Mound No. 3 (No. 26 on the plan, fig. 14) was situated immediately
between Mounds Nos. 6 and 11. It was roughly circular in shape, 120
feet in circumference and 3 feet in height. On being dug away to the
ground level it was found to be composed of earth and small blocks
of limestone, among which were numerous potsherds and fragments of
terra-cotta images, though the latter were so small that it was
impossible to tell how many images they represented. The potsherds
varied very much, some being rough and undecorated, others polished
and well painted in geometrical devices. Fragments of flint spearheads
and obsidian knives were also found in this mound. On reaching the
ground level the opening of a narrow passage 18 inches square was
discovered which led obliquely downward toward the east for a distance
of 8 feet; it was lined with roughly squared flags of limestone and
terminated in a small stone-lined chamber 2 feet square. On the floor,
half buried in fine dry earth, lay a small urn, roughly made of coarse
pottery, neither painted nor glazed. It was circular in form, 38-1/2
inches in circumference, with a semicircular handle at each side, and
was covered by a mushroom-shaped lid; with the lid in situ the whole
formed a somewhat irregular sphere. In the urn and almost completely
filling it were 20 small pottery figurines, comprising 3 warriors, 1
seated human figure, 4 alligators, 4 dragons, 6 quashes or picotes, and
2 serpent-like creatures.
The warrior figures resemble very closely those found in Mound No. 24
(see pl. 8), the only difference being that while two of them hold
shields on their left forearms, and grasp spears in their right hands
(as in pl. 8), the third warrior from this mound grasps a long dagger,
instead of a spear, in his right hand. The seated figure is very
similar to those from Mound No. 24 (see fig. 15), the only difference
being that the glans penis is grasped in the left hand while the right
hand wields the knife. The alligators are closely similar to those
already described, except that they are solid throughout instead of
being hollow. They are painted red, white, and black, and vary in
length from 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 inches. The tigers are similar to those
found in Mound No. 24, but are rougher, and not so carefully modeled;
all are hollow and are painted red throughout. The four dragon-like
creatures vary from 6 to 7 inches in length; the body, which is round
and slender, ends in a flattened bifid tail; the mouth, which is held
wide open, is furnished with a set of formidable teeth. Upon the upper
lip is a horn-like excrescence, and over the thorax are one dorsal and
two lateral fins. Each animal is painted white over the whole surface;
the inside of the mouth is painted red over the white layer. The six
quashes are exactly similar to those found in Mound No. 24, as are also
the two serpents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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