PREHISTOEIC ART. 475 



a<lopted a given style, or whether the individuals rejiresented were 

 alike and had, in fact, the peculiarities of form aud feature dei^icted 

 by the sculptor, is unknown. A critical and extended examiuation 

 and comparison might furnish means for determination. 



The localities where these sculptured peculiarities belong are princi- 

 pally through the southern tier of States, extending from the Atlantic 

 Ocean to the Mississii)pi Kiver. 



In pottery. — It is nowproi)osed to investigate sculpturing, or perhaps 

 the better term is modeling, in pottery. These specimens belong to 

 the same general locality as the stone statues, except that the former 

 seem to cross the Mississippi Eiver and extend to the north into 

 Missouri and Illinois. The first to claim our attention, because of their 

 peculiarity aud rarity, are the head- shaped vases or death masks princi- 

 pally from Arkansas. (Plates 48, 49, figs. 129, 130.) Professor Holmes,^ 

 speaking of these vases, says: 



Up to the present time I have met with lint eight of the curious head-shaped vases. 

 All were obtained from the vicinity of Pecan Point, Arkansas, anil, like other vessels, 

 have been associated with human remains in graves or mounds. It is true that in 

 all cases the bones of the dead have not been found, but this only indicated their 

 complete decay. The question as to whether or not these vases were made exclu- 

 si^'ely for sepulchral purposes must remain unanswered; there is no source of infor- 

 mation upon the subject. Such a purpose is, however, suggested in this case by the 

 semblance of death given to the faces. 



The finest example yet found is shown i n fig. 420 [our plate 48, fig. 1] . In form it is 

 a simple head 5 inches in height and 5 inches wide from ear to ear. The aperture of 

 the vase is in the crown, and is surrounded by a low, upright rim, slightly recurved. 

 The cavity is roughly finished and follows pretty closely the contour of the exterior 

 surface, excepting iu projecting features, such as the ears, lips, and nose. The Avails 

 are generally from one-eighth to one-fonrth of an inch in thickness, the base being 

 about three eighths. The bottom is flat, and takes the level of the chin aud jaws. 



The material docs not difter from that of the other vessels of the same locality. 

 There is a large percentage of shell, some particles of which are quite large. The 

 paste is yellowish gray in color and rather coarse in texture. The vase was modeled 

 in the plain clay and permitted to harden before the devices were engraved. After 

 this a thick film of fine yellowish-gray clay was applied to the f;ice, partially filling 

 up the engraved lines. The remainder of the surface, including the lips, received a 

 thick coat of dark-red paint. The whole surface was then highly polished. 



The illustration will convey a more vivid conception of this striking head than 

 any description that can be given. The face can not he said to have a single feature 

 strongly characteristic of Indian physiognomy. We have, instead, the round fore- 

 head and the projecting mouth of the African. The nose, however, is suuxll and the 

 nostrils are narrow. The face would seem to be that of a youngish person, perhaps 

 a female. The features are well modeled, and are so decidedly individual in char- 

 acter that the artist nnist have had in his mind a i»retty definite conception of the 

 face, as well as of the expression appropriate to it, before beginning his work. It 

 will be impossible, however, to prove that the portrait of a particular personage 

 was intended. The closed eyes, the rather sunken nose, and the parted li])s were 

 certainly intended to give the eftect of death. The ears aie laige, correctly placed, 

 and well modeled. They are perforated all along the margin, thus revealing *a 



'Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, 1882-83, pp. 407-410. 



