We found among the ruins a few crude potsherds and some bits of obsidian.

While I was examining the ruins and digging up a few attractive potsherds bearing Inca designs, Dr. Giesecke, the President of the University of Cuzco, who had accompanied me, climbed the mountain above Tipon with Dr. Aguilar and reported the presence of a fortification near its summit.

It means potsherds.]

And he took a potsherd with which to scrape himself; and he sat among the ashes.