 18 (pl. 63). It stood upright 14 m. north of Datum A and
6 m. south of the north wall line of the Court. Its flat subcircular
carved top lay 80 cm. below ground level; the obliquely broken base
rested directly on the red mound clay 1.6 m. below ground level. In
the trench wall just east of the altar, at 1.45 m. depth, a burned clay
surface suggesting a floor was traceable for about 1 m. northward.
Lack of time precluded clearing of the nearby area along the south
front of Mound A-2.
On the basis of our observations, I think there is no doubt that
the altar, Monument 13, lay on the mound slope and was directly
associated with that structure. I think, too, that the row of axes
found 3 m. to the north and at 2.5 m. depth (page 39), underlay the
mound structure and cannot be considered as a part of that complex.
In reporting the 1942 excavations in Mound A-2, Drucker noted
(see also fig. 9) that “between the tomb and the stone box, nearly
touching the latter, was a series of 11 irregularly placed basalt columns,
2.2 to 2.9 m. long, of the same sort as those used in the construction of
the tomb, but of smaller diameter and less regular cross section.” As
he further observed, these were all laid more or less north-south;
some were tilted, and those in the middle were generally deeper than
the outer ones. They varied in depth below mound surface from 0.68
m. to 1.49 m., and the spacing between contiguous columns varied
widely. They suggested nothing quite so much as a mass of building
material left over after construction of the nearby Tomb A, and were
understandably so regarded until resumption of investigations in 1948.
The columns in question, as seen in 1943, covered an irregularly rec-
tangular area measuring approximately 3.5 m. east-west by 2.5 m.
Those in the middle lay some 50 or 60 cm. lower than the outer ones, as
if they had once covered a pit or loosely filled space that later collapsed
or settled. We removed the columns, and then in the cleared space
(pl. 13, a) started an exploratory pit 2.5 m. square. This was in a
mottled lumpy-looking clay of very compact character. Within a
couple of hours, streaks of cinnabar were showing up; and by the time
64 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY (Bull. 153
our excavation had reached a depth of 2.5 m. below mound surface, or
about 75 cm. below the columns, this brilliant pigment constituted a
large proportion of the fill over an area measuring 3.3 by 1.2 m.
Beneath and in the lower part of this cinnabar-filled clay, was a
gravelike deposit of jade celts, ornaments, and other objects, to the
total number of 108 pieces. The celts, mostly of small size, were
scattered more or less haphazardly throughout a rectangular area 2.1 m.
east-west by 0.7 m. (pl. 13,0). The specimen at the southwest corner,
one of the largest in the group, was notched at the bit and bore on its
under side the representation of a conventionalized Jaguar-monster
(pl. 56, deft). All others were plain, but well-made and _ nicely
smoothed.
In the midst of the area of greatest concentration of celts were two
well-made but undecorated jade earplugs, lying about 12 to 15 em.
apart. Beside each lay one medium-sized and one slender object of
jade, all perforated, and suggesting earbobs. West of these, in a
curving discontinuous line, were 35 globular beads, with 14 more
arranged in a small circle nearby. Some of these were fluted or
gadrooned; and in one case we detected a recurrent arrangement of
three globular centrally perforated beads followed by a single bead
with right angle perforation, i. e., a 1-3-1-3-1 sequence. Between the
row of beads and the earplugs was a small circular jade disk and a
tubular jade bead. Partially encircled by the beads was a piece of
hematite mirror with one perforation; the other fragment, also with
single perforation, lay about 60 cm. away and east of the earplugs.
Other items present included 11 scattered tubular beads and, finally,
beneath the circle of globular beads, a tiny skull carved of jade, ca. 6 or
7mm. high. It may be noted that much the heaviest concentration of
cinnabar occurred in an area measuring roughly 75 by 75 cm., begin-
ning at the east side midway between earplugs and second mirror
fragment and almost covering the breadth of the celt-littered zone
at this point.
I have referred to this find as a “gravelike deposit,” and on the
accompanying plan of Complex A it is indicated as Tomb E. Despite
this designation, based largely on the arrangement of objects other
than celts in such a manner that they suggested ornaments attached to,
or closely associated with, a human body, there were no scraps of bone,
tooth enamel, or other items clearly identifiable as remains of a human
skeleton. As will be apparent in the discussion of the 1943 finds in
Mound A-8, there were at least two comparable instances of jade
deposits so arranged as to suggest grave furniture but without the
slightest accompanying trace of bone or tooth enamel. I am unable
to state positively, therefore, that these were actually burials, although
the impression that they were is a strong one.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 65
One other point of passing interest may be noted here. In my gen-
eral description of the Ceremonial Court as I first saw it in 1943, I
noted that the 40-m. west wall included 65 visible columns plus a tree-
covered gap of about 8.5m. Where the line seemed least disturbed,
the columns were set at intervals of ca. 50 cm., center tocenter. Allow-
ing 17 additional columns to fill the gap, there should then have been
originally approximately 82 on the west side. On the incomplete east
wall, there were 34 visible columns starting at the northeast corner,
with here and there small gaps that, collectively, might have accommo-
dated from 3 to 6 additional ones, for a total of 87 to 40. In the south
half of the east wall, where no columns could be seen there presumably
once were about 42 to 45 more. It is interesting to note that Tomb A
in Mound A-2 consisted of about 38 full-length columns, and the
covering of Tomb E of 11, a total of about 49, which figure would
nicely account for the missing pieces in the east wall of the Court.
MOUND EXCAVATIONS IN AREA A-3
The mound designated A-8 was, before its surface had been cleared,
a comparatively inconspicuous elliptical structure with rather ill-
defined margins. It measured approximately 32 by 24 m., with the
long axis oriented in a north-south direction. At the highest point,
it rose some 2 or 3 m. above the nearby ground surface on the west,
north, and east. It lay directly on a line between Mound A-2, to the
north of the Ceremonial Court, and the summit of the Great Mound,
to the south. As already indicated, low linear embankments, desig-
nated A-4 and A-5, flanked the mound on the east and west, respec-
tively, at a distance of eight or ten meters.
Our excavations at Mound A-3 (pl. 12, 6) consisted of a north-
south trench 6 m. wide, whose center line coincided with the main
north-south axis of the group of structures and features collectively
designated as Complex A. This trench extended from the north edge
of the mound southward for 27 m.; narrowed to 1.5 m., it was sub-
sequently continued another 5 m. southward to the opposite edge of
the mound. In depth, the trench varied from 2 m. at the south end
to just over 5 m. beneath the highest portion of the mound.
Throughout the entire length of our trench, the mound (fig. 21)
was underlain by a fine sandy soil, variable in color, but characteris-
tically becoming lighter with increasing depth. Overlying this sand
was a bed of pink and white sandy clays averaging 15 to 20 cm. in
thickness. Though somewhat variable in color and in relative pro-
portions of sand and clay, this bed was very well marked throughout
some 30 m. of the trench walls. Like similar distinctive and brightly
colored zones elsewhere encountered in our diggings, this “tierra
[Bull. 153
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
66
2OS004 4 yy AONVS
tS \f punoy fo uorjiod ysnoiyy uol}99S—*[Z aun y
SOFILIW
ee oO
CON LNIWIAVS
LIIAD AONYS
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 67
bonita” formation was perfectly level at all points where we could
check it in our workings in Mound A-3.
Above the “tierra bonita” layer was the main core of the mound.
This was a massive reddish clay dome a trifle over 30 m. long, extend-
ing north and south just beyond the limits of the colored layer and
rising at the highest point 2.25 m. above it. Beneath the mound
summit, this red clay was overlain by approximately 70 cm. of sandy
soil and humus interlaced with roots. At each end of our trench,
where the clay core thinned out and finally disappeared, the gray
sand and overlying humus reached a thickness of about 2 m., and
finally merged with the sands underlying the colored mound base.
The clay core was by no means uniform in character. In its central
portions, 50 to 75 cm. below its buried upper surface, the reddish clay
graded rapidly into a chaotic mass of burnt clay, fire-blackened earth,
stones, and an occasional tiny sherd—in short, a rubble of burnt and
unburnt materials almost entirely devoid of artifacts or other cultural
remains. This formation was most strikingly apparent below the
highest portion of the mound, but it could be traced southward over
a maximum horizontal extent of 18 to 20 m. In the northern half
of the mound profile it was much less distinct. All of the several
structural and other features found during our work in this mound
were clearly in or on the red clay core.
It has been stated that the clay core rested on a level bed of colored
sands and clays. What I presume represented a bit of aboriginal
engineering in achieving this level base may be remarked here (fig.
21). At a point below, and beginning roughly 2 m. north of, the
mound crest, our trench face disclosed a series of three sun-dried
bricks, evenly spaced at intervals of 1.5 m. Each brick was yellow
in color, measured 10 by 10 by 12.5 cm., and stood upright with
its upper end in direct contact with the lower surface of the colored
sandy clay bed. To the south, 13.5 m. from the first of these three
adobes, was another “nest” of three, of the same size, color, and shape,
and all set similarly on end and just touching the colored layer. I
am inclined to think that these bricks, all with their upper ends on
a level, were part of an aboriginal system of grade stakes, sighted
in, with the gray underlying and surrounding sands then leveled off
flush with their tops to provide a perfectly flat, level, and uniform
foundation for the “tierra bonita” base underlying the red clay
mound core.
Within the mound proper, the principal feature was a large rec-
tangular cist, walled, floored, and roofed with shaped sandstone slabs
(pl. 14). The cist lay just north of the highest point of the mound
(fig. 21), about 60 cm. below its surface. It was completely sur-
rounded, underlain, and covered by the massive red clay and clay
68 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
rubble of which the mound core had been constructed. Directly over
the cist, the upper surface of the red clay reached its highest point,
suggesting that when the tumulus was raised, its primary purpose
was to cover this boxlike structure. The cist, it may be noted, was
almost exactly bisected along its shorter axis by the axial line of
Complex A on which our trench had been centered.
The cist (pl. 14 and fig. 22) measured 5.2 m. from east to west by
1.8 m. north to south, outside dimensions. Rectangular in shape, it
was delimited by a large sandstone slab at each end, one large and five
small slabs on the north side, and one large and two small slabs on
the south side. All of the slabs were carefully shaped and dressed
to a rectangular form, and were set on end. The larger ones ranged
in width from 1 to 1.3 m.; in length, from 1.7 to 1.9 m.; and in thick-
ness from 12 to 18 cm. The smaller ones varied in width from 45 to
75 cm. and in thickness from 10 to 15 cm.; in length, they closely
approximated the larger ones with which they had been used. All
had been securely planted to a depth of 40 to 60 cm. in the mound fill.
The cist floor consisted of nine similarly dressed sandstone slabs,
varying considerably in size and proportions (fig. 22). The edges
and corners had been painstakingly shaped and carefully fitted to
one another so as to form a comparatively smooth even floor. None
of the floor slabs equalled in size or weight the four largest pieces
used in the walls.
The cist was originally covered with five large slabs, of which
only the one at each end still remained unbroken. The other three
had given way in their middle portions, so that the fragments sagged
downward deeply into the cist fill. The depth of the structure from
the upper end of the vertical wall slabs to the floor was uniformly
very close to 1.2 m.
Removal of the cover slabs and fragments disclosed a compact fill
of reddish clay, similar to that composing the mound core. In the
center of the cist, however, the broken ends of the slabs rested on
only about 380 cm. of this material, suggesting that the structure had
not been entirely filled in at the time it was roofed over. It may,
indeed, have been left unfilled so far as the builders were concerned ;
and the material we found between floor and roof slabs could readily
have found its way into the cist from the enclosing matrix through
the gaps in the walls. If these gaps had ever been closed with wood
or other perishable material, there was no evidence of it at the time
of our investigations.
As we worked downward into the cist fill, traces of a brilliant red
coloring matter, apparently cinnabar, began to show up at a level
some 20 cm. above the floor. This became increasingly abundant
over the central part of the floor area, forming in places an almost
69
LA VENTA, TABASCO
Drucker]
(‘S¢ ‘d osje 999)
"¢-V punoy] ul ‘sjuazu0S YIM ‘(dQ quo) ISId sUOISspueS Jo Uv]g—77Z TUNITY
APTS YILIW S
|
FYOD NEVAISFO
DIAVWYINT
FIN aes
70 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
pure bed of pigment of a thick, puttylike consistency. Laterally, the
stuff occurred in thinning quantities to within 25 cm. of the north
and south walls, and could be detected to within 80 cm. of the east
end and 1.5 m. of the west end. The bed of cinnabar, roughly elliptical
in outline, thus measured approximately 2.25 m. east to west by 1.05
m. north to south. Outside the limits of this elliptical area, the red-
clay fill lay directly on the floor of the cist.
Scattered about on the cist floor, chiefly at or near the edges, were
37 celts. Twenty-four of these were found as more or less isolated
pairs; the others occurred in larger groupings or, in rare instances,
singly (fig. 22). Nine were of serpentine, the remainder of light
gray jade. None occurred within the zone covered by the cinnabar,
although two on the north and a single one on the south barely touched
the pigmented area.
Also on the floor, 30 cm. from the east end and 50 cm. apart, were
two poorly preserved but restorable pottery vessels. That to
the north was a small bottle-shaped piece 10 cm. in diameter, with
a loop handle. The other was approximately 20 cm. in diameter, with
raised annular base and a rim curiously reminiscent of the lip form of
the abalone shell (pl. 19, f). Near the west end of the floor, about on
the midline of the cist, were the remains of a third pottery vessel, very
soft and badly broken. Modeled on one side in bold relief was the
face of a jaguar with wide-open mouth and exaggerated canine teeth
(pl. 18,6). There were no other pottery artifacts.
Perhaps the most interesting finds were made beneath the bed of
cinnabar. Slightly more than 1 m. from the east end of the cist and
almost exactly on its east-west midline, was found a well-polished
jade tube 75 mm. long. West of this some 18 cm., and about 15 cm.
apart, lay two finely incised jade ear spools, the broad decorated sur-
faces ( pl. 52 and fig. 46, 6) turned upward. With each was a cleverly
carved triperforate earbob, also of jade, depicting a conventionalized
animal jaw (pl. 57, ¢ and fig. 46, a). Scattered through the heavy
masses of cinnabar surrounding these objects were scores of tiny jade
beads, pendants, spangles, and other objects. Many of these pieces
were less than 1 cm. long and not more than 1 or 2 cm. in transverse
diameter, but all had been polished and perforated for attachment to
some material, presumably a textile. Several small tubular beads, 2
em. or so long, had been carved into faithful representations of duck
heads. Along with these objects were several small bits of worked
and bored rock crystal.
Approximately 50 cm. west of the paired ear spools, and also on the
midline of the cist, lay a small figurine fashioned from serpentine.
This, described elsewhere by Drucker as No. 12, was 11.5 em. tall, and
had obsidian insets in the eye sockets. Another 15 cm. to the west was
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 71
a spindle-shaped or punchlike object of jade, with broken tip. South
of this, 25 cm. distant, was an obsidian core 12.5 cm. long, bearing on
its flaked surface the incised outline of a crested eagle with outspread
wings (fig. 48). In an irregular curving line 90 em. long and center-
ing at the jade punch, was a row of 64 globular jade beads, several
of them with fluted sides. At each end of this bead row was a small
flattened elliptical jade object apparently representing a turtle cara-
pace. All of these objects—jade, serpentine, rock crystal, and
obsidian—lay just above the floor slabs, and were completely sur-
rounded by cinnabar.
As will be apparent upon reference to the accompanying plan of the
cist and its contents (fig. 22), the objects in the cinnabar bed lay in
such positions relative to each other as to suggest mortuary offerings
ona burial. The tube at the east end suggests a hair pipe or similar
ornament, and the ear spools and associated objects were about where
one would expect to find them on either side of a skull. The serpen-
tine figurine might be supposed to have lain on the lower chest, with
the beads and other specimens representing a girdle. Despite the
most careful examination of this area, however, no trace whatsoever
could be detected of bone, of tooth enamel, or of other human remains.
There is thus no direct proof that this cist ever actually contained a
burial.
Seven meters south of the cist, and approximately on a level with
its top, was a well-made stone cylinder. This stood upright on the
clay mound core (fig. 21; pl. 12, &) directly on the north-south axis of
Complex A. The cylinder, Monument 14 (pl. 15, @) measured 38 cm.
in diameter by 51 cm. in height; both ends were flattened. Through
its center ran a finished circular hole 9 cm. in diameter, plugged at
its lower end by a carefully fitted planoconvex stone disk 5 cm. thick.
The function of this object is uncertain; it may have been an offertory
cylinder. There were no artifacts in or directly associated with it.
Between cist and cylinder, three meters north of the latter and on
a level with its base, were two serpentine celts. Both were lifted by
the workmen before their exact position was noted, but the remaining
imprint of the larger showed that it, at least, had been set on end with
the blade upward. Both were certainly very close to the axis line
for Complex A. Nearby, and on the same level, were scattered frag-
ments of what seems to have been a large curiously shaped sandstone
vessel or other object. The fragments suggested a circular flat object,
perhaps 38 to 45 cm. in diameter, with a large dressed central opening
10 to 15 cm. across. Between the rim and this inferred central open-
ing were the remnants of a flange at least 7 cm. high. AJl fragments
noted were at least 2 cm. thick, and the workmanship generally was
good. The inferred dimensions of this object and its central opening
947310526
72 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
approach those of the ends of the cylinder already described, and one
wonders whether there may have been originally some close and direct
association functionally between the two objects.
Also from the rubblelike mound fill between cist and cylinder came
two finds of smaller artifacts that merit notice. One consisted of
several small scattered bits of jade, each roughly rectangular in out-
line and measuring about 6 by 10 mm. In each case, one surface was
flat and well polished; the reverse face was rough and uneven, and
bore closely adhering stains of some black substance. In one instance,
three or four of these bits of jade were still stuck together, edge to
edge, by some unidentified adhesive, with their polished surfaces all in
one flat plane. There seems no reason to doubt that they had once
formed a part of a jade mosaic; but it is manifestly impossible to say
further what its original appearance, size, or function had been.
Similarly without any direct associations was an amber pendant
unearthed nearby. It was more or less pear-shaped in form, unper-
forated, and measured approximately 45 mm. in length by 15 mm. in
maximum diameter.
Six meters south of the cylinder (Monument 14) and 13.2 m. south
of the cist, streaks of cinnabar were encountered by the workmen at a
depth of about one meter below the mound surface. These again were
very close to the axial line of Complex A. Beneath them was a rather
well-defined rectangular area (fig. 23) measuring approximately 30
by 50 cm. in horizontal extent, long axis oriented east and west, and
|
|
|
|
! |
iEsangeal |
| j)
BELO OF
| | CANWABGAR Lg |
Piece cues rte
| CLAY oe (_
SSS. es es eS a a eye tal ae
oO 20
CM.
Ficure 23.—Plan of child’s grave(?), Tomb D, Mound A-3. (See also pl. 15, b.)
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 73
very heavily impregnated with cinnabar. Surrounding this rectangle
was a zone about 10 cm. wide wherein the soil was streaked and un-
evenly mixed with more cinnabar. The main deposit of cinnabar was
22 to 25 em. thick. At the bottom, 12.5 cm. from the east end and 15
em. apart, lay two undecorated jade ear spools, each 37 mm. in diameter.
These, unlike the two in the cist, were simple affairs, consisting of a
flat disk with short tubular stem; in one, the stem was a separate piece.
Beside each lay a jade earbob fashioned into a replica of a canine tooth
and perforated at one end. Nearby lay two tubular jade beads 32 mm.
long, and a small concave disk with scalloped edge and one large
central and two small marginal perforations. Near the west end of
the cinnabar bed was a small subtriangular piece of worked jade.
Outside the main cinnabar deposit, in the southeast corner of the
streaked border zone, lay a small undecorated clay pot so softened by
percolating ground water as to be unsalvageable. It may be roughly
described as having had a squat body, 13 cm. in diameter by 7.6 cm.
high, surmounted by a short cylindrical neck 37 mm. in diameter and
the same in height.
Here, as in the cist, the ear spools and nearby objects lay in such
positions relative to one another (pl. 15, 6) as to suggest that they
were originally affixed to the head and chest of a corpse, this time
that of a child; and the feature has been designated, perhaps unjusti-
fiably, as Tomb D. Here again, as in the cist, there were not the
faintest traces of human bones, teeth, or other remains in the area.
One meter south of the “grave” or cache just described, and at the
same level, were found four small serpentine figurines, described else-
where as Figurines 8, 9, 10, and 11 (see Drucker, infra, p.157). They,
too were in the upper portion of the clay mound core; and until the
moment of discovery their presence was totally unexpected. Unfor-
tunately, these were turned up by the workmen while I was tempo-
rarily engaged in another part of the diggings, and during a period
when no other professional member of the expedition was on the scene.
T am unable to state, therefore, just how they occurred in the ground.
At the same time, I am fairly certain that they, like the nearby “grave”
noted just above, lay only a few centimeters below the upper surface of
the red clay mound core on which had been set the stone cylinder
(Monument 14) and the nearby two serpentine celts. All were ori-
ented along the axial line running north and south through Complex A.
Two other features, whose exact relationship to Mound A-3 is not
certain, may be noted at this point. It will be recalled that the upper
surface of the red-clay mound core sloped downward at both ends of
our trench to intersect finally the prepared base of colored sands. At
the south edge of the mound, this intersection point was 18 m. from
the cist. Here the gray overlying aeolian sands reached a thickness
74. BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
of 1.5 m., and then merged with the lighter colored sands beneath the
prepared base. Less than a meter beyond the edge of the colored base
sands, approximately 50 cm. below their level, and 1.8 m. below the
present ground surface, was found a pavement of serpentine blocks.
Generally similar in character to Pavement No. 1 beneath the East
Platform of the Ceremonial Court, A-1, it was rather less well-pre-
servedl, somewhat cruder and simpler, and it deviated in certain par-
ticulars. An unknown number of stones that once formed a part of
the pavement on its west edge were missing, but a sufficient part of the
structure remained to permit adequate description of what must have
been its original appearance (pl. 16 and fig. 24).
i AG ee rey eo eae) , FO
pease st
8 ei Gee 55 [LJ i OS 2B Be Ly}
Hoy SO ete en ae ears Oa eens!
Gis IN Go os el ea Ci OE EE =a5
les iT
cal peers ©)
rom «=O oo
DOBE! LLY | een ae it
Sebi casnapsiccccme!@ 59
TO oy J
Nore rey HU
OG ee ites ce) Pr Ty ge
0 SAUGencatine |
5
mies
: BE
Ee a Ss,
EE
HE
Bice
h
OC
u
a
7
=(pq/n)%, in which g is “probable error,” p is “proportion of
successes,” q “proportion of failures,” and n ‘number of observations.”
128 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
It is apparent that the two uppermost levels have a greater probable
error, which we may interpret here as including the effect of de-
structive soil action, as well as error of sampling introduced by meth-
odology of collecting, which was as far as possible kept uniform for
all levels. ‘The three lower levels, on the other hand, probably repre-
sent a nearly true picture of ware distributions. Therefore it seems
justifiable to allow for greater error in the two upper levels, dis-
counting marked deviations from trends indicated by the materials
from Levels 3, 4, and 5.
On that basis, it can be seen that there is an evident regularity in
the percentage distributions, with suggestions of slight shifts in popu-
larity, but no sharp breaks. Coarse Buff ware shows a slight tendency
to increase in proportion from bottom to top of the trench (17 to 20
percent), Coarse Brown ware diminishes slightly (37 to 31 percent),
and the Fine Paste wares show a moderate increase. The minor wares
run along fairly evenly: both Coarse White and Coarse Black tend to
dwindle away in the upper layers (disregarding the higher proportion
of Coarse Black in Level 1). We may suspect the virtual disappear-
ance of Brown Lacquer ware is not a real change, but due to poor
preservation conditions in the surface levels. It is the ware that one
would expect most likely to be eroded into an unrecognizable mass
cf nondescript sherds, because of the softness of its paste and the
tendency of the slip to flake off.
It is difficult to interpret the fairly consistent trends toward in-
creasing or decreasing percentages. I would stress that I believe
these to be real, if slight, changes in preference by the pottery makers.
TaBLE 9.—The distributions in Stratitrench 3
Level 1! Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Ware _————— i TASES GRAMME] [aC canSaes a=
No. |Percent| No. |Percent] No. |Percent| No. |Percent}] No. | Percent
Coarse Buff-_-_--.--- 395 33 921 35 924 27 1, 275 26 376 22
Coarse Brown.----- 488 41 1,110 43 1, 687 49 2, 936 59 1, 188 69
Coarse Black_-.___- 60 5 80 3 100 33 190 4 28 2
Goarse*Wihites=2200 |] ==" == | Eseeene= 34 1 69 2 64 1 89 5
Coarse Red-------- 1 (Oy 4 (2) 7 () 7 @)_.||--==eees | ae
Brown Lacquer-__- 5 (2) * 31 1 80 2 19 (2) 8 (2)
Fine Paste wares-__- 248 16 442 17 580 7 478 10 41 2
Paintedsiwanes ies pes. sea 4 (?) 5 (2) 1 @) ae ee
MRotals-e---=— 11977 | See 2620 || nae Onda) |e 40700 pense 130 =. See
1 All levels 30.48 em. in thickness. Level 1=0-30.48 cm., Level 2=30.48-60.96 cm., etc.
2 Indicates presence in amounts less than 1 percent.
3 All sherds with painted decoration included.
The general picture of the distribution in this trench is like that
of the preceding, one of continuity and regularity of the ceramic pat-
tern. The decrease in volume of the uppermost level is due to poorer
preservation of the surface materials; however, there was a much
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 129
smaller proportion of unclassifiable material from this cut than in
the preceding trenches. Level 5, at the base of the deposit, simply
yielded slightly less sherd material in terms of volume.®
We may also note the regularity of trends in the ware percentages
from the various layers. Coarse Buff and the Fine Paste wares show
strong trends toward increase, from the lower to the upper levels,
while Coarse Brown as steadily diminishes in relative volume. The
minor wares seem to fluctuate a bit, perhaps because in their lower
frequencies a larger or smaller amount of unmatchable pieces of two
or three broken pots makes more apparent deviation. But even these
fluctuations do not greatly disturb the general picture of continuity
of the ceramic pattern during the period represented by the deposit
that our trench intersected.
When the two sets of distribution data are compared, however, a
much more complex picture appears. First of all, it should be noted
that, despite changes in trends and relative frequencies, the evidence
for continuity persists. ‘That is to say, the changes evidenced are not
such as would indicate a cultural break equivalent to a change from
one to another cultural horizon. The same wares occur in both
trenches, and moreover, the same wares appear as major components
of the ceramic pattern (i. e., the wares of higher frequency), and the
same ones—Coarse White, Coarse Black, Coarse Red, Brown Lacquer,
and the rare bits of painted pottery included under the head of
“Painted wares” are of low frequency in both stratigraphic sections.
Likewise, as will be shown, there are no radical changes in vessel forms.
The same vessel shapes appear in both trenches as the common ones
(at least insofar as can be determined from the fragmentary material),
and there is no indication of introductions of new forms, at least in-
volving modifications like handles, supports, etc., that altered the
ceramic complex to any great extent. The very infrequent handles
and lugs come from both trenches; the heavy ring stands (or “annular
supports”) likewise come from most levels of both; true feet or legs
(such as are associated with the tripod and tetrapod vessel support
patterns of Mesoamerica) are virtually absent from both excavations.
The peculiar “pot-rests” are to be noted in all levels of the two
trenches. The same applies to types of decoration: rocker stamping
(infrequent, but in all levels), punctate design, and the only really
abundant form of decoration—that consisting of incised lines circling
the vessel mouth—have the same distribution. If we take the use of
painted decoration as a design trait (deleting it from the list of sep-
arate wares) we get the same result: a very few examples show up
13 The maximum value of 3, from this trench is 4.2 percent (Coarse Brown ware, Level 1).
The 3, values run low, being quite similar to those of Levels 3, 4, and 5 of Stratitrench 1.
130 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull, 152
in most levels of both stratigraphic sections. It seems clear then that
we are dealing with ceramics all belonging to a single pattern, and so
far as one can see, to the same general horizon within that tradition.
The differences in relative proportions of the several wares are
nonetheless very apparent. In searching for an explanation to ac-
count for them, one of the first questions that obtrudes itself is that of
time: can the two deposits be regarded as contemporaneous, or does
one represent an earlier, one a later phase of the La Venta occupa-
tion?** First of all, there is nothing in the nature of the deposits
themselves that suggests temporal differences. The poorer preserva-
tion of the material from the upper levels of Stratitrench 1 probably
can be accounted for as the result of differences of the local soil cli-
mates—differences in drainage, forest cover, and the like. The only
evidence pro or con contemporaneity of the two deposits must be de-
rived from the cultural material contained in them.
If we suppose, as a working hypothesis, that two small communities
existed during the same time period at the two localities, a short dis-
tance apart—not an hour’s leisurely stroll from one to the other—and
occupied by Indian families who shared the same cultural traditions,
in particular, the same ceramic tradition, it is very difficult to suggest
a reason why their inhabitants should have made different amounts
of the same wares. If the differences were due to use of special ma-
terials, coupled with some such concept as that of individual or village
ownership of claypits, the expectable result would be a general simi-
larity of local ceramics, with certain ware or wares (those made of the
uncommon type of clay) present at one locality and absent, or found
in relatively minute amounts only, at the other. Likewise, if some
class or caste system prevailed in which the occupants of one locality
were priests and chiefs, and those of the other their troops or labor
battalions to whom the use of certain finer vessels, among other
things, was prohibited, we should expect to find no fragments of the
tabued articles at the one locality. The fact, however, that such
differences do not occur, and that not only do the same wares (and
vessel forms, and figurines as well) occur in both deposits, but that
the major wares show the same general trends, makes it seem probable
that the localities were not contemporarily occupied, but that one
succeeded the other. In both sections, Coarse Buff ware and the Fine
Paste wares show a marked increase in relative frequency from lower
to upper levels, at the expense of Coarse Brown ware which decreases
%The very clear relationship in the total ceramic patterns has been outlined in the
preceding paragraphs in stating the case for assigning material from both deposits to a
single cultural horizon; I do not mean to deny such unity of pattern and presumed unity
of culture horizon by pointing out the possibility of sequence of “phases.” If such temporal
divisions can be shown to exist, they would be very minor components of what was
essentially a single cultural stratum.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 131
notably from bottom to top in both trenches. The regularity of these
trends is one of the strongest arguments for successive rather than
contemporaneous occupation.
The most reasonable explanation thus appears to be that we are
dealing with remains from two successively occupied localities belong-
ing to the same cultural horizon. Such minor changes in style and
preference as are indicated by the percentage trends in the levels of
the two stratitrenches would have in time come to the gross differ-
ences represented by the two lots of material.
If we assume that the two deposits were successively occupied, the
next step is to see what indication there is as to which was the earlier
and which the later. On the basis of the sherds alone, this would
be very problematical, were it not for the evidence of the nature of
the trends of ceramic changes at the related site of Tres Zapotes.
There, especially in the Middle Period, it will be recalled, the general
over-all pattern of the ceramics was very similar to that at La Venta.
Numerous points of striking similarity have been mentioned in the
descriptions of La Venta ceramic types. One of the pronounced trends
of ware frequencies during the Middle Period at Tres Zapotes (and,
it should be noted, one that continued into the Upper Period as well,
indicating that it was a consistent developmental process of the ceramic
pattern), was the increase in vogue of the Fine Paste wares at the
expense of the manufacture of vessels of coarser pastes. Since the
Fine Paste wares at the two sites are undoubtedly related components
of the local pottery complexes, it follows that a similar trend is to
be expected at La Venta. The sherds from both trenches show strong
and consistent increases in proportion of Fine Paste wares from the
earliest to the uppermost levels of each. It therefore seems logical
to suggest a sequential development from Stratitrench 3, in which
the Fine Paste wares increase from a low to a moderate abundance
to the time of occupation of the deposit cut by Stratitrench 1, where
these wares were abundent in the lowest levels and attained an even
higher frequency in the upper ones. Concomitant with the conti-
nuity from one trench to the other is that of Coarse Brown ware. It
decreases, sharply at first, then more moderately, from lower to
upper levels of Stratitrench 3, and continues to diminish at a moderate
rate during the aggrading of the deposit cut by Stratitrench 1. The
general tendency toward relative increase of the Coarse Buff ware
would appear to continue from one trench to the other with such a
sequence, although the absolute difference of the percentages is rather
great (33 percent in the Level 1 of Stratitrench 3, 17 percent in the
Level 5 of Stratitrench 1). It seems possible that an unconformity
exists between our two sections as they now stand. It need not have
been of particularly great duration, of course.
132 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
In conclusion, examination of the ware frequencies from the two
stratigraphic trenches suggests that the two deposits contain the
ceramic products of a single cultural horizon, since the same wares,
vessel shapes, and decorative techniques persisted through the total
period represented by the two deposits. It also seems probable that
of the two, Stratitrench 3 sections a site occupied early in the period,
while the locale cut by Stratitrench 1 was lived on by the bearers of
the same tradition a bit later in the era. The broad similarity
of the materials from the two trenches is the more striking, indicating
a fundamental continuity of tradition within a single culture horizon.
POTTERY FIGURINES
TAXONOMY
La Venta pottery figurines belong to the same tradition of hand-
made clay figures as those of the premold eras of Tres Zapotes, and
presumably of most of the intervening region. This tradition ap-
pears to be linked, on the basis of technology and style, with those of
early Mayan horizons on the one hand—early Uaxactun and Mira-
flores, specifically, and in the other direction to a figurine pattern of
the Huasteca. However Olmec figurines in all their varieties have
enough distinctive features so that they can be recognized readily
as a group apart, within this wider pattern. From the Tres Zapotes
ceramic sequence we have certain trends in their local development
and variation. In the Lower period these figurines were quite rigidly
standardized and limited to but few variations (indicating that they
already had passed through a developmental phase), and in Middle
Tres Zapotes appears much more variation, with new varieties, and
hybridizations of the several types, as though the makers were de-
liberately toying with the existing forms. Yet even here there are
cleancut types, and hybrids whose parent forms are easily recognized.
(In Upper Tres Zapotes these objects were superseded, of course, by
the apparently imported complex of mold-made figurines which not
only differed in technique but in subject matter as well.) The
figurines from La Venta fit very neatly into the Middle Tres Zapotes
group. Not only is one numerically important at La Venta the same
as one characteristic of Middle Tres Zapotes, and a less common type
similarly occurs at both sites, but the general trend of all La Venta
figurines shows the same kind of deviation from and modification of
ancestral forms that characterize Middle Tres Zapotes.
Before describing the La Venta figurine types in detail, it will be
necessary to present a revision of the original classification of hand-
made figurines from the region. Such an overhauling is essential not
because of lack of validity of the types defined, but rather because of
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 133
certain sins against systematic taxonomy that I committed that make
it awkward to add new types as they are discovered, and difficult
to show relationships and derivations. In describing the Tres Zapotes
materials, the hand-made figurines were put into two major groups,
designated by Roman numerals I and II, each of which was further
divided into subgroups, or “types” indicated by letters A, B, and C
under Group I, and, illogically, D, E,and F underGroup II. “Types”
J-A and I-C are closely allied both typologically and stratigraphi-
cally; the difference between them is of a different order from that
between either of them and “Type” I-B. The members of the second
group differ considerably in point of distinctiveness; one type, II-F,
being more closely related to the I group than to either II-D or II-E.
This framework obviously does not allow for much expansion. When,
at Cerro de las Mesas, a few typologically related forms appeared—
although the bulk of the figurines were non-Olmec, like most of the
ceramics—they were lumped together under a single head (1), to set
them off from the rest of the Mixtequilla material, and new types
were given additional letter designators. Thus, Cerro de las Mesas
Figurine Style I telescopes Tres Zapotes Groups I and II, and adds
a few letters. This modified classification is more elastic as regards
addition of new types, although it is conceivable that we might in
time run out of letters, but it cannot be made to show relationship
of types easily. If consecutively lettered types should be stylistically
and/or genetically akin, it would be pure coincidence, and likely we
would end up deriving a (hypothetical) “Type K” directly from
Type B, or Q, a sort of step that could easily confuse the person work-
ing with the material and almost certainly would befuddle the weary
reader. On this account I have attempted to work out a more logical
and at the same time a more flexible system of categories for Tres
Zapotes-La Venta hand-made figurines and their nearest relatives. It
must be noted that this classification covers only hand-made (not
mold-made) figurines, and furthermore, covers only the southern
Veracruz-western Tabasco region. I believe, however, that with but
little revision it could be extended to cover hand-made figurines from
adjacent regions also, although at present it includes only types found
at Olmec sites.
First of all, there are three (rather than two) basic groups, which
we may designate “Styles” within the body of material: Style I, in
which the features are indicated by (multiple) punctate impressions
and applique; Style IT, in which narrow slits rather than punctations
are used, again supplemented with applique elements, although some-
what less elaborately; and Style III, in which features are shown
entirely or principally by means of modeled relief, or sculpturing.
134 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
Both Style I and Style II types are typically made of coarse heavily
tempered, poorly fired, reddish-brown to buff clays, are soft and
friable, and consequently erode badly. Style III figurines often,
though not invariably, are made of finer, more compact pastes, often
resembling the material of the Fine Paste wares. In addition to these
basic Styles, combined designators, such as I/II, I/III, etc., can be
used to indicate hybridizations, depending on which Styles are in-
volved in the cross.
Within Style I, characterized by use of punctations and applique
elements to indicate features, are a series of classes. At present three
such classes can be distinguished as consistent strains, but more can
be added as new forms appear from sites still unexplored. The first
Class, I-A, is the “Classic” form of figurine of the region, so-called
because of its very rigid stylization, and also out of deference to the
fact that it is represented to the exclusion of all but one other Class
in the ash-sealed Early Tres Zapotes section, and must be quite early
(Drucker, 1948 a, pl. 35). The distinctive features are: large rather
rectangular face, usually giving the effect of heavy jowls and marked
prognathism, although occasional pieces have slightly pointed chins;
eyes represented by semicircular stamped arcs with central punc-
tation, nostrils and corners of mouth marked by circular punctations,
ears may or may not be indicated, but ear spools invariably are shown.
The bodies associated with these heads are often rather graceful, with
constricted waists (not always slender, however), and wide hips.
Some very obviously indicate pregnancy. Arms and legs are im-
pressionistically sketched. Legs of standing figures often taper
rapidly from a plump rounded thigh, producing a silhouette rem-
iniscent of that of a drumstick & la Maryland. Feet and hands are
sketchily done, with incisions to mark off fingers and toes. These
figurines all represent females. Breasts and sexual parts are sup-
pressed. The navel is almost invariably indicated by a large round
punctation. Clothing is usually sketchily shown by bits of applique.
The types within this Classic group consist, so far, of the following:
J-A-I, as in the preceding, distinguished by a more or less elaborate
turban, (this type was designated I-A in the description of Tres
Zapotes materials) (pl. 23).
I-A-2, as before, but with striated pats of clay indicating hair rather
than a turban, (corresponding to the type called I-C in the Tres
Zapotes account).
J-A-3, modified variants of the above types (chiefly I-A-1) that
preserve most of the distinctive I-A features. In other words, these
are transitional forms from which the I-B forms came directly. In
some cases the sole difference is lack of punctations at the mouth; in
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 5
others, all the heavy punctations are present but facial proportions are
altered. (PI. 26.) This type is abundant in Middle Tres Zapotes.
A second Class within Style I is distinguished by modifications in
the direction of realism. The same techniques—punctation and use
of applique elements—serve to indicate the features, but the heavy
square facial proportions are softened and altered, and there is a
defter touch in the use of the punctate elements: eyes and nostrils are
more shallowly punched and in better proportion to the face, instead of
being great staring holes as in the I-A forms. The punctations at
the corners of the mouth are often suppressed. Bodies are much the
same as those of the I-A types in treatment, but tend to be slimmer
and more graceful in their proportions. Ornaments and clothing vary
from scant in female figurines to quite elaborate in those representing
males, and are invariably represented by applique. For the most part
these Realistically Modified (I-B) figurines seem to derive from I-A
types, through relaxing of the rigid stands of the I-A pattern. There
may be other lines of influence represented, also, for the proportions of
one type of head in this group (I-B-3) are reminiscent of those of
early figurines from the Petén. In terms of chronology, these I-B
types are all somewhat later in the Olmec region so far as present evi-
dence goes, than the I-A types. The I-B types that occur at Tres
Zapotes are consistently from the Middle Period.
I-B-1, male figures, often or usually (%) bearded, with elaborate
headdress or turban, necklaces, capes, decorated belts and kilts (all
indicated by applique strips of clay) ; features as above, facial propor-
tions somewhat slimmer and finer than I-A types; quite often a socket
remains in the middle of the back indicating the attachment of a
whistle (see pl. 31; and Drucker, 1948 a, pls. 27, J, 44, 0).
J-B-2, aged figures, with pronounced wrinkles and sunken cheeks;
otherwise features as described for class in general, (the forerunners
of this type may occur in Lower Tres Zapotes, but the maximum
elaboration is found in the Middle Period) (pl. 28, 7).
I-B-3, a type characterized by a wide face with rounded—to—pointed
chin; bareheaded examples are slightly more common than turbanned
ones. By separating the two varieties into subtypes on the basis of
presence or absence of turbans (I-B-3a, turbanned, I-B-3b, bare-
headed), their relationship to the I-A types is more clearly seen. The
technique by which hair is represented, either a thin layer or several
applique pats of clay with heavily incised lines, is identical in the
T-A-2 and the I-B-8b forms; and in addition, many of the latter show
a prominent forelock like those of the Classic group. The specimens
with turbans have these articles indicated in the same fashion: Two
or more strips of clay stuck on to suggest a diagonal wrap-around
947310—52——_10
136 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
effect, pulled well down in back. The chief difference is that the
T-B-3a pieces consistently have low close-fitting turbans, which ac-
centuate the broad facial proportions. (This I-B-3 type corresponds
in the main with that designated I-F in the description of Tres Zapotes
materials, except that I erroneously included certain hybrid forms
with slit rather than punctate features—the present Style II—with
the Style I pieces) (pls. 26, 27).
I-B-4, a form characterized by a strongly convex profile; the facial,
proportions in front view are similar to those of I-A types, but because
of the convexity of the profile, the chin usually recedes and is less mas-
sive than that of Classic types. The nose is prominent. High tur-
bans, similar in proportions to those of type I-A-1, are usual, although
more elaborate headgear occurs on some specimens. Eyes and other
features are treated as described for Class I-B in general. This is the
first of the present list of types which is rare in the Tres Zapotes col-
lections, and has not been found there in a stratigraphic section.
(PI. 28.)
Class I-C figurines are those of grotesque types. Although at first
glance they appear to be mismade aberrants, they run so consistently
te certain clean-cut types that it is evident they were deliberately
fashioned according to definite patterns. Features are indicated by
Style I methods—with heavy punctations and applique elements.
Bodies, like the heads, are misshapen: some are stubby rectangles,
with wide rectangular crotch, while others are rounded, but with very
exaggerated wide hips, protruding bellies, and arms and legs sup-
pressed to small stubby tips. These bodies are usually abundantly
ornamented with bits of applique to suggest necklaces, belts, etc.
I-C-1 is the most common type of this Grotesque class at Tres
Zapotes, and is reflected in modified form at La Venta. The heads are
strongly tapered toward the chin in outline, have an enormous nose,
and the heavily marked eyes are set low on the face. Headdresses
consist of elaborate tall turbans, with profuse applique elements.
Sometimes chin straps are indicated by strips of clay which run over
the chin. Bodies are as described for the class in general. This type
was distinguished as “I-B” in my discussion of the Tres Zapotes mate-
rial. It makes its appearance in Middle Tres Zapotes, and was fairly
abundant all through that pericd. (Pls. 41 left, a; 30, a. See also
Drucker, 1943 a, pls. 26, b; 28, 0; 29, d.)
Additional types of the Grotesque class would include the Cerro de
las Mesas types “I-G” and “I-H”. For the present I only mention
their occurrence to illustrate the way this classification can be ex-
tended, for the types from Cerro de las Mesas are not represented at
La Venta, nor have they direct bearing on the La Venta material.
Style IT figurines are, so far, represented by a single class and type,
Ii-A-1, which was the basis of the type referred to as “II-D” at Tres
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 13d
Zapotes. The heads are proportionately long and narrow, and quite
thin. The nose is a large triangular piece of clay with “cut” sur-
faces. The mouth is not typically formed from an attached pellet, but
marked by a horizontal slit; eyes are horizontal or slightly slanted
slits. Ears are cursorily indicated by nocks or slits, and ear ornaments
are not shown. This type occurs in both pure and hybridized forms
at Tres Zapotes and also at non-Olmec Cerro de las Mesas; it has not
been observed at La Venta, but there is abundant evidence of its influ-
ence on forms from this last-named site, especially on I-B-3 and I-B-4
types. At Tres Zapotes, this type and its derivatives appear suddenly
on the Middle Period horizon. Weiant (1948, pp. 92-93) has com-
pared it to certain Morelos figurines, and implies a belief in a deriva-
tion from the Highland. To me, there is a closer similarity in treat-
ment and style to a Huastecan type that Ekholm (1944, p. 486) has
designated the “Cut—Featured type,” referable to Period II. If the
type turns up in central Veracruz, when intensive work is done there,
it would go a long way toward defining the connections between Olmec
and Huastecan cultures. (PI. 25, a-c.)
Hybrid forms derived from a blending of the basic styles can be
designated by combining the keys for the types involved giving prece-
dence to the one which appears to dominate. For example, a figurine
head which appears to be essentially a II-A-1 form, modified by the
addition of central punctations to indicate the eyes, would be classed
as II-A-1/I; a I-B-3a figurine with slit rather than punctate eyes
would be I-B-3a/II. Many hybrid forms have eyes made by super-
imposing two horizontal slits—a rather obvious transition between
the Style I curved stamped line with round punctation, and the flat
horizontal lines of Style II. At present it does not seem necessary
to define more precise categories for each of the numerous possible
or observed combinations resulting from hybridization.
Style III, the modeled hand-made figurines, can at present be sorted
into two principal classes. The first and also the more sharply de-
fined of these comprises the so-called “baby-face” types. The second
class is a provisional one, which may or may not need to be divided
and more precisely defined as more specimens become available. The
chief characteristic of all Style III figurines is of course the modeling
technique by which features are represented in relief without resort
to such artificialities as punctations or incisions. In the construction
of the figurines one occasionally sees evidence of the applique tech-
nique, but pieces of clay added in this way are firmly welded down,
and evened off so that they do not produce the patchy appearance
common to specimens of Styles I and II. The more skillful treat-
ment is enhanced by the use of finer, better clay for most of these pieces.
Class III-A types, that is, those often referred to as “baby-face”
forms, are too well known to require much detailed description. As
138 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
their name indicates, they appear to represent infants, and are ordi-
narily quite consistently infantile in facial and bodily proportions.
The facial outline tends to be of a long rectangular form reminiscent
of that typical of I-A types. Facial planes and features are delicately
modeled in accurate relief. Arms and legs are usually short and
chubby, sometimes exaggeratedly so, but usually have well-modeled
hands and feet, with proper numbers of fingers and toes. The antiq-
uity of this class is demonstrated by the occurrence in the Lower
Tres Zapotes material of a fragment of a small Coarse Black ware
bowl with a face unmistakably in this tradition modeled on the side
in low relief. III-A figurines continued to be made throughout the
Middle Tres Zapotes period, where they attained considerable heights
in realism and artistry. Hybrid forms (principally crosses with Style
I) occur during the Middle Period.
Subdivision of III-A specimens into types is something of a problem,
for the most obvious sorting, based on available pieces, is on a basis
that differs from those used in typing other classes. I propose, at
the risk of inconsistency, the following types:
III-A-1. Small solid figurines of the “baby-face” class. (PI. 30, c.)
III-A-2. Large hollow figurines of this class. (Pl. 41, right, e.)
III-A-3. Effigy vessels characterized by the distinctive features of this class.
The class III-B, as remarked, is a catch-all, and as such, provisional.
It is possible that there will always be a small proportion of specimens
made in the Style III technique, but of which no two are alike—they
may be actual portraits, or the results of some virtuoso’s experimen-
tation. (PI. 48.)
Hybrid pieces, distinguished as a rule by use of punctations at
eyes, nostrils, and mouth (any or all of these points) can be designated
III-A-1/I, etc., depending to which type the basic features of the
figurine belong.
Animal figurines.—F igurines representing animals are much harder
to classify, and for the present no detailed system will be set up for
them. The chief trouble appears to be that the subject matter is
so varied that without a very large series one cannot differentiate
between differences deriving from the artists’ efforts to emphasize the
distinctive features of a particular species, and differences resulting
from conventionalization. In general, most or all of the La Venta
animal figurines show a relationship to the artistic tradition producing
the Style I human figurines, for basic forms are supplemented by
use of punctations and applique, and the same coarse poorly fired
paste as used for Style I human figurines is the material of which
the pieces were made. Perhaps eventually it will be possible to work
out a more exact classification for the animal figurines.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 139
The creatures represented in the collections, so far as they can be
recognized, are: jaguars—one with human body and dress—(pl. 41,
right, a), one a strongly modeled fragment of a small vessel—perhaps
to be regarded as showing Style III influence—(pl. 42, left, c) ; crested
birds (currasow?) (pl. 37, g); and coatimundi (pl. 37, m). Several
of these pieces were originally whistles.
LA VENTA FIGURINE COLLECTIONS
Among the 117 reasonably complete figurine heads from La Venta
including specimens from the test and stratigraphic trenches, there are
to be found most of the types mentioned in the classificatory list, and in
addition a number of varieties of hybrids not specifically described,
although their ancestry is obvious enough on examination of the par-
ticular features. However, despite this variation, certain types pre-
dominate, in pure or mixed strains. For example, 52 of the 117 speci-
mens belong to one or the other of the I-B-3 forms, or mixed types
such as [-B-3/IT; 30 are I-B-4 or hybridized varieties thereof
(I-B-4/11, I-B4/III, I-B-4/1, etc.) ; 17 are of I-A-3 type, slightly
modified examples of the Classic types represented by the Lower Tres
Zapotes material; and 9 are III-A (baby-face) types. The remaining
pieces are for the most part aberrant specimens that fit nowhere into
the classification, although there are some, like one modified I-C-1
piece (pl. 33, left, a), that fit the general pattern. The unclassifiable
or aberrant pieces include the following: a small skull with punctate
features (indicating relationship to Style I) (pl. 42, Zeft, 6) ; another
skull, seemingly that of a monkey to judge by the extreme prog-
nathism, very strongly modeled (pl. 48, 6); the head, that must
be a portrait of a small boy, modeled but with punctate accents, that is,
a III-B/I form (pl. 48, a) ; the boldly modeled face on the object pre-
sumed to be a vessel support (pl. 21, a), and the strange, unfortunately
badly damaged fragment that suggests to me, in a vague indefinable
way, the stone “masks” of Teotihuacan, perhaps because of its in-
verted triangular outline (pl. 42, f). Even the aberrant pieces con-
form to the pattern of the more common types in a general sense, how-
ever, and aid in placing the La Venta figurine complex in relation to
established sequences. Both typical and unusual figurines show con-
siderable variation from the Classic hand-made types from which they
appear to have derived; and on the other hand not one single example
of a mold-made figurine was found. The nearest established ceramic
column, that of Tres Zapotes, includes one phase in which a similar
pattern occurs, the Middle Period. Closer examination bears out the
impression of correspondence of general features. That is to say, the
most abundant La Venta types, I-B-3 and its derivatives, occurs also
140 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
in Middle Tres Zapotes, as do the modified “Classic” types (I-A-3). A
very typical Middle Tres Zapotes type, the I-C-1 Grotesque, is repre-
sented by a few modified La Venta specimens. Although the appar-
ently alien II-A-1 type, which was introduced and became abundant
in Middle Tres Zapotes, is not represented in the La Venta collections,
its influence on local figurine styles is very plain in the strong trend
toward use of slits rather than round punctations to represent features
that characterize a number of hybrid types. Finally, the I-B-4 fig-
urines, which seem to be a La Venta specialization, fit consistently
into the Middle Tres Zapotes trend, in which hand-made figurines
continued to be manufactured by early (Lower Period) techniques, but
with continuously greater freedom from the rigid standards prevailing
in the Lower Period.”
All in all, the placing of the La Venta figurine complex is clear and
convincing: the proliferation of the standardized early types of hand-
made figurines, the absence of mold-made specimens, and the cross ties
established by specific figurine types found at La Venta and in Middle
Tres Zapotes, establishes the La Venta complex as intimately allied
stylistically, and therefore probably undoubtedly contemporary, with
Middle Tree Zapotes.
The vertical distributions of the figurine types from the strati-
graphic trenches are given below. They show a consistent overlap-
ping in the two excavations, pointing to a basic uniformity of pattern.
In this regard they corroborate the picture given by ware distribu-
tions: The La Venta deposits give every indication of representing a
single phase or horizon within which some development and modifica-
tion of basic patterns occurred, but with no major changes—innova-
tions, disappearance of common features, or anything of the sort that
could be interpreted as reflecting new cultural contacts or local inven-
tions altering the basic patterns enough to warrant setting of a new
horizon. Asa matter of fact, probably because of the relatively small
number of the figurine heads, the distributions do not even show the
cumulative effect of local development such as is indicated by the
regular trends of the ware percentages. In short, it would be impos-
sible to define one trench as representing a cross section of an earlier,
and one of a later part of the La Venta-Middle Tres Zapotes period
occupation on the basis of figurine distributions in the stratitrenches.
% As has been mentioned, a few I-B-4 figurines occur in the Tres Zapotes collections
(one has been figured by Welant, 1943, pl. 26, fig. 5), but unfortunately none was found
stratigraphically.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 141
TaBLE 10.—Figurine distributions, Stratitrench 1 (See plates 34-39)
Figurine type! Level1 | Level2 | Level3 | Level4 | Level5
Heads
LEAS) Sse oe ee | Recs Sel | Une See 2 1G?) |e eee
ee ee se ee a 2 S| ek ee Te | ee eee 2
2B a3 ae eee ee Sh TA i oe A eet 0 ee ee |e ees 3 2
DD Bye oe OS ON Ce See 1 8 Ee ee ee er (ev 1 1 252) 1
RES = / TL erent Cae ES Be dee So aE ee a Sc ad 1
TES SPV 0 COR a ee Oe Se ee 0 eo os ee 3 1 2
165155) oy ee ee ee ee es (eee SY eee 3 i eee ae 1
ESBS 4 | [ileememe nena es Rete ose ee One ee Ae en Sel ee ee ase oe. 2
TAN a ee ee Pe ees ee ee op ies eee eee if}y| Evie eee
DT PN ao bee | pe ra | A A ae eal |e ee 2
Bodies:
aS = ear noe Lean aan coon e Soak aoe eee ec aoe Wie. scl leee 2
Atop I= Bees we ae FAS ee SS ee 10 10 18 28 14
OG iste Ss 5a, — Se ee ae es ey eae oereees ee eee 2 1
Misc. fragments of hand-made figurines_____________- 6 12 27 44 36
Bird-anlmalficunines sass oes seee ene eee eee ee 1 1 2 5 3
1 List of types includes only those represented from the tench; other types are absent.
2 Plus one doubtful fragmentary specimen, probably of this type, or I-B-4/II.
3 Includes arm and leg framents definitely identifiable as pertaining to this class also.
TaBLeE 11.—Figurine distributions, Stratitrench 3 (See plates 40-41)
Figurine type ! Levell | Level2 | Level3 | Level4 | Level5
Heads
SIA SS a oe Bc we aes ring te ek ve 2D epee eer eeee 24 2 33 il) fesse Sees
USN BD a a Si a i es ee eR | oe We eee ee eaten oe ee | eee
RIB 3 ae ie sane wee oe terete aes 4 eee 1 ees 7 ee eel [ee ee
Ves) 8) 6s Se aan et toa Sol beer 1 2 Go| Fats Saaz s2lseeeacoree
BO ee ee ee eee eee oe ee eee ae 1 2g |e | Se ee Ae eee
JS AY AD aa Se pag pe CF ia li ul al aot eas Kegel — Speer el (bee ee ae | ee Me ata rile Die ae 1 eae
B-Ball ee ease ead oe ee hel) ts eS og gS eer pe) ey | aes
Jibs oy Us ee ae at es eal ge aetna Re et a ee eee 1 | Ee See
TB 4 Ea as a Fe os Me So eee cc chet 2 2 | Sa ies PES aad ae eee
EO eee See ee ne eee nanan a ea ome Deeeren an | See tonn cee cl et eh epee i er
18 Ne See ee Se ee ee eee Pulbcceet otoa eo sdes cot eee ee
DTT Ate ee eer enna eee ee ee eee rae eons e eos eeean coupes e eer nee 5 (eee
S130 0 [oe ee me a er eee eee eee |e eee ee 1 een aoe oe eee
Bodies:
2) 3)5) | Sn ee ee a ane | as ae Le ee
SAG OT Beets tn ae re en ee eee eee 3 9 6 Oe Aaa
SUA A Oe se Nn oa 1 eae en een sae 1(?)
Misc. fragments of hand-made figurines.__.._--__.-.. 17 23 21 22 6
IBird-animal figurines] sa eee nan eee |e ae 6 1 se ee
1 List of types includes only those represented from the trench; other types are absent.
1 Includes 2 doubtful (badly eroded) specimens.
3 Includes one aberrant form.
4 Modified version of Tres Zapotes I-C-1.
5 Includes one specimen of serpentine.
6 Includes arm and leg fragments definitely identifiable as to type also.
MISCELLANEOUS OBJECTS OF POTTERY
Among the miscellaneous pottery objects in the collections are a
number of types modeled for some special purpose, and also certain
types consisting of reworked sherds. The modeled objects consist
of the following: cylindrical stamps, weights, ear spools, flares, and
problematical objects. The category of reworked sherds includes:
large and small sherds, disks, weights, and “saws.”
Cylindrical stamps.—One complete cylindrical stamp was found
in a test pit, and a fragment of one came from the 24-36-inch level
142 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
of Stratitrench 3 (pl. 42, left, a; the “unrolled” designs appear in
fig. 43). The patterns are characterized by the heavy carving and
simple not to say crude designs. It is possible that the objects were
beads rather than “stamps.” Much more elaborate specimens were
found at Tres Zapotes (Weiant, 1943, pl. 63) ; they appear to relate
to both Middle and Upper Periods at that site (Drucker, 1948 a, pp.
88, 93). No flat seals (recognizable as such, at least) were found at
La Venta.
eee
(a) ° 4 2 6
OMS.
%
Ficure 43.—a, Design and cross section of cylindrical “seal” fragment, Stratitrench 3, Level 2.
b, Pottery flare (?) fragment, Stratitrench 3, Level 1.
Weights-—A number of small objects, varying from lozenge-shaped
to biconical in outline and more or less circular in cross section, with
encircling grooves about the long and the short axes, were collected
(pl. 42, left, h-k). They range in length from 3.4 to 6 cm. It seems
rather obvious that they were made with some purpose involving
suspension in mind, but whether they were intended for fishing gear
or to weight hanks of fibers on a loom is impossible to decide.
Objects of identical type were found at Tres Zapotes (Weiant,
1943, pl. 65). The nearly spherical clay objects with single encircling
grooves found at Tres Zapotes (Drucker, 1943 a, pl. 43 f, g, et passim)
were not found at La Venta.
Earplugs (%?).—One flattish cylindrical object, made of a well-
fired finely divided paste, with thin walls and very thin flanges at
either end, was found in one of the test trenches (pl. 42, left, d). It
appears to be one of the objects for which use as ear ornaments has been
suggested, although its flanges are a trifle wider, and more fragile in
appearance at least, than most of the clay “earplugs.” With its wide
flanges, forcing it into the perforated lobe of an ear like a collar but-
ton into the neck band of a shirt must have been an unpleasant proc-
ess. The distribution of objects of this general form has been traced
by Kidder, Jennings, and Shook (1946). From another trench came
a short solid object deviating from a cylindrical form through the
slight concavity of its sides. This might have been an earplug of
different type, or it may have had some other use.
Flares.—A fragment from Stratitrench, 3, Level 1, suggests in its
form that it may have originally been a flare of some sort, perhaps
like the finer objects of jade and other precious materials from
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 143
Kaminaljuyu (pl. 21, ¢). The specimen is apparently broken out of
an original circular form, which had a flat face and increased in
thickness on the back from rim to center. There is no indication as to
whether it had a hollow cylindrical stem or not. The face was heavily
channeled into a ring of keystone-shaped segments; the two segments
of the present fragment each contain three deep punctations made
while the clay was still soft. If the object’s outline was a regular
circle, its diameter must have been in the neighborhood of 7.2 cm.
The possibility that it might have been a flat stamp should not be
overlooked.
Problematical objects —A curving fragment of Coarse Brown
ware, with an incised arc that may have been part of a circular border,
and six irregularly spaced perforations made with an implement with
flattened elliptical cross section, was found in Stratitrench 1 (pl.
21,h). Itis impossible to determine whether it is a piece of a figurine,
a toy, or a rattle. There is no evidence that the pottery sieves for
washing the lye-soaked maize were manufactured or used at La Venta.
Another problematical object has a cylindrical stem that tapers to
a wide flat blade with a rounded nock at the center of the outer edge;
the outline suggests a badly nicked broadax. It is made of the same
paste as that used for Coarse Buff ware, but was not as well-fired
as most vessels of that ware. The object was plainly originally made
in its present form; it is not a reworked object. The shape and finish
of both sides is the same. The base of the cylindrical stem is the only
part that shows signs of reworking, as though originally the stem
was longer. A use for this object is very difficult to suggest. Its
outline is reminiscent of certain design elements and ornaments carved
on some of the stone monuments. (PI. 42, left, g.)
Reworked sherds: large and small disks —In nearly every level
of the stratigraphic trenches there were a few sherds that had been
more or less carefully trimmed to a rounded or elliptical form. Sizes
of the finished disks vary considerably, but most of them fall into
one or the other of two classes: small, often rather irregular disks
under 5 cm. in diameter, and “large” disks averaging about 10 cm.
in diameter. There is no indication that any particular ware was
preferred. All local wares were used, those of the most common
wares being most abundant, as is expectable if the maker picked up
the first sherd of proper size he came across. A few incomplete pieces
indicate the steps in the procedure of manufacture. The outline of
the desired size was incised on the sherd, and then the sherd was bat-
tered off roughly to the edge of the line. The next step was to grind
the edge down all the way around to an even convex profile. (PI. 42,
right.)
If any of the “potsherd spindle whorls,” so common at Mesoameri-
can sites, had been found at La Venta, we should probably be justified
144 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
in suggesting that at least part of the disks were blanks for such
whorls in process of manufacture. Since all varieties of spindle
whorls are absent from the La Venta collections, the only uses one
can suggest would be such things as covers, gaming pieces or counters,
and the like.
Weights.—In addition to the purposely made “weights” which have
already been described, there were large numbers of sherds with
rounded notches that suggest their reuse for suspension, possibly as
net. weights, or something of the sort. These notched sherds are
quite varied, ranging from sherds which were unworked except for
the notches which were well rounded off so they would not cut the
line or whatever they were meant to be tied to, to sherds trimmed to
a very regular rectangular or elliptical outline prior to notching (pl.
45). Those of elliptical forms are more common than the untrimmed
and the rectangular outlines. No significant differences appeared
from one level to another in regard to these differences of shape. As
between the two trenches, Stratitrench 3 produced a great many more
of these objects than did Stratitrench 1. (PI. 45.)
“Saws.”—From most of the levels came a few sherds that had been
trimmed to at least one straight edge (or were chosen because they
had broken with one or more fairly straight even edge), which had
been ground down heavily to bilateral bevels. The wear suggested
use assaws. No such pieces were noted among the Fine Paste sherds;
coarse gritty pastes seem to have been used exclusively. ‘These sherds,
especially if we assume that their original hardness was somewhat
greater than it is after the centuries of erosion and leaching in the
ground, were probably fairly efficient saws for materials like wood,
bone, and the like, and perhaps harder ones if the user’s patience
lasted. They did not have to be sharp, for they provided their own
cutting dust—the gritty aplastic particles in the paste.
UTILITARIAN WORK IN STONE
The La Venta excavations yielded but small amounts of non-
ceramic utilitarian objects. There were enough fragments, however,
of such things as metates, manos, flake knives, and other articles of
daily use to enable us to define a few of the common implement types.
Metates—No complete specimens were found. On the basis of
several large fragments, it appears that the typical metate was leg-
less, with a fairly flat base, and in outline a blunt-ended ellipse, or
rectangular with strongly rounded off corners. The grinding surface
curves from end to end, the curvature becoming pronounced at the
ends, but is flat laterally, indicating that the manos were invariably
longer than the metates were wide, like modern Mexican sets. This
is an important point of difference between the La Venta pieces and
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 145
the legless ones from lowland Maya sites (Kidder, 1947, pp. 33 ff.)
which have rimmed sides. TANS
178 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
Monument 6, the Stone Coffer found just south of the Tomb in
Mound A-2, has at its north end a carving in low relief representing the
face of a monstrous jaguar, modified to the rectangular form of the end
of the coffer (pl. 2, /eft). The eyes are indicated by two long narrow
rectangles with rounded corners which slope downward slightly toward
the center. The jutting brows above them each have three angular
projections along their upper side, becoming thus the typical “branched
eyebrows” of the art style. Above them, sweeping back over the
frontal regions, are curving appendages, probably plumes. In the
center of the forehead is a deep notch, in this case formed by a drilled
pit with rounded-off edges. This feature, reminiscent of the notched
heads of the ax figures described by Saville (Saville, 1929), is probably
a realistic device to indicate the shallow V-shaped depression formed
by the heavy nearly converging supraorbital ridges of the jaguar.
The nose is low and broad, and directly over the upper edge of the
mouth. A broad flat band, essentially a rectangle with a projection
cn its upper side, represents the latter feature. Fangs are indicated
by an S-shaped device on either side. It is probable that the lower
(distal) ends of the fangs were forked, originally, but the carving is
too eroded to permit certainty on this point. There appears to be a
long nose ornament hanging over the mouth. A forked tongue pro-
trudes from the mouth and hangs below the lower lip. Under the eyes
are the remnants of some rather obscure decorative elements that may
be extensions of the decoration of the sides. Horizontal ribbonlike
bands run from the sides around the corners of the box and under
the mouth, as though to tie the mask on.
On either side of the box ribbonlike bands continue back at the level
of the eyebrows, branching off at five places into a two-lobed ornament
that suggests the Jaguar’s forked tongue, or a motif derived from the
animal’s nose and mouth (fig. 60, s; pl. 2, Zeft). On the east side, the
better preserved, can be traced the remnants of a forepaw with three
long claws and a bracelet, and farther back a pair of strongly curved
lines that probably defined the hindquarters.
Of the four small statues which were reported as having been re-
moved from La Venta, one, Monument 8, is in the Plaza de Armas of
Villahermosa (pl. 59, deft). It represents a seated human figure, lean-
ing forward, his hands grasping his crossed legs. He wears a head-
dress with the tip folded over frontwards, perhaps a version of that of
the principal figure of Altar 5. The face is broad and heavy. The
wide flat nose is directly above the everted lips. The eyes are of a
peculiar form, circular on their inner sides, rectangular on the outer.
The ears are narrow angular ridges along the head. The body is very
simply formed.
Another of the transported figures (Monument 9) has been built
into a display case in the school at Comalealco, where it was brought
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 179
from La Venta via San Vicente (pl. 60, Zeft). It also portrays a man
seated cross-legged, but with his hands at his sides, resting loosely on
the ground, instead of grasping his knees. The face is badly eroded,
so little can be said of the features. The general proportions of the
head and face seem fairly typical, the face being of equal width down to
the angle of the jaws.
Two other figures were found at the ruins of Finca San Vicente (pls.
60, right, and 61). (There was a third, Stirling informs me, but it is
smashed beyond hope of salvage.) Monument 10 is a small seated per-
sonage, shown in the posture of the statue in the Plaza de Armas,
cross-legged, his hands on his lower legs. He wears a thick head band,
and his head is low and rounded. The features are eroded, but the
wide nose and thick upper lip can still be distinguished. He appears
to have worn a rather genial expression. A design, possibly a glyph,
was incised on his belly. With him is, Monument 11, a seated figure
of about the same size. The battered body is that of an animal, prob-
ably the Jaguar-monster. The right hind leg is doubled back in man-
like, not animallike, posture, so claws and pads point upward. A
wide tail that branches symmetrically into four square-ended plumes is
carved in relief on the back. The head, sharply tilted back, is a sort of
keystone shape, wider across the top. Strong ridges run across above
the eyes, apparently representing brow ridges. Above them, in low
relief, are brows with three blunt plumes. Apparently a wide mouth
opened directly below the broad stumpy nose, and fangs (and perhaps
tongue?) protruded from the upper jaw. No upper lip can be seen;
perhaps it has been battered off. On either side of the fangs are deep
pits representing the sides of the mouth. The line of the lower lip
arches upward in the center. The photograph shows some faint lines
zigzagging down the forehead, which may be incised, or may be cracks.
Despite the battered condition, the monument clearly represents an
aspect of the Jaguar-monster.
Monument 12 is the carving of a monkeylike figure of a light green
schist (?) from the main trench across A-1l. The creature has his
arms raised up over his head in an attitude suggesting that he is
bound, hung up by the thumbs, so to speak, although no ropes are vis-
ible. A tail, also in low relief, curls up the back of the stone to the
hands. The arms are in low relief, and, unusual in the general art
pattern, are bent backward at an anatomatically impossible angle.
Presumably this feature was enforced by the size of the stone selected.
The head is elongated, bulging somewhat in the frontal region; the
eyes are represented by shallow concave disks surmounted by branch-
ing brows similar to those on the Jaguar-monster mask. Two narrow
bands slant diagonally across the forehead. The broad flat nose lies
directly about the protruding arched upper lip. The lips do not
show the usual everted character; it is possible that some sort of a
180 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
mask lies over the mouth, outlined by shallow incising. The ears are
long, with pendulous lobes. They seem to be pierced but no earplugs
are shown. The figure wears a broad collar or necklace, and a wide
belt, both of which bear incised designs. On the right and left
corners of the necklace are long pendants with a flaring bifurcated
tip that resembles the split tongue of the Jaguar-monster on the
Stone Coffer. The design on the belt is partly defaced, but appears to
have been a Jaguar-monster mask with plumed eyebrows (?), small
rectangular eyes, an angular open mouth with a row of short tri-
angular incisors, and protruding below the lower margin, long
curved bifurcated fangs (pl. 62, fig. 58). The base of the monkey
figure is broken off, but enough remains of the right leg to indicate
that the lower limbs were probably much simplified.
Ficure 53.—Incised ornaments from Monument 12, partly restored. a, Necklace. D
“Belt.” (Dotted lines of belt are reconstructions not clearly visible in available photog
raphy.)
Monument 13 can best be described as a short block, or columnar
drum, of basalt (pl. 63, fig. 61). In cross section it has four not quite
regular sides with heavily rounded corners—it looks as though it
might have been a section of a large natural column with the normal
five sides dressed down into four. One transverse face, about 0.8 m.
across, has been carefully smoothed, and on it a human figure and
several glyphlike elements have been carved in very low relief. De-
spite the flatness of the carving, it gives clear evidence of the transfer
of concepts of perspective gained from work in the round and in
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 181
high relief. The personage is shown striding, or posturing as in a
dance, to the (observer’s) right, with head tipped back so that he gazes
fixedly at a banner (?) in his thrust-out left hand. The face is in
profile, and, although much of the detail of eyes and mouth have been
obliterated by pits (of mud-wasp nests?), the heavy arched nose with
flaring alae and the prominent chin and massive jaw are clearly seen.
The shoulders are in three-quarters view, the left thrust forward in
keeping with the pose with out-thrust arm. The underline of the jaw
conceals part of the shoulder, and the neckline is indicated by a snug
string of beads in an excellent handling of perspective that gives depth
to the figure and defines the viewer’s position as slightly above the
figure. The right shoulder droops slightly, being joined to the neck
by a convex line marking the upper margin of the trapezius that
realistically suggests powerful musculature. About the head is a
turbanlike affair, given a clothlike texture by light crosshatching,
from which rises a curled bunch of plumes, and behind which falls
a long trailer, the inner edge of which passes behind the shoulder—
again a deft touch that gives perspective to the carving. The right
arm is flexed so that the partly open hand is in front of the right
breast. There is a wristlet of some sort marked by three or four
parallel lines. About his waist the personage wears a wide belt, sup-
porting a breechclout. The two ends fall behind, and lightly incised
lines over the inside of the left thigh suggest a pendant from the
front. The legs are simply shown, with realistic sweeping curves
marking the lines of thighs and calves. The feet are apart, the knees
slightly bent. On the feet are sandals with high heel guards and
elaborate ties over the instep, similar to those shown on certain Mayan
stelae. From the point of view of draftsmanship, the figure is very
well done, on the whole. In addition to the treatment of neck and
shoulders, and the realistic curves of thigh muscles, the convexities
indicating the deltoids and the slight curve of the pectoral muscle on
the left side should be noted as points of realism. The chief defect
is that the face is disproportionately large for the figure (unless it is
supposed to be wearing a mask), and the right arm is too short,
throwing the upper part of the figure out of balance. In other re-
spects the figure is most successfully handled for a carving in such
low relief. The tilt of the head, the asymmetric depiction of the
shoulders (with the left thrust forward to hold out the bannerlike
object) and the slightly bent knees give the figure a powerful feeling
of movement.
Behind the figure, toes sloping down toward it, is a conventional-
ized footprint, conceivably meant as an obvious ideograph. Under
the banner are three glyphlike forms, the uppermost, a blunt ellipse,
that seems to have traces of a double-curve band across the upper
right corner; the second, a similar ellipse surmounted by a bifurcated
182 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
form (the bifurcated Jaguar-monster tongue again?) ; and at the bot-
tom a bird’s head with heavily hooked beak, an incised circle repre-
senting the eye (partly obscured by the pit just behind it), and traces
of a vertical band just behind the eye from the top of the head down.
It seems possible that these forms once had more lightly incised
detail within them.
Monument 14 is a cylinder of stone with a cylindrical perforation
through its long axis. It has no decoration, or at least, none remains
on it. When found, one end of the perforation was neatly plugged
with a stone disk.
Monument 15, as has been remarked, consists of two fragments,
which may or may not come from the same piece. Both are flat
plaques with smoothly dressed upper faces carved with flat designs
(pl. 64). One, the larger fragment, has a short stumpy foot at
the corner. On its face it has what may be elements of a headdress
of plumes or possibly a stylized Jaguar-monster pattern: there is a
comma-shaped element at one corner of a hollow rectangle from which
depends a keystone-shaped form, and what may be a matching comma-
shaped element on the other side, perhaps representing the protruding
fangs and tongue. A small elliptical depression appears to have been
centered over the hollow rectangle. The decorative field is framed
in a narrow border. The other piece, framed by a band of similar
width, carries part of a more realistic theme, very obviously the
Jaguar-monster, with an open mouth depressed at the corner(s) below
a realistic muzzle. The large L-shaped element beside the mouth may
be the conventionalized curved fang added as an ornament. It may
well be that the two fragments belong together, for they are of the
same type of material and of nearly the same thickness, the borders
are the same in width, the background is cut away to about the same
depth, and, although this estimate is open to error, reconstruction of
the missing halves of both leaves them not too far different in width,
so that they might have come from the two ends of the same altar top,
or plaque, or whatever the object might have been. A possible recon-
struction is shown in figure 54.
Altar 7, the last of the newly discovered monuments, is unfortunately
very heavily damaged. It once must have been one of the most elabo-
rate “altars” at the site (pl. 65). To judge by the photographs, dam-
age consists chiefly in spalling off of long thin sheets of stone from the
surface, as though from repeated exposure to fire. Figure 1 consists in
a large face recessed in a niche with rounded top, similar to those of
the other altars. Most of the features are obliterated, but the general
facial proportions are plainly those of other full-face figures from the
monuments: broad, with heavy squarish jowls. The ears are long
and narrow, and from them depend ornaments. From the region of
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 183
s
orem
nies SS
eet me Hm mow we ee ee ee
|
~— eee mM ew ww ew we we ee ee om nw ow wm = ee = ee ee ee a ewe em em
war e-em
i]
‘ 1
t = '
rs SO}
‘ SSS ESS Pie ‘
{ A . beat 1 He ‘ H ; ;
‘ \ ‘ \ y cs. 7 ¢ ‘ ie 0 ‘ '
. Sed , ‘
1 ‘ ces Oe, - 4 4 D '
‘ ay ee ‘ Se Ce ‘
' ‘ Sais a ( i re '
Smecne Wane ‘ J '
OAS 65 Rota ene seem aie SK = Nop anne esa eier ti l
ws
x‘ v OOOO SN t
V\ Ue -- \ '
ty TS ee 2, 1 {
S\ieet] ak) Qi ’ i] 1
Depads. Oot ’ ‘
Csi 18) ey te ed, f U
Oe AD et We eer coated ae ee ¢ ,eeeore et
eenod SRS SSO BS 4 \ 1
s
= eh preocere > 4
Sees ‘ =e / 1
Qe 4 oo i)
~
RII FSG et tS '
\
y \ \ t
{
'
!
'
'
'
'
KN
'
’
i]
t
'
]
og “5
44g
PERG
dike:
eY
eerie
‘ ey? e
’
Vee
ace
Weaeee
¢
4
Sarat
-
o----
we meee ee ec eee se we eee eS] Heme mee err errr
Figure 54.—Suggested reconstruction of Monument 15 fragments (see pl. 64).
the mouth and chin depends a peculiar spade-shaped object, too bat-
tered to recognize with certainty. It might have represented a beard
(it is very similar to that of Figure 1, Stela 2), or, as Stirling has
suggested, some sort of mask for the lower part of the face similar
to that adorning the Tuxtla statuette. Above Figure 1, slightly to
left of center on what seems to be a natural ledge or projection, are
traces of what may have been a large glyph, perhaps a round-cornered
rectangle enclosing an X-shaped element. One would expect a com-
panion piece to the (observer’s) right. Of Figure 2, in low relief just
to the left, only the upper portion remains. A man is shown as
standing with face in profile and shoulders in three-quarters view,
his right hand bent to waist level, apparently clutching some object,
his left flexed and pointing upward over the top of Figure 1. His
9473105218
184 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
face has been obliterated, but a mitrelike cap can be seen, and he sports
what looks suspiciously like a false beard, or else one trimmed to a
narrow line along the edge of the jaw. He has ear ornaments of some
type, and the remnants of a wide belt. Three small more or less round-
cornered rectangular objects (glyphs?) appear to have emerged from
his mouth, floating up toward the cartouche above Figure 1. Figure 3,
around on the side of the altar, is a large head in bold relief that ap-
pears to represent a horned owl. It has large round eyes, bulging
within shallow recesses, round puffy cheeks, and what seems to be
a hooked beak extending downward from between the eyes. Two or
three rodlike projections from either side seem to represent the “ear
tufts.” Figure 4 is immediately below Figure 3, and is in very low
relief. I cannot make out whether it is actually the body of Figure 3,
or isa separate unit representing a captive bird. There appear plainly
enough a wing outstretched at the (observer’s) right, and part of
another to the left. The feathers are indicated at the wing tip to the
right, by simply curving masses. Below are two obliterated features
which may represent the bird’s legs, outspread like those of the eagle
in our national coat-of-arms, or which may be tail feathers. In one
photograph the right-hand element looks as though it might be the
head and beak of a bird seized by the legs. Figure 5 represents a man.
His headdress seems to have a long projection that extends forward
touching, or going behind, Figure 3. The face is shown in profile, but
the features are so eroded that little can be said of them. His shoulders
seem to be in full view, but whether he was faced toward or away from
the observer cannot be made out. Traces of feet and legs can just
be made out. He may have been standing grasping the bird figure,
Figure4. Figure 6 is another large head in bold relief. Stirling con-
siders it another owl head, and is probably right since he examined
the altar itself. However, in one of the photographs that seems to
show it clearly, the ears appear to be round tabs (rather than tufts
as on Figure 3), the eyes are smaller and slightly more bulged than
those of Figure 3, and there appears to be a round buttonlike nose
rather than a beak, so that in this view at least it suggests a kinkajou
head rather than an owl. As far as subject matter goes, a figure of
the nocturnal kinkajou would not be a bad companion for the owls, if
creatures or spirits of the night were meant to be portrayed. The
remainder of the altar is very badly damaged. There is another large
owl head, apparently similar to Figure 3, and at least two pairs of
unshod human feet, and several fragments that seem to be wing tips
and talons of large bird figures. It should be noted that this altar
differs from most of the others in that the block from which it was
carved was not squared up all over. The figures would seem to have
been begun at the natural surface, and possibly protuberances and
irregularities were utilized for some of them at least.
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 185
STYLISTIC CHARACTERS OF THE SCULPTURES
In view of the association of the small jade carvings and the stone
monuments with what appears to be a one-horizon site, it seems reason-
able to assume that they are not only contemporaneous but made by
the same people. It is theoretically possible for two strains of art,
originally unrelated, to coexist in the same culture particularly if
this culture has been subject to varied alien influences. Such a situ-
ation expectably would result in a hybrid aspect of the art, with
stylistic differences conforming to the different complexes of media
and techniques. Of course, if, as seems to be the case in the La Venta
situation, all of the art expressions can be shown to be related, it does
not mean that there have been no outside influences, but rather that
the art style itself was dominant. Thus new traits and complexes,
whether use of jade ornaments, or erection of stelae, would have been
modified to admit the motifs and methods of representation deemed
appropriate by the art style. The broader cultural implications of such
a situation need not concern us for a moment, but it is important to
note that if we can relate the carvings large and small artistically, we
thereby widen our range of comparison with other cultures. If, that
is to say, we can demonstrate that style transcended medium and de-
tails of sculpturing techniques at La Venta, we need not restrict com-
parisons to, let us say, small jade figurines and pendants in the form
of jaguar teeth from other regions, but may legitimately compare,
pointing out similarities and differences, stone monuments, stelae, and
any other relief representations on which we have data in adjacent
culture provinces. We shall begin with a discussion of the charac-
teristics of representations of the human figure, first in the small jade
figurines, and then in the monuments; next, jaguar representations;
and finally a series of miscellaneous motifs and decorative elements.
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE HUMAN FORM
Front view.—The most significant stylistic features of the figurines
appear in the series of line drawings of their component parts (fig.
55). In the upper row, the head-and-face outlines show a typically
elongated head outline, apparently resulting from artificial deforma-
tion (which appears in many profile views). Also typical is the great
bigonial width of the outlines, and the massiveness of the jaws. The
typical head and face outline varies from that of an elongate rectangle
with rounded corners to a slightly pyriform shape with maximum
width at the base. Figurine 8 is the only one departing widely from
thisnorm. Eye sockets are typically formed by deep-drilled pits, with
a preference for blunt-ended elliptical outlines. Probably all were in-
laid with materials of contrasting colors. Orientation of the eyes
varies from straight to forms with a slight downslant at the outer
(Bull. 153
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
186
x
e/
"9[89S 02 ION] “YdesZ0,0yd ut Iva
OI ‘ON JO Sivy ‘our]INo jo AJowUTAse jo uoIssoidul snoauoIa SuIAIS ‘MOIA JUOI
‘3X0} Ul sustutoads aJa;dwod jo sioquinu jeuanbas 0} sJoyzos sIoquin\y
[9 Jou (UsUUIDads ouI¥s) pury jo [IeIap {marta QUOI] UI d]QISIA JOU
i
oA
ig
es
i}
ec»
i?
J [[F Wosz Yo Aysys sydes80,0yd woy umeip “6 ‘Z ‘son suautisadg
"SoInjvo} JO sjusUOdWIOD ZulMoys ‘au0}s Joyo pue opel jo sourmn31g—¢¢ aunorg
L007
ONGH
suvr7
HLNOW ONY IFISON
SFAT
SIN/TLNOG
FIIVS ONY OvIH
> ON IN/ENDS
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 187
corners; only exceptionally are the inner corners lower. The form
and relation of nose and mouth is of especial diagnostic significance.
The nose tends to be broad with flaring alae. More significantly, there
is little or no space between the lower portion of the nose and the
thick membranous area of the upper lip, i. e., no, or almost no, in-
tegumental upper lip is depicted. This accentuates the impression
of thickness and heaviness not only of the lips but of the face in gen-
eral. The form of the mouth varies somewhat although invariably
it droops slightly at the corners. The drilled pits at the corners in-
crease this characteristic conformation. Ears are typically long and
narrow, with angular outline. The invariable perforation in the
lower portion either represents an ear plug, or was meant for the at-
tachment of small ornaments. The total effect of the broad faces with
heavy jowls, thick features, and full lips, seems to be an exaggeration
or idealization of a particular physical type.
The bodies are in general treated with a simplified realism, that is,
minor details are suppressed—the handling of hands and feet indicates
this quite clearly—but there is an emphasis on structure and mass that
suggests not only keen observation but accurate anatomical knowledge
on the part of the artists. Arms and legs are not rubbery “boneless”
appendages but are limbs with definite structure, that bend only at
the joints. Gentle but definite bulges in the shoulder and chest areas,
at the biceps, and upper forearms, and in thighs and calves, indicate
musculature definitely and correctly. As a final character, we may
note the absence of superfluous decoration. Aside from suggestions
of garments, there are no purely ornamental details on any of the
fiourines.
Most of the features just listed as characteristics of the small figu-
rines relate to front views of the human face and figure of the monu-
mental carvings. It can be shown that all of them recur in most of
the large La Venta monuments which show human beings in this posi-
tion. Some of the variation is probably due to difference in material
and size of the figures. Figure 56 presents the components of the
figures of the monuments.
Elongated deformation of the head appears in but two cases: in
Monument 8, and that of Stela 1, though even these have headdresses
that partly obscure the head forms. Perhaps the lack of this feature
in the case of the colossal heads represents a labor-saving device;
there is only one case among the less grandiose figures that unques-
tionably shows a low unaltered head (Monument 5), for the other
representations have elaborate headgear which serve to conceal their
head forms. Wide faces with great bigonial breadth can be seen in
every case. Its apparent absence in the main figures of Altars 4 and
5 is misleading, being due to the angle at which the monuments were
188 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153
ALTAR 5 FIGS
es
AION 3
‘
4 U
~ a
AION 9 ATON /O ALTAR 7 FIG /
Figure 56.—Monumental sculptures, human faces in front view (not to scale). Monu-
ment 9 reconstructed from photographs taken at angle.
photographed. Figure 1 of Altar 5 very plainly manifests this
physiognomic peculiarity. Eyes of the large figures differ most from
the forms pointed out as typical of the figurines. Only two have
deep-drilled eyes (Monuments 5 and 8), and in one of these the outer
ends of the eyes are modified into a nonhuman angularity. In the
rest, the eyes tend to be horizontally placed ellipses symmetrically
pointed at both ends and made by excavating the area to a level slightly
Drucker] LA VENTA, TABASCO 189
below that of the eyelids. In the larger specimens particularly, the
surfaces of the eyes are realistically convex. The fact that the eyes
of the figurines were meant to hold inlays, while those of the large
figures were not, accounts for the different modes of representation.
The differing form of the ears appears to be a more arbitrary matter.
On most of the larger figures, where shown at all (where not covered
by appendages from the headgear) they are represented fairly
realistically, but alongside the head, so that they are not visible in a
direct front view. Only Monument 8 has the stylized long angular
ears of the figurines, although those of the figure of Stela 1 approach
this type. It is in the form of the mouth and nose that the large
figures show the most uniformity to the type portrayed by the
figurines. In every case in which erosion has left these facial parts
discernable, the nose is broad, and situated directly above the thick
membranous area of the upper lip, which curves strongly upward
from the corners. The lower lip, also thick, repeats the direction of
curvature. In a few cases there are pits at the corners of the mouth.
Treatment of bodies varies, but there are several figures, those for
example of Altars 4 and 5, and Monument 13, in which anatomical
detail is simply but very realistically portrayed. Hands and feet are
in every instance simplified. Sexual organs are not shown in any
instance. The final characteristic, lack of superfluous decoration,
holds good for all except the stelae, where the crowding of the various
forms represented, and the more elaborate dress and headgear com-
bine to give an effect rather different from that of the other speci-
mens—small figures and monumental pieces alike. Apparently the
normal pattern of chastity of decoration was in the case of stela art
modified by a pattern calling for elaborate composition. Yet the
recurrence of familiar modes of representation and motives in the
stela carvings relate them without a doubt to the other monuments,
and in turn, to the miniature art of the figurines.
Profile views of human features.—It is interesting to note what
happens to the stylized human representations just defined when
depicted in profile, that is, in low relief, or when drawn (incised) on
a plain surface, as in the case of the profile faces on the decorated
ear spools. quo], ‘“YaT *7T-W punoyy ul quioy,
LALVId €S1 NILATINS ASONONHLA NVOIMAWY AO NVAaenNEa
*(SUOT]BALIXS 7F6T) [-V ‘NOD [eluouIaJeD jo pus ynos ‘AemAIQUS YSnolyI
nd Jo [JVM ul sAev]D posojooeA jo sade] Jo dn-asoj_ ‘ys1y
¢€alvid esl NILATINGA
“IDAOD JY} JO JSOUI JO [RAOUIOI pu Suliva[d Joie ‘auc Ispues Jo JoyoD 91 ‘g JusUINUOTY 4/97
ADSOTONHLA NVOIMAWYV AO NVayna
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULEERIN 153) PEATE 3
os = we "= oN wy B
Adobes cut by pit in West Bastion of Ceremonial Court (1942 excavations).
‘T-V ‘nod [eiuowssag ul ‘ylip Apues Aq ple[ioAo ‘uoNeUO; Ae] ul doap jassaa Aioqjod
PelvAo7) “q *punoi3 yoeq ul V quo T, “IaquUed 72 PpetvAoounN Aypesed CT JUIWINUOTY :yqiou BULYOO] 1T-V “yanod [etuoWs197) ysnolyy youd) fo uollod D
re
balV1d eSl NILSA11NE ASDOTONHLA NVOIYAWY AO NVvaynsa
‘T-V ‘J4nog |eluoweleg Jo pues Joddn ut ‘njIs ul ‘sqeis pue (Z] JUsUINUOT\)
anieis Aayuoyy ‘9 “TV {anod JeluoWaseg ‘Yyoues ule Jo Av]I JoMOT Ul sad ‘¢ “[-V ‘4noD [efuoWIaJaD jo purs Joddn ut sjassaa Ataq0d pasaaod ‘pv
S$ 31V1d €St NILA11NG ADOTONHILA NVOINAWY 3AO NVaYHNa
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 6
od
a, View north along columns on west side of Ceremonial Court, A-1. 0, Columns exposed
in situ in West Trench of Ceremonial Court, A-1.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUEEERING 153) PEATE, 7
a, East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1l, partially excavated, from southeast; note row
of inset blocks on east face. b, Exterior of north wall of East Platform of Ceremonial
Court, A-1, showing upright columns, horizontal bracer, and stone facing band. ,
Interior of brickwork in East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-l.
“UOIJBABIXO Jol[1vod Ul PAAOW II SSO fo do} ‘I-V anoy [BlUOUWI19°) fo WIOf el | 4sey ul
YAOMYIIG Yiesued JOINUWU oI}eWoy pue S}[Io jo 2yIeo WIOfIONAD) “4d
831V1d €S1 NILaA11Na
keV anod ]BluOUT197) jo WO el 4sey ul 9jqqni Avo sulAjiopun pue YIOMYAIIG 7)
ASOIONHLA NVOIMAWY AO NVvaynNa
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 9
Interior of East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1, showing Pavement No. 1, clay rubble,
brickwork, and overlying clay and sand.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUEEEGIN M53 PEATE 10
Pavement No. 1 beneath East Platform of Ceremonial Court, A-1; four appendages at
bottom incompletely excavated (see also pl. 11). ‘Top of photo is north.
BUCEETIN 153 PEATE 11
AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
BUREAU OF
:
:
E
e
=
&
E
=:
:
Detail of appendage at southeast corner of Pavement No. 1, beneath East Platform of
Ceremonial Court, A-1; looking south.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 12
—
a, Steps of columnar basalt leading to south edge of Forecourt of Ceremonial Court, A-1;
looking north. 6, View north along main trench through Mound A-3 (foreground),
across Ceremonial Court, A-1, to Mound A-2 (background).
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 13
a, Grave deposit or cache (Tomb E) in North Mound, A-2, showing location relative to
Tomb A and stone coffer excavated in 1942. b, Grave deposit or cache (Tomb E)
in Mound A-2, showing jade celts, earplugs, beads, and other objects in situ.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 14
a, Stone cist (Tomb C) in South Mound, A-3, cleared but unopened. 4, Stone cist (Tomb
C) in South Mound, A-3, on completion of its excavation.
‘
‘C-V punoj,, pur punojy Ivory usemIoq ‘7 ‘ON JUSWIAAK JO YINOS sij99 aUTUadas Jo aye ‘2 “IYsIT Joddn ye Jossaa AvjD ‘np Ul “¢—V
punoyyy Jo adojs yinos uo (J qUIOT, WOIZ aYDvd JO sSulayO [elng apef “q¢ “¢—V Puno] :pus JaMoy ul 8nd ouojs Surmoys ‘(FT JUsUINUOT) Jopul[AD au0Ig ‘vB
Gt 3iv1d eS! NILATINAaA ADSOTIONHLA NVOINAWYV AO NV3aeNEG
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 16
Pavement No. 2, near south edge of Mound A-3; top of photo is north.
“o1RM UMOIG 9S1BOD ‘p taleMm yng asivog ‘9 ‘q ‘v “sprays podureis 19yD0yY
‘qysty ‘a1eM YNg asivog “q *(¢¢ ‘BY aas ‘usISap pasioul A[dzep Jo BUIMeIP JOf) dIVM BUI d]Sseg JUIY ‘Y “s[assoA Je[NBuvIdeI [[eMs Jo sjuowIBeIy “7faT
| coreeoaceses —— 1
SY3LSWILN3D
ee rr ee
SHALSWILN3D
ee em py
‘ ¥ € z 1 cs
41 Ailv1d e€Sl NiILa11INa ASOTONHLA NVOINAWY AO NVAYNa
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 18
Sherds of effigy vessels of Coarse Buff ware. (Scale differs: a@ is about 7 cm. high; b, about
13 cm. For reconstruction of a, see fig. 30. b, National Geographic photo.)
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 19
3
Complete vessels from 1943 excavations (restored by preparators of Museo Nacional de
México). a,b, Coarse Black ware; c, d, f, Coarse Brown ware (?). e, Red on Coarse
Brown ware bowl (for design restoration, see fig. 41, a). g, Coarse Buff ware.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUIEEERIN: 153° (PEATE 20
Incised, stamped, and punctate designs in various wares. a, g, h, Coarse Black ware
g is rim fragment of White-rimmed Coarse Black). 5, d, e, 1, 7, Coarse Brown ware.
c, k, Fine Paste Black ware. f, Coarse Buff ware. (For reconstruction of design of
k, see fig. 33.)
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
BULLETIN 153 PLATE
2 3
meena cmt
persihincstitaeeenost———
CENTIMETERS
Miscellaneous ceramic feacures. a, a’, Front and side view of modeled vessel foot (?) or
ornament. c, Pottery flare (?) or flat stamp fragment. d, ““Thumbnail” impressed
design on Coarse Buff ware sherd. f, Heavy punctate design on Coarse Buff ware
sherd. ¢,g,1,j,k, m, Handle fragments. h, Perforated sherd (figurine or rattle frag-
ment ?). /, , 0, Vessel lugs.
21
:
*(1aqse|d Jo vary Sal eOIpU! apIs IaMO] UO ZUIYIIeY-SsO1d) sjUIOl [109 Jo UO RSIPU! Jva]D YIM [MOG I1eM Ng asIvOD opeul
Ajiood jo 1ollaquy 7ys1y «2 pur p jo ausdt1seid Ul sisevo ale ,2 pue ,p *(j) Aeyseq paulMm UaAoM AJasoys Jo Aplusiedde ‘uoissaidun a]19x0q YIM pssyg ‘9
*s10l19} x9 Jel poyey,, ‘p ‘2 ‘squtol jioo payoied 30 ‘surrvas pjow aq Ajqissod qysiw IwyM SuLMmoys sjuswsely Ivf fo sioiequy ‘g ‘v GfaT ‘sanbruysey s1uresag
2
,
eé 3S1V1d €Slt NILSATINGA ADSOTONHLA NVOIMAWYV AO NVAYHNa
‘speay Jo sa[yolg ‘4Fty ‘speoy JO MAIA dov}-|[NJ 2eT “opeul oie
Aayi you Jo aysed asivoo puv ‘suonviound Aavoy ‘stmof optim YIIM saovy Suoy AT[eotdAy ay :sainieay JuvoYyIUsIS SuIMoYs “T—-V—] ‘spray oulin3y sajodeZ sa1y,
r
t
€¢ AlLV1d €S1 NILSATING ADOIONHLA NVOIMAWY AO NVvVayenae
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 24
=
Steps infconstruction of Style I figurine face, modeled in plasticene. No incomplete exam-
ples at these stages have been found; the steps are based on superposition of features
in various specimens (i. e., arc of an eye cutting into the nose, indicating nose had been
shaped first). ‘The stub that forms the neck and back of the head, to which the face
is welded by means of the headdress or hair, was omitted. (See Drucker, 1943 a,
pl. 65, s and v.) The un-Olmec look of my inexpert final stages is purely accidental.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 25
ay?
Tres Zapotes figurine heads. a, b, c, HW-A-1l. d, e, I-B-3/II, that is, I-B-3 specimens
showing influence of Style II in treatment of eyes and mouth.
‘$-q-] JO s.uenyul Zuneoipur ,.‘9,, ul ayoid xaauoo 0} ADuapua} 910N “Yay UO suauoads
aov}-][NJ Jo sopyord “ysry *¢—q—] Jo aoe} JOYS apiMm ayi preMmoy pues oyi ATuIejd Arava Moys suaumsads ¢—y—-j omi ayy, ‘e¢—g-] ‘f “Z/e¢-—q-] ‘a
I ‘
seadsl
‘eg-q-] ‘Pp “eg-q-1 ‘2 “¢-W-1 ‘9 “§-W-I ‘7 ‘“WfeT) (elueA eT wor ore saqejd Burmoyjoy ul UMOYs soulIN3yY [[y) ‘3ulszip [eiouss ‘soULINSY BUDA eT
9¢ AlV1d €Sl NILS371NgG ASOTONHL]A NVOIYAWY AO Nvayuna
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 27
CENTIMETERS
Figurines, general digging. a, I-A (3?). _b, I-B-3a with aberrant headdress. c, I-B-3b.
d, I-B-3b/II.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 28
eee = ee
CENTIMETERS
i
Figurines, general digging. a,I-B-4. b, I-B-4/II. c, I-B-4/II. d, I-B-4/III. e, I-B-4.
jf, -B-2. ¢, 1-B-4. h, I-B-4/Il. 2,1-B-4/M. 7, B44. 2B tn 7 I-B-1/4.
m, |-B-1/4 (originally had beard and crested helmet like “Z’”’). nn, I-B-3b. o, I-B-3b.
p, I-B-3b/II. g, I-B-3b/II.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULEEGIN 153° PEATE 29
CENTIMETERS
——
Figurines, profiles of plate 28 specimens.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 30
P g
g digging. a, I-C-I/II. b, I-B-3a. c, III-A-I/I (2). d I-B-3b. «,
I-B-3b. f, I-B-3a_ (II). g, I-B-A/IA. h, I-B-3a/II. 7, I-B-3a/IT. j, I-B-3a.
/, -B/III. m, I-B aberrant. n, I-A-3 (?). 0, I-B-3b. », I-B-3b (?).
I
q, I-A-3 aberrant (squatting hunchbacked figure, perforated for suspension.
‘Yay 1e UMOYS sudUTIDads Jo SMOIA YOeq pure aplg VWysIy “selpog
g-] 10 y-] :Jepuremay *(¢7 ‘[d 9as ‘syovq uO sayisiyM YIM) ssp d1vIOgRIa YIM salpoq [—q—] *Y ‘Q*p ‘MaIA \uOLy “YfaT "BuISSIp [e1oues ‘soulmnsiy
1
l€ AlVv1d est NILATING ADSONONHLA NVOIMAWY AO Nvaenae
‘IYe] 12 uMOYS susuIIdeds Jo sMAIA YOvq puL 2pIg ‘7ys1y *selpoq q-] 10 W-] ‘Jepurewoy "ITY pur ‘odvo ‘iv]joo apim YIM ‘oin3y pareas ve jo
Apog oulnsy jueleqy “q¢ “(77 ‘[d 9as ‘syeq uO sapsiym pey y ‘P) ssoip a1eIOGRIP YIM saIpoq [-g-] ‘Y “f°D “MOIA QUOI ‘7faT “BUIBSIp JesJouas ‘sauun3ry
7. &
il
SHSLSWINID
SS
c€ ALW1d e€St NILaAIINa ASOTIONHLA NVOIMAWY 4AO nvayna
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUEEEBRIN 153° PEATE 33
i
Limb and body fragments of figurines. e, h, k, 0, Probably of III-A-1 figurines; remainder,
probably I-A or I-B, except p, aberrant type (possibly I-C-1).
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 34
Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Levels 1 and 2. a-f, Level 1. g-/, Level 2. a, I-B-3a. 4,
‘TII-A-1. g,I-B-A. d, Snake head, Style ?. c,¢, f, h-I, I-A or I-B body fragments.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUEEERING 153 sPEATESSS
ee.
CENTIMETERS
Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 3. a, I-B-4. 6, I-B-3a/II. c, I-B-3a/Il. 4, I-A-3.
e, I-B-3a/II (I-C influence?). f, I-B-3b/II with animal (?) body (on all fours).
g, III fragment. h, Animal head (Style I ?). 7, I-A-3. j+, I-A or I-B body frag-
ments. m, I-B body, with cape, kilt. mn, III body fragment (?); modeled body seated
on stool. o, III-A-l, arm and hand. 4, Solid earplug (?). g, I-B-1, body fragment
back view, showing attachment of whistle.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 36
nee nemo ree
2
en)
CENTIMETERS.
Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 3. Miscellaneous body, arm, leg, etc., fragments.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 37
vf
Cc ; Ue @R 1: 36-48
z >
CENTIMETERS
Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 4. a, I-B-4. 6, I-A-3 (?) (or I-A-3/III?). c, I-B-4.
Gib 4 IB -ob: sped B—afll, ¢. EB3b. hh, I-B-4/il 7, 1-8 -4/11
aberrant (no headdress). 7, I-B-3b. &, I-B-4/II. /, III-A-1. 1, Probably I-B+4.
m, 0, p, r, Animal and bird figurine fragments, Style 1. g, Small whistle.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
BULLETIN 153 PLATE
CENTIMETERS
Figurines, Stratitrench 1, Level 4.
“3 : 3 :
ee
I-A or I-B bodies.
38
‘puvy pue we (7) 7-V-III ‘¥ ‘“puey pue wie ({) ‘I-W-III ‘2 ‘susurseaz quul] pur Apoq gq-] 10 y-] ‘7-1 ‘8-p ‘q *Atjeq quesog
-njoid ‘yoeqyouny yim “(ayyord ut) Apog quediaqe J aArg ‘v ‘Wysty T/e¢-A-] ‘“w *T afArg ‘ajasiym prig “Ww °7-V-III ‘E (GV % *y]/e¢-gq-T
‘y ‘yoeleqe epnso q¢-q-] ‘2 “[I/qg-a-1 f “4é-d-1 2 “Fal ep=q=1 2) “Vial “9 U/paaal 2 ven) <5 les) P yoworsiean gy seuians),
SWaLSWLLNaD
—_——— ee
[ T 3 , J
6€ ALV1d e€St NILAT1INGA
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 40
Figurines, Stratitrench 3, Level 1. a, I-A (probably I-A-3). 6, I-B-4/II. c, I-A-3 ()}.
d, III-A-1 (not clear in plate, but specimen shows carefully modeled ears, vestiges of
modeled facial planes). ¢, I-B-4. f, I-B-4/II. g, I-B-3a. h, (2) (proportions
suggest I-A-3). 1, I-B-3a/II. 7, I-B-3b. &, (?) (probably I-A-3). J, m, 0, I-A
or I-B arms. 1, I-A or I-B torso.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 40A
CENTIMETERS
Figurines, Stratitrench 3, Level 2. a, I-A-3. b, I-B-4. c, I-A-3. d, 1-B-3b. e,
I-B-3a/II. f, I-B-3b/II. g, I-B-4/II. h, I-B-4/II. 1, Bird head (whistle ?),
Style I. 7, Animal head, Style I (?). &, 1-B-4. J, I-B-2. m, Animal head frag-
ment, Style I (7). », Large human head fragment, probably I-B-3b. 0, Torso,
I-A or I-B. p, Crude seated animal (rear view, front very eroded) Style l. 4g,
Torso, I-A or I-B.
a ag
peziydiowodoiyjue (iT ]/]) | e[AIS “P
"q¢-G-1 ‘y “ee-q-1 % ‘I1/e
"QyEy pue odes yarm) Apoq g-] 4+
"¢ [PART 7
Ajqeqoig ‘y
(Oe 10) Maes qe EV sl 4
jO Juow}¥211) [][]/Fg-]
Lv
ALV1d eSl
NILA11Ng&
iam a
"fF Joao] ‘3—v “7ys1yy
(USS e/2
“(II/I-O-I) peytpow
‘s}USWISe1y quilT pue Apog {7 ‘y ‘f ‘1 ‘y (Sp “34 99S UOT NAYsUODaI 10J) 9UTQUAdIOS jo Apoq q-[ Jo
“Apog (Quviieqe) snoijsuow YIM pesy []/V—-] ‘P
“juowsesy Apog gq—] 10 y-] ‘uv
spell tea On cleat
iO IIE OT
‘Apoq q-] Jo y-] 9 “¢-y-] ‘q ‘sensel
ROH SO Va 2s yada i
‘(sodA pajapour Jo sd.uenyul smoys soo
“¢ pur ‘F ‘¢ sjaaay ‘¢ youstneng ‘soulnsiy
&
SuaLaWiLN3D
—
t
ASOTONHLA NVDOIYAWY AO NVSEHNSa
"E [OAT] ‘T YOusmMeg WOT [TY ,,/SMeS,,
pisys ‘y ‘fa *sa8pa yo-punols yim sysiq “y ‘f ‘3 “p ‘gq “sysip ino peysnoy 7 ‘p “splays payIOMas JO SUIIOF SNOLIVA “Fys2y “UOIsUadsns JO} pouOrYses
s1ySIaA\ ‘¥-y ‘asm uMOUYUN Jo JalqQ ‘3 “oulINSy Juvdioqe jo sie ‘(a *(2) aiey Bnjdiva Aroyog ‘p ‘iensel ve Sunuasaidos [asso ABZyjo |jeus
jo quawSeig ‘2 ‘onbiayoai J] efAIg ul “[[Nys [TEU *¢ “[eas [eolupulfAD ‘vo *SulsZ1p ;esoues wrosy Avy Jo sjoafqo snoour|[eostul pue soulnsy Jurioqy {aT
iy
ey 3ALVi1d e€S1 NILSATING ADSDONIONHLA NVYOIMAWYV AO NVvaena
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 43
Ges
Aberrant figurines, strongly modeled (Style I11). a, III-B, with Style I influence in use of
punctations and appliqué. 6, III-B. General digging. (a’ and b’ are profiles of a
and b.)
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 44
Objects of stone and other materials. a, Sandstone “caw” fragments. 0b, “Saw” (?) or
grindstone of very dense sandstone (concretionlike). c, d, e, Obsidian flake knives
(note dressed tips of c and e). g, h, 1, Tools of chalcedony flakes. f, Hemispherical
bead of greenish stone or poor quality jade. j, Small plaque (or pendant ?) of poor
quality jade. &, Fragment of Type B earplug (strongly flared, with rectangular
outline). J, Pellet of asphaltum, shaped into a flattish disk. m, Pumice polishing tool.
n, 0, Hammerstones (1 is of chalcedony).
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
Sample series of notched sherds (and disk, lower right-hand
BULLETIN 153 PLATE 45
corner), from Stratitrench 3.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 46
Jade figurines 1 and 2, from tomb in Mound A-2, front and side views.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 47
Dorsal views of Jade figurines 1 and 2, and front views of figurines 3 and 4, also from tomb
in Mound A-2 (1 and 2 not same scale as preceding plate).
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 48
Dorsal and profile views of figurines 3 and 4.
"§ QUIINSY JO MaIA aTYoIg “Wysty “MAA JuOIY ‘VfaT *(9 JUeUINUOT)) Jayoo su0ys Woy ‘aUUAdias jo *¢ oulain3i gy
6p 3AlLV1d e€Slt NILATINA ASONIONHL]A NVYOIYSAWY AO NvaeYnNAa
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 50
Figurines 8, 9, and 10, from 1943 collections. Figurine 10 is about 10 cm, tall. (National
Geographic Society photo.)
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUEEEGINGISS Pe AnEsS1
7
Figurine 11. Left, Facial detail. Right, Profile view of figurine 11 (height: about 11 cm.).
(National Geographic Society photo.)
%o,
e
6
y
°
eQe OGSe
eo
oh?
Qab0? 260000° Sobmond nal
ADOIONHLA NVOIMAWY AO Nvauns
10
o
©
o
oe
o
o
©
».
eG ALW1d €St NILAT1INGA
*BUO] “UID OI 198
YS JO WIOF ul yalqg ‘p
‘D JO Jey URY) JosIe]
‘SORHINS ( 1OM9IUI,, BARIUOD ‘YD *7—V punoyy ul quo} wolf ‘juepued opel pedeys-jaysuey fay
mnoge ‘7 £19afqo yea Jo 1J9] 01 P “gq ‘v Jo asoyi :salivA susuIdads jo ajeog *z—-y punoyy *‘quioy Wolf ({ Juepusd) sulds Aer Sur
“JOPOD Puoispursg Woy ‘2 “7-V punojy ul quoy, “¢ *(g WauINUOCZ)) Joyo suo spurs ‘vy ‘asn uMouyuUN Jo s}oalqo apef Vys1y
ApiySt]s Ara ajeos v 07 st ‘q ‘dpa asulpy,, ‘a8po
oO :
7
Wo
4)
Oo
2
G
€S$ 31vV1d est NILa771Na ASOTONHLA NYOINSAWY 4O nvayna
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 54
C
Jade objects of unknown use from the 1942 excavations. a, Rectangles with incised Bird-
monster design. 6, Hands and forearms (imperforate). c, e, Small flares. d, Small
object suggesting animal head (pendant ?). Scale of c-e differs from a and b; ¢ is about
25 mm. in diameter. (It has been photographed at a slight angle; it is actually circular,
not elliptical.) d has an over-all length of about 29 mm. e has a diameter of about
21 mm.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULEECE TIN 153) PEASE 55
Series of jade celts from offering, Tomb E (1943 season.) Upper, Side view. Lower, Addi-
tional jade celts from offering (1943 season.) (National Geographic Society photos.)
2 ey ‘(9 JUaUINUOJY) JaHOD 9u0}s
-pueg ul Suazo wo s8njdieq “3 “f *7—-y ul quioz wouy (; Juepuad) anbrjd uvipisqo [wus ‘a ‘sseur punow wo4y osye ‘opel Aiyenb 100d surjeisAs9
Jo speaq [eotipul[Ad y1oys pu ¥sIp [eolaydsqng ‘p “7—-VW jo sseul punour wrod} ‘Aqyenb 100d sayies jo apel aurjeysAso jo s8nidieq ‘9 ‘q ‘v “9 udu
-NUOJ, puke ¢-V PUNO, ISIQ euOIspueg Woy s}oa!qo uvIpIsgo pur opel WYyF1y “Y ..quoL,, ‘ZuLIaYO WIOl} USISap JosuOWI-IeNsef YIM peAreo yao ape ‘7/77
Res tn fee oO
Wo?
ADO NONHLA NVOINAWY AO NvayenSa
etic calling die. -epek = Pei + . - es
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 57
Jade bobs or pendants associated with earplugs. a, From offering containing four figurines,
etc.; b, from Sandstone Coffer; c, from offering including decorated earplugs; d, from
offering of “Tomb D.” Not to same scale; pair a about 5.8 cm. long; pair b about
4 cm. long.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 57A
“oS e
a
CM.
SCALE FOR A-G
|g
Various types of tubular jade beads (a-g), and heart-shaped object of jade (r). Figs. a-g,
and r, from 1942 excavations, remainder from 1943. Scales of different sections of
plate vary: a-g, as shown; in h-o, 0 is about 4.6 cm. long; in p-g, p is about 19 mm.
long; 7 is about 2.3 cm. maximum length.
“Wu ¢°QZ JO YSU] WNWIxeW vB sey ‘JapaAy Aq 2]vOS YIM poydeiZojoyd ‘usuNIdads papIIg *(aTeds YIM Suoje
‘Surydessojoyd ul yo ind Apiuaqapeul suoutseds QE inoqy) “919 ‘s3n[diva paiesodsap ‘oulinsy (7) suo sour] YIM puno} ‘sajsueds opel Jo satias jo Weg
VW Red 2D te OD,
aS eae {
S~iVVJACarvveyy
[ &-e 2S V/I ae
8S 3B1V1d €Sl NILA1INA ASOTNONHLA NVOIMAWY SO Nvaynd
(‘soyoyd AqaI90g s1ydeiz0ay [ruCeN) ‘sedeiyD ‘jeaofoung jo Aqulo1a wody ‘au0}s
Yep JO IPD ‘Wysty “ooseqey, ‘esouoyr||IA Ul UONEO] JUeSeid 0} vIUaA eT WOIY sav jUada1 Ul paylodsue1} Useq DALY O} poAddlfog ‘g JUaWINUOT “7/77
6S Al1V1d €S1 NiILaT71InNg
ASOTONHLA NVOISAWY AO NVWAYNSa
‘slosso0] Aursoyeu Aq ¥jUsA kT WOI, poaour useq
aAvY OF PrAddtjaq sev YO “qu, “OUSdTA Ug eOULY Iv OT “qey, ‘oofes[euIOD Iv si 6 WUaWNUOTY “OT JUSUINUOTY Vys1y “]reIap [eIoKy “6 JUSUINUOTY “7/97
O39 Sttivad ESt Niland ADSOTONHLA NVOIYSAWY AO NVAYNG
‘
‘Ivol pure opIs JO MolA 14514 ‘det JO [lelop
‘¢
WaT “dU \ ues Boul y att JUSWINUOTY
Ne
19 ALW1d €S!1 NILA1T1INA ASOTONHLA NVOIMAWY AO NVsayNSa
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 62
Monument 12. Carving representing a monkey, from Profile Trench in A-1 (1943 excava-
tions). See pl. 5, c, and fig. 53.
BUREAU
OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
Monument 13. From 1943 excavations
in
Ra
f
2
BULLETIN 153 PLATE 63
Low relief carving and possible glyphs.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 64
Monument 15.
Fragments, presumably from same monument, with portions of Jaguar-
monster mask(s). See fig. 54 for suggested reconstruction.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BUEEE RING 153) (PEATE TGS
Altar 7, fe See
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 153 PLATE 66
Wash drawing of fragment of stone mask representing the Jaguar-monster, from base of
Middle Tres Zapotes deposit (Trench 13, Tres Zapotes). (Drawing by Edwin G.
Cassedy.)
INDEX
Acosta, J. A., 225
Adobe bricks, 31, 61, 76, 79
Agua Dulce, oil camp, 5
Altar, basalt, 8, 9, 162, 173
carved, 39, 60, 63
Altar 1 (“Jaguar Altar’), 9, 10, 26,
178, 192, 193 (fig.), 194, 197, 198
(fig.), 200, 213
Altar 2, 225
Altar 38, 176 (fig.), 188 (fig.), 190
(fig.), 195, 196, 198 (fig.), 200,
225
Altar 4, 9, 166, 187, 188 (fig.), 189,
193 (fig.), 194, 196, 197, 198
(fig.), 199, 200, 225
Altar 5-95, Was, Laid oS), Les, hese,
188, 189, 190 (fig.), 194, 197, 198
(fig.), 199, 200, 225
Altar 6, 188 (fig.), 196, 198 (fig.),
200, 225
Altar 7, 175, 182-184, 188 (fig.), 190
(fig.), 195, 196, 198 (fig.)
Amber pendants, 72
Amethyst bead, 166
Andrews, E. Wyllys, 224, 225
Animal designs, 224
Anklets, 167, 168, 202, 223
Anthropomorphie design, 195
“Aprons,” absence of, 202, 219
Areal relationships, conclusions as to,
230-231
Armbands, 223
Armillas, Pedro, 149
Art relationships, 204-231
Ash, volcanic, used for tempering, 102,
240
Asphalt, 56, 58, 59, 75, 107
Awl, jade, 169
Axes, 63, 76, 210
“Banner,” 181
Bars, ceremonial, 202, 219
Basalt, blocks, 33, 34, 45, 47, 48, 49, 57,
58, 61, 77
columns, 9, 10, 23, 25 (map), 27, 31,
382 (plan), 34, 36, 44, 48, 49, 50, 55,
60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 77, 79
Basin, stone, 213
Beads, 166-168, 181, 210
amethyst, 166
carved, 168
cylindrical, 166, 167, 168
discoidal, 168
gadrooned, 166, 167, 168
jade, 25, 26, 27, 64, 70, 71, 78, 161,
163
subeylindrical, 168
subspherical, 166, 167, 168
tubular, 161, 162
947310—52 18
Beards, 184, 196, 204
Belts, 135, 186, 156, 180 (fig.), 181, 184,
199, 223
Beyer, Hermann, 152
Bibliography, 241-248
Bird design, 184, 194, 195 (fig), 214, 224
Bird-monster design, 169, 170 (fig.), 194,
195 (fig.), 203
Bird’s head design, 84, 86 (fig.), 189,
168, 182, 195 (fig.), 201
Blocks, basalt, 33, 45, 47, 48, 49, 57, 58,
Co (Le
sandstone, 9, 175
serpentine, 25, 33, 56, 59, 74, 75
Blom, F., 213
Borbolla, de la, Dr., 153
Bottle, reconstruction of, 120 (fig.), 121
Bowl, asymmetrical, 123 (fig.), 126
basal-flanged, 150
eylindrical, 115
aaa Se (fig.), 90 (fig.), 122, 212
(fig.
flaring, with sharply incurved sides,
108 (fig.), 114-115, 125 (table)
incurved returned sides, 108 (fig.),
115, 125 (table)
incurved side, angular or rounded
shoulders, 118 125 (table)
open, 92, 101
returned side, with angular
shoulder, 118-114, 125 (table)
saucerlike, 38, 92, 101
shapes, 108 (fig.),
(table), 239
Teotihuacin tripod, 100, 115
tripod, 100, 149
Box, stone, 63, 157, 209, 210
Bracelets, 167, 168, 178, 202
Breechclout, 156, 157, 181, 202, 219
Bricks, adobe, 31, 61, 76, 79
Brickwork, 48, 49, 51, 55, 60, 77
Burials, bundle, 23, 25 (map), 1538, 154,
155
113-115, 125
Caleareous matter, used for tempering,
237, 238, 239
Cap, “liberty,” 220
mitrelike, 184
Capes, 135, 202
Carving, 201, 203, 205, 208, 211
champlevé, 209, 218
Izapa type, 223, 224
jade, 1, 3, 26, 27, 153, 185
Maya, 217, 232
Caso, Alfonso, 226
Catemaco, Veracruz, 100, 149
Catemaco-Santiago Tuxtla horizon, 232
Celts, 25 (map), 39, 55, 69 (plan), 70,
249
250
Celts—Continued
76, 77, 79, 160, 164-165 (fig.),
166, 172, 190 (fig.), 198 (fig.), 199,
214
jade, 27, 55, 64, 70, 79, 165, 193
(fig. )
Olmee, 164
serpentine, 31, 39, 55, 70, 71, 73,
75, 79, 164, 165
Central Group, La Venta, 8, 9, 10, 12,
18, 22, 175
Central Mexican Highland culture, 227—
229
Central Veracruz, 215-217
Ceramics, Black on Brown, 107 (fig.)
Brown Lacquer ware, 97-98, 124
(fig.), 125 (table), 127 (table),
128 (table), 129
Catemaco-Santiago Tuxtla ware,
101
chronology, 147-151
Coarse Brown ware, 80, 838, 92-96,
95 (fig.), 97, 104, 114, 115, 117,
123 (fig.), 124 (fig.), 125 (table),
127 (table), 128 (table), 129, 180,
131, 143
Coarse Black ware, 90-92, 101, 114,
123 (fig.), 124 (fig.), 125 (table),
127 (table), 128 (table), 129, 138
Coarse Buff ware, 81-90, 91, 93, 94,
OF 995 Oss ee Oa 2S
(fig.), 124 (fig.), 125 (table), 127
(table), 128 (table), 129, 130,
131, 143
Coarse Paste Brown ware, 92, 104
Coarse Paste ware, 100, 114, 117
Coarse Red ware, 96-97, 125
(table), 127 (table), 128 (table),
129
Coarse White ware, 91 (fig.), 96,
104, 125 (table), 127 (table), 128
(table)
Coiled, 126
Cream-white on red, 235, 237
decoration, 84, 85 (fig.), 86 (fig.),
87 (fig.), 88 (fig), 91 (fig), 92, 94,
96, 97, 98, 100, 103 (fig.)-104
distribution, 104, 126-132
engraved, 84, 85 (fig.), 97
Fine Orange ware, 100, 101, 149
Fine Paste Black, 99, 101, 102, 103
(fig.), 104, 105 (fig.), 111, 289
Fine Paste Buff, 99, 101, 235, 236,
237, 240
Fine Paste Buff on Red, 235
Fine Paste Buff-Orange,
(table)
Fine Paste Gray, 99, 101, 235, 236,
237, 239, 240
Fine Paste Gray-Black ware, 90,
92, 100, 101, 102, 108, 125 (table),
239
Fine Paste Orange, 99, 100, 101, 235,
236, 237
Fine Paste Orange-Buff ware, 92,
101, 102, 103, 104, 106
125
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
Bull. 153]
Ceramics—Continued
Fine Paste Wares, 80, 98-101, 101-
104, 109, 110, 112, 114, 115, 127
(table), 128 (table), 129, 1380,
131, 1384, 147, 150, 234, 237, 238, 239
geometric design, 104
incised, 84, 85 (fig.), 86 (fig.), 87
(fig.), 91 (fig.), 92, 94, 95 (fig.),
96, 98, 103, 104, 106 (fig.), 110, 111,
Tals, Tal, ally, seal, ee), ale ty
La Venta Fine Paste wares, 101-
104
La Venta-Middle Tres
ware, 147, 150
linear patterned, 92, 94, 95 (fig.),
104
modeled, 89 (fig), 90 (fig.)
monochrome ware, 147, 148
occurrence of, 89, 94-96, 98
painted, 96, 99, 100, 104-107 (fig.),
127 (table), 128 (table), 129,
147, 285
paste composition, 237-2388
polished, 103, 115
polychrome (see also Fine Paste
wares), 99, 149, 234
punctate, 88 (fig.), 91 (fig.), 94, 95
(fig.), 104, 129
Red, 235, 239, 240
Red on Brown, 107 (fig.), 123 (fig.)
Red on Red, 224
stamped, 86, 88 (fig.), 94, 103 (fig.),
129
textile patterned, 94
thumb-nail decorated, 95 (fig.)
Tres Zapotes ware, 94, 96, 98, 99,
101, 102, 115, 121, 126, 133, 149
unpainted, 100, 101
White-rimmed (or Mottled) Black
ware, 90, 92, 239
white-slipped, 99, 100, 101, 235, 236,
237, 239
Ceremonial Court, La Venta, 2, 8, 9, 15,
22, 28, 29 (fig.), 30 (diag.), 31, 34,
36, 61, 62, 76, 77, 152
Ceremonial Court (A-1), excavations
in, 36-61, 74
summary of structural investiga-
tions, 77-79
Cerro de las Mesas, 133, 186, 137, 150,
215, 216
Cerro del Encanto Group, 10
Cerro de San Cristobal, hill, 6
Chalcedony, 145, 146
Chalcocingo, Morelos, México, 228
Charcoal, 28, 32
Chiapas, State of, 4
Chicanel culture, 149, 216, 221, 233
Child’s grave, 72 (plan)
Chin straps, 1386, 214, 219, 223, 226
Cinnebar, used for red paint, 56, 63, 64,
68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 154
Cist, stone walled, 66 (plan), 67, 68, 69
(plan), 71, 72, 73, 160, 164, 166,
167, 170, 201
Clam shell design, 163, 196
Zapotes
INDEX
Clay Platforms, A-1, 39-40, 41 (plan),
48, 49, 59, 60, 61, 78
Clays, “red-burning,” 101
Coatimundi design, 139
Coatzacoaleos, Veracruz, 4
Coffer, sandstone, (Monument 6), 26, 27,
62, 63, 78, 153, 161, 162, 169, 176,
178, 180, 197, 198 (fig.) 199, 200,
209, 221
Collars, 202
Colors of paste, Ridgway’s, 81-82, 83,
90-91, 92-93, 93-94, 96, 97, 98, 99,
101, 102, 103
Columns, basalt, 9, 10, 28, 25 (map), 27,
31, 32 (plan), 34, 36, 37, 44, 48, 49,
50, 55, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 77, 79
ceramic, 221
green schist, 9
Comalcaleo, Tabasco, 173, 178
Complex A, La Venta, 2, 9, 28, 34, 35
(map), 36, 37, 39, 64, 65, 68, 71,
72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 146, 152, 153, 163,
166, 173, 175
Complex B, La Venta, 9, 175
Copfin, Honduras, 201, 217, 218, 220
Copper, 100, 149
Core, carved obsidian, 71
Court A-1, 9, 36-61, 74, 77-79
Court floor, 78
Court stockade, 77, 79
Covarrubias, M., 3, 152, 159, 192, 226, 228
Crystal pendant, 164
Currasow design, 189
Cylinder, stone, (Monument 14), 71, 72,
(Seon AB A182" 210
Datum A, 37, 38, 39, 42, 63
Decorations, ceramic, 84, 85 (fig.), 86
(fig.), 87 (fig.), 88 (fig.), 89
(fig.), 90 (fig.)
seulptural, 198 (fig.)
Decorative elements, 197-200
Deer jaws, design, 160 (fig.), 161, 162
Dish, compound, 126
flat-based with flaring sides, 108
(fig.), 109-110, 125 (table)
flat-based with vertical walls, 108
(fig.), 110-111, 125 (table)
open curved-sides with thickened
rims, 108 (fig.), 111, 125 (table)
open-curved to in-curved sides, 108
(fig.), 111-112, 125 (table)
shapes, 108 (fig.), 109-115, 125
(table)
small rectangular, 112
Disks, jade, 64
obsidian, 25, 70
reworked pottery, 143-144
Drilling, 172
Drills, 145, 172
Drucker, Philip, 36, 37, 40, 43, 60, 62, 63,
70, 73, 77, 78, 79, 86, 98, 114, 118,
121, 134, 186, 142, 150, 210, 215,
239, 240
Duck heads, designs of, 70, 168, 171
251
Eagle design, 71, 169, 170 (fig.), 194, 195
Eagle-jaguar design, 169
Ear ornaments, 182, 184, 194
jade, 64, 70, 73, 187
Kar piercing, 169
Earplugs, 142, 146, 160 (fig.)—161,162,
164, 168, 187, 190 (fig.), 198
(fig.), 199, 205, 207
Type A, 161
Type B, 161
Har spools, 134, 154, 157, 161, 172, 189,
198 (fig.), 201, 202
jade, 27, 64, 69 (plan), 70, 71, 73, T9
Early Tres Zapotes, 134
Early Uaxactun culture, 96
East Embankment (A-4), 34, 76
East Platform (A-1), 37, 49-59, 76, 78
Bast Trench (A-1), 44-45
Ekholm, Gordon F., 137
El Arbolillo II horizon, 227
El Baul, Guatemala, 222
Excavations, 1942, 10-33
Faunal themes, 195-196
Feather designs, 200, 202, 204, 207, 218,
214
Feet, 186 (figs), 189, 191
Feldspar, 238
Feline monsters, 231
Ferrie oxide, 236
Figures, Danzante, 226
Figurine 1 (jade), 154, 186 (fig. )
Figurine 2 (jade), 155, 186 (fig.)
Figurine 3 (jade), 155-156, 186 (fig. )
Figurine 4 (jade), 156-157, 186 (fig. )
Figurine 5 (serpentine), 157, 186 (fig.)
Figurine 6 (serpentine), 157
Figurine 7 (serpentine), 157
Figurine 8 (serpentine), 73, 157-158,
185, 186 (fig.), 186 (fig.)
Figurine 9, (serpentine), 73, 158, 186
33)
Figurine 10 (serpentine), 73, 158-159,
186 (fig.)
Figurine 11 (serpentine), (dancing fig-
ure), 73, 159, 186 (fig.)
Figurine 12 (serpentine), 70-71, 159-
160, 186 (fig.)
Fugurines, jade, 238, 25, 26, 70-71, 73,
152, 153-160, 164, 185, 186 (figs.),
210, 211, 215, 219, 224, 225, 226
Figurines, pottery, 4, 11, 79, 80, 81, 180,
132-141 (table), 147, 210-211, 212
animal, 138-139, 141 (table)
“Baby-face,” 187, 139, 190 (fig.),
211
Class I-A, 134, 135, 136, 138, 228
Class I-A-I, 134, 136, 210
Class I-A-2, 134, 135, 210
Class I-A-3, 134, 1389, 140, 228
Class I-B, 134, 135, 186
Class I-B-1, 135
Class I-B-2, 135
Class I-B-3, 185, 189
Class I-B-3a, 135, 136, 137
Class I-B-8b, 185
Class I-B-4, 136, 1389, 140
252
BUREAU
Figurines, pottery—Continued
Class I-C, 136
Class I-C-1, 136, 189, 140
Class I-I’, 136
Class I-G, 136
Class I-H, 136
Class II—A-1, 136, 137, 140
Class II-D, 186
Class III-A, 187, 138, 139, 211, 229
Class III-A-1, 188, 228
Class ITI—A-2, 138, 228, 229
Class III—A-8, 188, 212 (fig.)
Class III-B, 138, 1389
“Classic,” 134, 135, 136, 139, 140,
PAD,
Cut—Featured type, 137
Grotesque, 1386, 140
Highland Type A, 227
Huaxtecan, 211
Laughing Face, 215
Mayan, 211
mold-made, 132, 139, 140, 149, 150
Realistically Modified, 185
Style 1, 188, 1384, 185, 136, 187, 138,
139
Style II, 1383, 134, 136, 137
Style III, 133, 134, 137, 138, 139
taxonomy of, 132-139
type A, 227
Finea Arizona, 224
Finca San Vicente, 173, 179
Fingernail decorations, 88, 95 (fig.)
Fish designs, 228
Flagging, limestone, 25, 26
Flares, 164
pottery, 142, 143
Floral motifs, 196, 204
Foraminifera, 239
Forecourt, (A-1), 59-60, 77, 78
Frog designs, 26
Gaming pieces or counters, 144
Geographical setting, 4-8
Globigerina, 239
Glyphlike forms, 181, 183, 184, 197, 199,
214
Grave, child’s, 72 (plan)
Great Mound, La Venta, 8, 9, 13, 14
(map), 17 (map), 22, 34, 36, 37,
CBs 10
Grindstone, 146
Gualupita IT deposits, 229
Guatemala Highland culture, 221-222
Gulf of Campeche, 4
“Hachas,” 215
Hairdressing, 154, 211
Hammerstones, 146
Handles and lugs, 122, 124 (fig.), 125
(table), 129
Hands, 186 (fig.), 189, 191
jade, 26, 170, 199, 201
Head-dress, 1385, 136, 155, 162, 166, 178,
179, 187, 189, 194, 195, 200, 201,
202, 205, 211, 214, 223
Heads, stone, 9, 205, 222
trophy, 218
OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
[Bull. 153]
Heart or leaf design, 169
Hematite, 96, 237
mnirror, 56, 64, 76, 154, 163
objects, 25, 26
pendants, 163-164
Hieroglyphic writing, 217
Hornblende, 238
Huasteca, 132, 137
Huaraches, 219
Human features, 186 (figs.), 188 (figs.),
189, 190 (fig.), 191, 201-202, 214,
218, 224, 226
profiles, 189-190 (figs.), 201-202,
218
Human figures, 191, 197, 201-202, 205,
209, 210, 218, 224
Human limbs, 186 (figs.), 202
Human postures, 202, 204
Iguala District, Guerrero, 159
Incensario, 222
Incising, 172, 201, 228
Iron, 234, 236, 238
Iron oxide, 236
Tron pyrites, 158
Isthmus of Tehuantepec, 215
Jade, 2, 71, 78, 146, 150, 152, 1538, 161,
1 210 2125 219
awl, 169
beads, 25, 26, 27, 64, 70, 71, 73, 146,
161, 162
carvings, 1, 3, 26, 27, 79, 221
celts, 27, 55, 64, 70, 79, 165
disks, 64
ear ornaments, 64, 70, 73, 146, 160
(fig.), 161, 162
ear spools, 27, 64, 69 (plan), 70, 71,
73
figurines, 23, 25, 26, 70-71, 73, 152,
153-160, 164, 185, 186 (fig.), 210,
211, 215, 219, 224, 225, 226
hands, 26, 199, 201
mosaic, 72
Olmecan, 230
ornaments, 64, 168, 185
pendants, 23, 27, 70, 160 (fig.), 161,
162, 185, 201
perforators, 169
plaquettes, 147 (fig.), 162
punch, 71
rectangles, 23, 197, 198 (fig.)
skull, 64
spangles, 170-171 |
tube, 69 (plan), 70, 71
“Jadeite ax,” 210
Jaguar altar (Altar 1), 9, 10, 26, 178,
192, 193 (figs.), 194, 197, 198
(fig.), 200, 213
Jaguar designs, 64, 70, 89 (fig.), 90
(fig.), 122, 139, 161, 162, 164, 165
(fig.), 166, 178, 185, 194, 201, 202—
203, 209, 214
Jaguar features, 192, 193 (figs.), 194
Jaguar mask, 197, 198 (fig.), 199, 200,
201, 202, 203, 207 (fig.), 209, 213,
223
INDEX 2a
Jaguar-mask pavement, 56, 77
Jaguar-monster design, 179, 180, 182,
192, 193 (fig.), 194, 195, 198 (fig.),
199, 201, 202-208, 204, 205, 206,
(fig.), 207 (fig.), 208, 209, 210,
ZNSE OM 220 O23 294 226,
2a
Jars, 94, 115-119
bodies, 116 (fig.), 118-119
coneave necks, 116 (fig.), 117-118,
125 (table)
handles, 116 (fig.), 118
inleaned necks, 116 (fig.), 117, 125
(table)
miniature, 239
miscellaneous
(table)
neckless, with thickened rims, 116
(fig.), 125 (table)
Plainware, 119
small thick-walled, 119, 120 (fig.),
121
tall slender necks, 116 (fig.), 118
Jennings, J. D., 122, 142, 145, 164, 168
Jimenez Moreno, Wigberto, 3,
shapes, 119-125
KaminaljuyG, Guatemala, 26, 143, 145,
149, 150, 160, 161, 164, 167, 216,
222,
Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 122, 142, 145,
161, 163, 164, 166, 168, 170, 219,
222, 224
Kilts, 185, 154, 202
Kinkajou, 184, 204
Knives, obsidian, 145
stone, 144, 145
Krynine, Paul D, quotations from, 4-5
La Farge, O., 213
La Venta, mounds and sherd deposits, 7
(map), 20, 231
“La Venta” culture, 3, 204, 205, 232, 233
La Venta—Middle Tres Zapotes period,
140, 229
Legbands, 223
Leyden plate, 213, 221
Limestone, 159
flagging, 25, 26
slabs, 38, 58, 67
Limon A., Sr. Luis, 153
Lothrop, S. K., 152, 220, 222
Lower Tres Zapotes, 95, 96, 99, 100, 101,
132, 135, 138, 139, 140, 149, 151,
204, 208, 210, 211, 212, 213, 216,
22l e224 22K, 229; 200; Zo, 202,
233, 240
L-shaped figure, decorative motif, 197,
204, 205, 206, 214, 215
Lugs, 122
Mamon horizon, 149, 216, 221
Manganese, 234, 238
Manos, 11, 144, 145
Manufacturing techniques, 172
March, Benjamin, 81
Marine motifs, 196
Mask panels, 220, 221
“Masks,” 189, 180, 181, 183, 190, 192,
193 (figs.), 194, 195, 202
Olmee, 221
Maya art, 197, 199, 200, 201, 203, 204,
2135 214 1G 21s) 218 72200221"
224, 230, 232
Maya sites, 145, 149, 192, 201, 217-222,
231
Mayan figures, 190 (fig.), 192
Mayan stelae, 181
Mayan Tepeu Period, 150
Mayan Tzakol period, 229, 231
Mesoamerica, 80, 84, 110, 121, 122, 126,
129, 166, 231
Mesoamerican culture, 1, 148, 149, 151,
152: 168; 170; 201, 231, 232; 233
Metals, lack of, 149
Metates, 11, 144-145
legged, 213
Mica, 237, 238
Middle American art, 214, 233
Middle Tres Zapotes desposits, 89, 95.
96, 99, 100, 102, 107, 131, 132, 135,
136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 142, 145,
147, 150, 151, 204, 208, 210, 211,
2A 213) 2222 2288 ook
Middle Tres Zapotes Fine Paste sherds,
238-239
Middle Zacatenco culture, 227, 228
Miraflores, material, 182, 224, 230, 231,
233
Mirror, hematite, 56, 64, 76, 154
Mirror back, 216
Moceasins, 202
Mohs scale, 81, 2389
Monkey design, 139, 204
Monkey statue (Monument 12), 78, 173,
179, 180 (fig.), 195
Monte Albian, 222, 225, 226, 227, 231
Monte Albdan I, 226, 230, 233
Monte Alban II, 226, 230
Monument 1, stone, 9, 188 (fig.), 198
(fig.), 200
Monument 2, 188 (fig.)
Monument 8, 188 (fig.)
Monument 4, 188 (fig.), 197, 198 (fig.),
200
Monument 5, 22, 32, 187, 188 (fig.)
Monument 6 (Stone Coffer), 176, 178,
193 (fig.), 194, 197, 198 (fig.),
199, 205, 206, 208, 221
Monument 8, (human figure), 9, 173,
178, 187, 188 (fig.), 189
Monument 9, (human figure), 9, 173,
178, 179, 188 (fig.), 205
Monument 10, (seated figure), 9, 32, 178,
179, 188 (fig.), 199, 205
Monument 11, (Jaguar-monster), 173,
179, 193 (fig.), 205
Monument 12 (monkey statue), 78, 178,
179, 180 (fig.), 193 (fig.), 198
(fig.), 199, 205
Monument 13, (Altar), 39, 63, 78, 173,
180-182, 189, 195, 200, 202, 203
(fig.)
254
Monument 14 (cylinder), 71, 72, 73, 78,
173, 182
Monument 15 (broken), 175, 182, 183,
(fig.), 198 (fig.), 199
Monument F (Tres Zapotes), 205
Monument M, (Tres Zapotes), 205
Monuments, stone, 2, 3, 8, 23, 153, 164,
166, 173-184, 185, 186 (figs.), 187,
188 (figs.), 189, 191, 202
Morley, Frances R., and Morley, Syl-
vanus Griswald, 214, 217, 218,
219, 220
Mosaic, jade, 72, 170
Mosaic ornaments, 170
Mound, A-1, 32 (plan)
Mound A-2, 9, 22, 23, 24 (fig.), 25 (fig.),
28, 34, 36, 39, 61-65, 78, 79, 150,
157, 163, 166, 168, 178
Mound A-3, 22, 34, 36, 64, 65, 66 (chart),
73, 78, 79
excavations, 65-76
Mound A-+4, 22, 36, 65
Mound A-5, 22, 65
Mound, North (A-2), 61-65, 78, 79
Mound excavations in Area A-3, 65-76
Mounds, 3, 7 (map), 8, 10, 22
Upper Tres Zapotes, 99
Nahua dialect, 3
Naranjo stelae, 152, 220
Necklaces, 185, 1386, 162, 163, 168, 180
(fig.), 202
Non-Mayan art, 225
North Mound (A-2), 61-65, 78
Nose piercing, 169
Oaxacan culture, 216, 225-227, 230, 233
Obsidian, 71, 145, 158, 159, 170
core, 71, 169, 170 (fig.), 172, 195,
198 (fig.)
disks, 25, 70
knives, 145
Ochre, red, used for paint, 56
Ollas, unslipped, 89, 94
Olmec art. See Olmec culture.
“Olmec” culture, 3, 79, 126, 132, 187, 148,
151, 1538, 164, 166, 171, 196, 197,
200, 205, 208, 210, 212, 218, 214,
Pay PAG PAG Paty, Pil, Bpyt 2pEy
224, 225, 226, 227, 229, 230, 231,
232023
Olmec problem, ix, 2, 152, 192
Olmee sites, 133, 149, 150, 152, 215
Olmec tribes, 230, 231
Olmecan jade, 230
Ornaments, 201
jade, 64, 168, 185
plumed, 219
Owl design, 184, 195
Oxides, 236
Pacific coast of Chiapas, Guatemala,
and Hl Salvador, 222-224
Paint, black, 104, 107, 234, 235, 238
brown, 104
red, 104, 107
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
(Bull. 153]
Palenque, 201
Palmas, 215
Palmer, M. Helen, ix
Paste, colors of, 81-82, 90-91, 92-93, 93-
94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103
surface features, 82-84, 91, 93-94,
96, 97, 98, 102-103
tempering materials of, 82, 90-91,
93, 97, 99, 101, 102, 234-240
Pavement, stone-block, (No. 1) 56, 57
(plan), 75, 79
Pavement, stone block (No. 2),
(plan), 75, 79
Payon José Garcia, ix
Peceary, 228
Pendants, 172, 180, 181, 196, 197
amber, 72
erystal, 164
hematite-mirror, 55, 163-164
jade, 24, 27, 70, 160 (fig.), 161, 162,
163, 185, 197, 199, 201, 202
“Olmec,” 220
Perforators, ceremonial, 169
Petén area, 135, 149, 216, 217-221, 230,
PRL GBPr 2B}
Phallic emphasis, 224, 225, 226
Phallicism, absence of, 191, 202
Piedra Labrada-San Martin Pajapan
region, 213
Piedras Negras, 201, 217, 218, 220
Plant designs, 201, 204, 223
Plaque, serpentine, 147
wooden, 56
Plaquettes, jade, 147 (fig.), 171
Plates, 105 (fig.)
Platforms, 8, 9, 31, 86, 37, 42, 48, 44, 48,
74
77, 78
clay (A-1, 39-40, 41 (plan), 48, 49,
59, 60, 61, 78
Hast (A-1), 49, 52 (plan), 53
(plan), 54 (plan)-59, 60, 74, 76,
78
South, (C’C’’), 78
West, 59, 60
Playa de los Muertos, 216
Plumed Serpent motif, 203, 209, 210, 219
Polishing stones, pumice, 146
Post—Tres Zapotes epoch, 100
Rot clayentce2ade:
Pot-rest, 120 (fig.), 121, 125 (table), 129
Pottery, miscellaneous, 141-144
Pottery-making techniques, 126
Problematical objects, 143
Projectile points, missing, 146
Proskouriakoff, Miss, ix
Proto-Olmec culture, 3
Puerto México, 4
Pumice, 126, 146, 240
Punch, jade, 71
Pyramid, stepped clay, 77
Pyroxine, 238
Quartz, 82, 98, 237, 238, 239, 240
Quartzite sand, 82, 93, 2388
Quirigud, 201, 217, 218, 220
INDEX
Rattlesnake design, 213
Rectangles, jade, 24, 197, 204
Reptilian designs, 220
Ricketson, Oliver G. and Ricketson, E.
Bey2205 22252238
Ridgway, Robert, 81
Ring stands and feet, 122-125 (table),
129
Rio Tonali, Tabasco, 4
Rock crystal, 70, 71
Round Table Conference, 2, 3
San Isidro Piedra Parada, 223
San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, 166
San Martin Pajapan monument, 213
San Martin Pajapan Volcano, 36
Sandals, 181, 202
Sandstone, blocks, 9, 175
coffer, 26, 27
Saws, 146
Slabs, 26, 68, 79
use for tempering, 93
vessels, 71
Santa Lucia Cozumalhuapa, 223
Santiago Tuxtla, Veracruz, 100, 149
Saville, Marshall H., 152, 178, 210, 213
Sawing, 172, 208
Saws, pottery, 144
stone, 146
Seale, Mohs, 81, 239
Scepter, Mannikin, 219
Scroll designs, 204, 209, 216
Sculptures, stylistic characters of, 185-—
204
Serpent, Feathered, 281
motif, 219, 225
Serpentine, blocks, 25, 33, 56, 59, 74, 75
celts, 31, 39, 55, 70, 71, 78, 75, 79,
164, 165
figurine, 27, 39, 70, 71, 147, 148
(fig.), 157, 159
mask fragment, 210
plaque, 147
Sexual organs, omitted, 189, 211
Shark’s tooth, 26, 196
Shepard, Anna O., ix, 81, 92, 100, 101,
102, 127
Technological Analyses, 234-240
Sherd deposits, La Venta, 7 (map), 10,
11, 12 (table), 28, 38, 92
Sherds, Brown washed, 84
buff-fired, 284, 235, 236, 237, 238
classification, 284-235
La Venta Fine Paste, 239-240
Middle Tres Zapotes Fine Paste,
238-239
oxidized, 234, 235, 236, 238, 239
paste composition, 237-238
pores in, 237, 238
red-fired, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238
reworked, 143-144
rim, 92, 106 (fig.), 111, 112, 118, 115,
116, 117
sub-ash deposits, 240
tempering of, 82, 90-91, 93, 97, 99,
101, 102, 237
255
Sherds—Continued
thermal tests, 235-237
Tres Zapotes, 236, 240
unoxidized, 234, 236, 237
Upper Tres Zapotes Fine Paste,
234-238, 239
weathering of, 84, 91, 98, 107
Shook, Edwin M., 122, 142, 145, 164, 168,
224.
Simojovel, Chiapas, 190, 214
Skull, human, 196
jade, 64
rock erystal, 164, 196
Slabs, limestone, 38, 58, 67
sandstone, 26, 68, 79
Slip, brown, 97
buff paste, 100
cream-white, 101, 102
lack of, 83, 94
red, 96, 97
white, 96, 99, 100
Smith, Robert E., ix
Snake design, 194, 203
Soil types, 11
South Group, 10
Southern Veracruz and adjacent re-
gions, 204-215
Spangles, 170-171
Spearthrower, 220
Spinden, Herbert J., 219, 220
Spindle whorls, lack of, 143, 144
Spiral design, 200, 209
Spokeshaves, 145
Stamping, rocker, 86, 94, 103, 129, 228
Stamps, cylindrical, 141, 142 (fig.)
Stamps, flat, 143
Statues, 178
monkey, 39, 78
Statuette, Tuxtla, 183, 213, 214
Staves, ceremonial, 202
Stelae, 185, 189, 209
Hight Deer, 222
Mayan, 181
Stela 1: 22, 32, 187, 188 (fig.), 189,
197, 198, (fig.), 201, 213, 225
Stela 2: 9, 173, 174 (fig.), 183, 188
(fig.), 194, 196, 197, 198 (fig.),
199, 200, 202, 208
Stela 3: 22, 78, 173, 175 (fig.), 190
(fig.), 191, 195, 196, 197, 200, 202,
208
Stela 5: 220
Stela 27: 220
Stela A, (Tres Zapotes) 209
Stela C, (Jaguar-monster) (Tres
Zapotes), 205, 206 (fig.), 207
(fig.), 208, 209, 211, 213
Stela D, (Tres Zapotes) 210
Steps, 28, 30, 60
Stewart, Richard, photographer, 1
Sting ray tails, 26, 162, 163, 169, 196
jade, 162, 168, 169
Stirling, M. W., 1, 2, 153, 166, 169, 173,
176, 179, 183, 184, 205, 208, 210,
214, 223, 224
Stone, chipped, 145-146
Stone head (Monument 1), 9
256
Stone work, ornamental, 146-147
utilitarian, 144-146
Stratigraphic trenches, 1, 20-22, 99, 125,
126, 131, 182; 145, 146, 152) 1577,
210
Stratigraphic Trench (Str-1), 20,
21, 102, 127 (table), 129, 131, 182,
141 (table), 143, 144, 146
Stratigraphic Trench (Str-2), 21,
28
Stratigraphie Trench (Str-38), 21-
22, 114, 117, 128 (table), 131, 132,
141 (table), 142, 144, 146, 147,
154, 171
Stratitrench (Trench 13), 210
Structural investigations, 22-23, 34-79,
T7-79
Structural Investigations,
1943 (Wedel), 34-79
Stylistic features, Summary, 200-204
Summary, 231-233
Sword, obsidian-edged, 202, 220
Technological (Shepard),
234-240
Teotihuacin, 139, 149, 150, 216
Teotihuacan III culture, 149, 2382
Teotihuacin IV culture, 149, 150
Test-pits, 1, 11 (map), 12 (table), 13
(map), 14 (map), 15 (map), 16
(map), 17 (map), 18 (map), 19
(table), 62, 76, 79
Test-pits (T-1 to T-6), 11 (map),
12 (table)
Test-pits (T-7 to T-10), 12, 13
(map)
Test-pits (T-11 to T-21), 13, 14
(map) (table), 20
Test-pits (T-22 to T-27),
(map) ; 17 (table)
Test-pits (T-28 to T-31), 16 (map),
Analyses
15
17 (table)
Test-pits (T-32 to T-83),17 (map),
18 (table)
Test-pits (T-34 to T-39), 18
(map), 19 (table)
Test—pits (T—-40), 19
Thompson, J. Eric, 196, 214, 222, 223
“Tierra bonita,’ 41 (plan), 45, 46
(plan), 47, 68, 67, 78
Tikal, 170
Tlatileo, 228, 229
Tlatileo—Olmec material, 229
Tombs, 23, 153, 155, 160, 161, 162, 163,
167, 168, 169, 170, 178, 196, 199,
201
basalt columned, 2, 25 (map), 26, 27
Tomb A, 62, 63, 65, 78, 79
Tomb B (stone coffer), 78
Tomb D (child’s), 73, 78
Tomb B, 64, 65, 78
Tonind, 217, 218, 220
“Totonaec” culture, 216
Tourmaline, 238
BUREAU OF AMERICAN
ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 153]
Trenches:
cross, 177
stratigraphic, 1, 20-22
test, 10-20, 27, 28
Trench, Area A-1, 37-39, 173, 179
Trench, East (A-1), 44-45
Trench (P-2), 28, 29 (fig.), 37, 40
Trench (P-3), 31, 49
Trench (P-4), 32, (plan)
Trench, West (A-1), 46
(plan), 47-49
Tres Zapotes, 3, 8, 80, 89, 92, 94, 95, 96,
97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 114, 119, 131,
132, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189, 142,
145, 147, 148, 150, 204, 205, 209,
202; 213; 215, DUS! 221,225
Triangle designs, 200, 204
Tripods, cylindrical, 149, 150
Trophy heads, 218
Truncated V design, 199, 204
Tube, jade, 69 (plan), 70, 71
Tunics, belted, 202
Turbans, 135, 136, 181
Turtle design, 71, 163
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, 2, 152, 153
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Conference, 2, 197,
200, 225
Tuxtla Mountains, 4, 145
Tuxtla region, 6, 8
Tuxtla statuette, 188, 213, 214
Tzakol culture, 150, 219, 231, 232
Uaxactun, 132, 150, 170, 219, 220
Uaxactun masks 1-8: 220, 221
Uaxactun masks 9-18: 220, 221
Upper Tres Zapotes Fine Paste sherds,
234-238
Upper Tres Zapotes ware, 99, 100, 101,
102, 115, 119, 131, 132, 142, 145,
149, 150, 204, 209, 212, 213, 215,
PAU PAL BRisy Sah WS
Urns, thick-rimmed, 121
U-shaped design, 200, 204, 206
Vaillant, George C., 152, 227
Valenzuela, J., 100, 149
Veracruz, State of, 4, 95
Veracruz-Western Tabasco region, 3,
133
Vessel feet, 124 (fig.), 125
Vessel forms, 107-125, 108 (fig.), 180
distribution of, 125 (table), 126
Vessels, compound, 122, 123 (fig.)
eylindrical, 38
effigy, 106 (fig.), 122, 226, 227
flat-bottomed, 38, 39
piteherlike, 122
rectangular, 104
sandstone, 71
supported-spout, 100
Villahermosa, 32, 173, 178
Voleanie ash, used for tempering, 102,
240
V-shaped design, 215
Wares, 81-107
INDEX 257
Waterman, T. T., 222 X-shaped design, 199, 204
Wedel, Waldo R., ix, 1, 2, 153, 159
Structural investigations, 1948, 34 | yaxchilan figures, 190 (fig.), 220
79 Yokes, stone, 215
Weiant, C. W., 142, 215 Y 4 ; 9
Weights, pottery, 142, 144 ucatin culture, 224-225
West Trench (A-1), 46 (plan), 47-49
Whistles, 139 Zapotecan Cocijo, 226
Willey, Gordon, 126 Zapotec glyph D, 165
Wristlet, 181, 223 Zoque dialect, 3
O
‘ x
ate
- F 1! :
Pf. eye 7 7 | = 1
: ! 7 : cies a in Ru yr
Wilt, Pa ue i wl ‘ j
rl Ibi
9026
}
|