Mound No. 8, situated very close to Mound No. 7, was roughly circular,
36 feet in diameter and 4 feet high on its flattened top. It was built
throughout of earth, limestone dust, and blocks of limestone. Projecting
from the western edge of the mound was a large, roughly hewn block of
limestone, 3 feet by 4 feet, and 8 inches in thickness. Running through
the center of the mound from east to west were two parallel rows of
limestone flags, 2 feet apart, projecting 18 inches from the limestone
rock upon which the mound was erected and in which they were embedded.
Near the center of the mound, between the rows of limestone flags and
resting on the earth, covered only with limestone dust, was found a
single interment. The skull is shown in plate 14. Its dimensions are:
Length, 17.01 cm.; breadth, 16.51 cm.; height, 10.68 cm.; circumference,
51.30 cm.; cephalic index, 97. The body, which was stretched at full
length, had probably been laid face downward, as the bones of the
forearms, also shown in plate 14, were found beneath the skull. With the
bones of the hands were found four copper rings, considerably oxidized;
three were plain narrow bands, while the fourth was a broad flat band
decorated with incised double volutes. Some of the phalanges were
colored a bright-greenish tinge, from contact with the rings. Three of
the rings and three phalanges are shown in plate 14. These bones were
all in a remarkably good state of preservation, probably owing to the
fact that they were completely surrounded by fine limestone dust.
[Illustration: FIG. 26.--Circular openings leading into natural
cavity.]
Within a few yards of this mound was the opening of a small _chultun_,
with steps leading to the interior. It was oval in shape, 15 feet long,
and at one time had been covered with plaster, which had nearly all
peeled off. The floor was covered with earth, of which there was a
pyramidal heap under the opening. Nothing was found in this _chultun_
except great quantities of fragments of large, rough earthenware water
vessels.
[Illustration: PLATE 14
SKULL AND BONES FROM MOUND NO. 8]
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