The excavation is shown that was made by Saville in January, 1900. A cement floor was uncovered and the base of a square that was probably a shrine. On the left, behind, is seen the top of the Catholic church that has been built on the site of one of the ancient structures. Excavations at the sites of old cities will doubtless yield valuable returns. Recently (October, 1900) a sewer excavation in the City of Mexico, near the Cathedral, the site of the great teocalli, furnished several wagon-loads of idols, gold objects, jade beads, etc. See also pages 209, 246
Note.—For an excellent résumé of facts on “The Prehistoric Archæology of North America,” see the article by Henry W. Haynes, p. 329, Winsor’s Narrative and Critical History of the United States, vol. i.; also “The Progress of Opinion Respecting the Origin and Antiquity of Man in America,” by Justin Winsor, ibid., p. 369; also the “Critical Essay on Sources of Information,” p. 316; and for pre-Columbian explorations see p. 76; and, The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilisations, by Mrs. Zelia Nuttall, Peabody Museum.
The material is antler. Found in a stone cist somewhat resembling the stone graves of Kentucky and Ohio, but covered by a heap of jagged basaltic rocks about 8 feet in diameter. The skeleton of a child was found in the cist. The antler figure is 247 mm. long and from 2 to 5 mm. thick. The front is engraved as shown above. The back is plain. See paper on this subject by Harlan I. Smith.—Bulletin American Museum, vol. xx, pp. 195–203.
It was around the entrances of such tombs as this that the terra-cotta funeral urns were found, shown on pp. xii, xxviii, 115. They were usually in series of five with nothing in them.