62 BULLETIN 15 6, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



circular loop, or projecting knob, to a highly decorative zoomorphic 

 or anthropomorphic figurine head. Usually they occur only in pairs. 

 In Santo Domingo the anthropomorphic figurine heads are con- 

 ventionalized but the zoomorphic forms are much more realistic. 

 Frequent references to these figurines as " grotesque " merely reveal 

 the critic's lack of knowledge of local fauna. The molded figurines 

 of the anthropomorphic type are also dissimilar to those from the 

 archaic of ISIexico and continental South America in certain features 

 tending to classify them as less realistic. In other words, art in 

 ceramics has become conventionalized in the development of new 

 West Indian earthenware forms and should be characterized as 

 postarchaic. 



The effigy water jars which show the human figure usually with 

 flat back, head thrown forward resting on the hands, elbows flexed 

 to knee, legs flexed upward, are on the whole gracefully molded. In 

 detail, however, a survival of the archaic is seen in the form of 

 eye representation; headdress forms such as turbans and bandeaus; 

 ear ornaments and pendants; and in the general position of the 

 flexed arms and legs. Details of decorative design on the walls 

 of vessels show a great departure from the archaic. Some of these 

 details are as follows: Crudely executed cross hachure and scarifi- 

 cation; incised lines in parallel occurring either in horizontal, ver- 

 tical, or diagonal series and terminated by a shallow pit which is fre- 

 quently separated, although it may be joined to the line. These ter- 

 minal pits are also found on earthenware forms from Cuba, Porto 

 Rico, and the Bahama Islands, but apparently do not occur in 

 Jamaica or on pottery from the Lesser Antilles, or from Florida, 

 where the use of punctations is sui generis. Straight lines and pits 

 are incised or etched sometimes crudely or they may show the work 

 of a skilled artist; rarely, however, do they indicate the use of a 

 wooden paddle or earthenware pattern stamp such as is found in 

 South America and in Florida. Applied ribbons and buttons of 

 clay or figurines alternate with incised design. The use of circular 

 or spiral incised lines is infrequent and is associated with the use of 

 white paint. Incised or relieved semicircles emphasize the raised 

 wen or knob representing an eye. An applied figurine head on 

 otherwise plain surface is more characteristic of earthenware forms 

 from the Lesser Antilles or from Jamaica. Spirals, crescents, and 

 circles often form continuous decorative panels instead of the char- 

 acteristic rectilinear fretwork of incised panels. So far as is known 

 the use of design in intaglio is exceedingly rare, occurring only in 

 association with slipped gray ware. Water bottles from Monte 

 Cristi in slipped gray ware, otherwise undecorated, have geometric 

 designs in intaglio. Vessels from Constanza and from Andres have 

 depressed or inverted wens or nodes frequently alternating with 



