DIVERGENT POTTERY GROUPS IN THE A.NTILLES 125 



forms have upright rims. The second class of bowls consists of 

 trencher or boat-shaped vessels having a markedly incurved rim 

 surmounted with vertically placed figurine heads placed at opposite 

 ends and reaching above the level of the rim. Walls of the boat- 

 shaped vessels are thinner than of the thick-walled plain ware which 

 is minus figurine heads. 



Prehistoric fottery of the Lesser Antilles. — Though prehistoric 

 pottery of this area is technically and artistically superior in several 

 respects to that of the Greater Antilles, the question as to its origin 

 remains unsolved. Slip decoration is not uncommon, the paste is 

 often more homogeneous, footed vases occur with greater frequency, 

 and the vessel generally shows a superior finish. 



Pottery and basket making as now practiced by the natives of 

 several of the Lesser Antilles are descendants of the Indian arts and 

 often Indian names are retained by the potters. Prehistoric forms 

 and decorations have likewise been preserved by the modern potter. 

 This, according to Fewkes, is noticeably the case at Nevis. Prevail- 

 ing painted colors are red and white, sometimes brown. (PI. 44.) 

 Decorations are generally incised or in high relief. The so-called 

 modern " monkey " goblet, or vase with tubular snout appended to 

 one side, is a good example of a form derived from an aboriginal 

 pattern from Barbados and St. Kitts. (See Santo Domingan form, 

 pi. 54.) Human faces, heads of birds and reptiles, especially the 

 turtle, are favorite life motives on handles and Q^gy vases from the 

 Lesser Antilles. 



St. Kitts pottery vessels are ring grooved ; rims are strongly rein- 

 forced and outcurved. (PI. 45.) The pottery from this island is 

 red and white with incised decoration resembling pottery from the 

 St. Vincent-Grenada area. Throughout the Lesser Antilles, figurine 

 heads characteristic of the island are found. Clay buttons trans- 

 fixed with a slit or central punctation are frequently used to repre- 

 sent eyes, nose, ears, mouth, but supernumerary knobs on the fore- 

 head are not as numerous in Santo Domingo as in Grenada and St. 

 Kitts, though a few typical forms are found in Santo Domingo. 

 (PI. 13.) 



Handles of both the knobbed and figurine head types are larger or 

 rather extend farther beyond the rim of the vessel than in Santo 

 Domingan forms. Flaring pedestal bases; angular walls with dis- 

 tinct shoulder; thick-walled, grave vessels with tapered conical walls 

 as in certain Virgin Island forms, are characteristic of St. Kitts 

 Island, as is also painted ware. 



Carriacou earthenware through presence of following elements 

 of form and design is dissimilar to Santo Domingan earthenware 

 vessels: Flaring annular bases; thumb-nail or finger impressions 

 54291—31 9 



