ibed by the distinguished geologist and
ethnologist, Dr. Carl Sapper. The specimens had been collected in San
Salvador and Guatemala and "resemble great stone mushrooms" inasmuch as
each consists of three well-defined parts, a square pedestal from the
midst of which rises an almost cylindrical "stem" supporting a large
circular solid top, flat underneath and rounded above. The cylindrical
support is carved in the rough semblance of a human form, which, in some
instances, has rays issuing from its head.

An acquaintance with the fundamental ideas of native cosmogony enables us
to recognize that the square stone base typifies the solid part of the
universe, the Below, whilst the vaulted circle above typifies the heaven,
the Above. The figure standing between both is evidently an image of a
central lord and ruler, and the entire image is in accord with the native
mode of thought as set forth in Mr. Frank H. Cushing's report already
cited and in the symbols which have been figured.

After reading Mr. Cushing's account of the native American philosophy,
preserved to the present day by the Zunis, it is impossible not to realize
how clearly the mushroom-images materialize the identical ideas which
constitute, indeed, the keynote of native thought and can be traced in
each centre of ancient American civilization. I am inclined to think that
these stone images were, originally, painted with the colors assigned to
the four quarters, which would render the symbolism more apparent. The
existence of these images in a restricted area of territory, seems,
moreover, to indicate that they had been invented there, possibly under
the influence of a religious and political creed with particular reference
to the union, in a single individual, of the power and attributes of the
Above and Below--an idea which strongly contrasts with Mexico and Yucatan,
where the idea of duality prevailed to such an extent that, by creating
two distinct religions and governments, it ultimately led to the
disintegration of the greatest of native empires and its fall, from which
it was only rallying at the time of the Conquest. It is also possible that
the Guatemala images are the expression of the reversion to a more ancient
form of philosophy or government when it had been realized that dual
government led to dissensions and disintegration. At all events the rude
mushroom figures testify that the conception of a single celestial or
terrestrial ruler of the Abo