^2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 97 



and figs. 17, 18). Each of these subtypes share common features of 

 form and decoration uniting them into a very definite major ceramic 

 type characteristic of the Playa de los Muertos culture. The most 

 abundant sherds from both B and C may be described as (i) wn- 

 slipped, rough, brick-red to sooty gray ware. These are often from 

 large vessels with slightly flaring rims and necks of variable height, 

 or from smaller vessels with low necks and swollen lips. Broad, 

 vertical, strap handles are common in both B and C, but the great 

 majority of handles in C have two or three vertical ridges and corre- 

 sponding depressions down the outside. Two round, solid, vertical 

 handles of large size from B and one from C have conical tenons on 

 the ends for attachment to the body of the vessel. Of the nine basal 

 fragments of this ware in B, eight are flat and one dimpled ; in C three 

 of the four basal sherds are flat and are slightly rounded. One spout 

 of this ware occurs. Decoration is rare, several sherds have incised 

 lines forming criss-cross designs, and three sherds have a raised ridge 

 with regular indentations about the greatest diameter of the vessel. 

 Subtype i seems very similar to the plain or domestic wares character- 

 istic of the upper or polychrome horizons at Playa de los Muertos, but 

 the prevalence of flat bottoms seems rather distinctive. Owing to lack 

 of space, this subtype is not illustrated here except for an outline sketch 

 (fig. 17, b). 



Subtype 2, (pi. 10, a-h), slipped and polished orange-red to brown 

 ware, is almost as abundant as subtype i in B, but only about one- 

 fourth as abundant in C. Shapes in subtype 2 are very similar to 

 those in subtype i, but the vessels were somewhat smaller (fig. 17, 

 g, h, i, j, and fig. 18, e, g, i, j,k). One spout from this sub-type is from 

 B and 2 from C. A rather heavy basinlike bowl or vase (fig. 17, k, I, 

 and fig. 18, c) is rather common, as are direct bowls (fig. 18, g, I). 

 Handles seem rare but a few vertical strap handles occur. Fluted 

 sherds (pi. 10, /) are fairly abundant in B but do not occur in our 

 sample of this ware from C. Fluted fragments are usually from the 

 body portion of rather small rounded or swollen bowls (like fig. 18, m, 

 in shape) . The fluting varies in width and is either vertical or diagonal. 

 Incised lines often set ofif the fluted portions. Incised and modeled 

 sherds of this type occur in B, but only incising in C. Several frag- 

 ments from B have intricate and well-executed geometric and curvi- 

 linear incised designs (pis. 10, 11). In C basinlike bowls with heavy 

 incised designs are represented. In B a hand in high relief is the best 

 modeled piece. Broad, flattened lips with deeply incised decoration (pi. 

 10, h, i represents the type) are very common in B and fairly com- 

 mon in C. Usually the entire rim is flattened and decorated, the rim ex- 



