HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS OF THE ANCIENT MAYA IN THE ...

431991:680). A few human remains were excavated from a 2 x 2 m pit in this first room.This pit was 2 m from the main entrance, and was divided into two sides by a row ofrocks: “A” (east) and “B” (west).Operation II – This operation was accessible through a south entrance that ledinto two large tunnels. These tunnels constituted the main room or chamber of this cave.Brady et al. (1991:680) describes the cave as “plenty big, but not very tall,” the ceilingreaching a maximum height of 5 meters in some places. The exact dimensions of thisportion of the cave were not provided in the preliminary report. Two surface lots (CD2-0-1 and CD2-0-2), each 2 x 2 m, were excavated. Two looting pits were also discoveredin this area. A 30 x 40 cm test pit (CD2-0-3) was excavated in the larger of these twolooting pits. Large quantities of ceramic were found in a layer of dark brown soilunderneath a layer of sterile, yellow clay found throughout the cave floor. After a depthof 65 cm, the artifact density decreased. A larger excavation of the entire chamber wasalso conducted, producing artifacts as well as small concentrations human and faunalremains. Some of the artifacts include portions of whistles, worked stone, boneimplements, shell, spear points, obsidian blades, and flint pieces. Most of the ceramiccollected in this operation pertained to the Late Classic period (Brady et al. 1991).Operation III – This portion of the cave represents the “dark zone” of Cueva deEl Duende. Human and animal remains were collected from the north end of Lot CD3-1-1. According to Brady (1990a:336), the human remains may represent at least twoindividuals: a child and an adult individual.