The Native Races [of the Pacific states], Volume 4, Antiquities: The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Volume 4Bancroft, Hubert Howe
History
The Native Races [of the Pacific states], Volume 4, Antiquities: The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Volume 4
Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Indians -- Bibliography; Indians of Central America; Indians of Mexico; Indians of North America -- Pacific Coast of North America
Fig. 1 is a statue noticeable for its bold and severe cast of
features, and for what is conjectured to be a human heart held in the
mouth, as is shown in the front view, Fig. 2. Fig. 3 was found at a
street-corner at Managua, but had been brought originally from the
island. Another, also from Momotombita, was found at Leon and
afterwards deposited in the Smithsonian Institution. It evidently
served as a support for some other object; the back is square and
ribbed like the one at Pensacola, the eyes closed, and "the whole
expression grave and serene." The colossal head shown in the cut on
the preceding page was among the other fragments found on the island,
where two groups of relics are said to exist, only one of which has
been explored.[II-55]
[Illustration: Idols of Momotombita.--Fig. 3.]
[Illustration: Colossal Head from Momotombita.]
[Illustration: Piedra de la Boca.]
The Piedra de la Boca is a small statue, or fragment, with a large
mouth, standing at a street-corner in Granada, having been brought
from one of the lake islands. The natives still have some feelings of
dependence on this idol in times of danger. Several rudely carved,
well-worn images stood also at the street-corners of Managua in
1838.[II-56]
[Sidenote: IDOLS OF SUBTIAVA.]
[Illustration: Idols of Subtiava.--Fig. 1.]
At the Indian pueblo of Subtiava near Leon many idols were dug up by
the natives for Mr Squier, eight of them ranging from five and a half
to eight feet in height and from four to five feet in circumference.
The natives have always been in the habit of making offerings secretly
to these gods of stone, and only a few months before Mr Squier's visit
a stone bull had been broken up by the priests. About the large stone
mound before described are numerous fragments, but only one statue
entire, which is shown in Fig. 1. It projects six feet four inches
above ground and is cut from sandstone. At the lower extremity of the
flap which hangs from the belt in front is noted a cup-like hole large
enough to contain about a quart. Fig. 2, of the same material, is two
feet six inches in height, and represents a female either holding a
mask over her abdomen, or holding open the abdomen for the face to
look out. Fig. 3 and 4 show a front and rear view of another statue,
in which the human face, instead of being surmounted by, looks out
from the jaws of some animal. The features of the face had been
defaced apparently by blows with a hammer; the ornamentation was
thought to resemble somewhat that of the Copan statues. Others
mentioned and sketched at Subtiava have a general resemblance to
these.[II-57]
[Illustration: Idols of Subtiava.--Fig. 2.]
[Sidenote: IDOLS OF CHONTALES.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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