Marked human bones from a prehistoric Tarasco Indian burial place in the state of Michoacan, Mexico / by Carl Lumholtz and Aleš Hrdlička.

  • Lumholtz, Carl, 1851-1922.
Date:
1898]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Marked human bones from a prehistoric Tarasco Indian burial place in the state of Michoacan, Mexico / by Carl Lumholtz and Aleš Hrdlička. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    nearly forty miles off—by runners. Every monument of antiquity in that part of the country is attributed to Calzontzin, as is every one in the country north of Michoacan to Montezuma. The fortress is easy of access, and presents a level tract on the top, partly covered with bushes. It might have accommodated five or six hundred people. Only on one side of the fortress, the eastern and lowest, are there traces of walls on the edge. In the vicinity of this fortress are a great number of yacatas, generally rectangular in form. Zacapu itself used to be one of the more important pueblos of the Tarasco Indians. There is still a very large contingent of natives of pure breed in its population, which numbers perhaps three thousand, over half of which are Indians. The latter are here, however, all ‘civilized,’ and no longer speak their native tongue, but they retain some of their superstitious customs. The place, until lately, has been noted as the abode of many robbers. Circumstances did not allow me to make any other excavations than those for skeletons. Through the kind services of the prin¬ cipal man of the place, I secured a guide thoroughly familiar with the surroundings, who might be able to tell me of some locality where muertos could be found. At the recommendation of this guide, a small level place about twenty-five yards square, situated amidst rocks and ridges of lava, just at the foot and to the north¬ east of ‘ El Palacio,’ was selected for excavation. The same day I was able to put men at work, and we immediately unearthed several skeletons. For five days, with the help of many men, I continued excavations here with great success ; and before my departure I had thoroughly exhausted the place, which yielded over a hundred skulls of at least two distinct types, possibly three. The majority of them were apparently pure Tarasco ; but there were also eight skulls of another type, having a shape which is very strange and unique in Mexico. All these specimens have been examined by Dr. A. Hrdlicka, my collaborator, and a de¬ scription of them will appear in time. The skeletons were found huddled together without any order whatever, and lying two or three deep. The topmost ones were encountered at a depth of about three feet.