KITCHEN MIDDENS OF JAMAICA 



303 



as receptacles of food for the last journey 

 of the departed. 



Arawak pottery was never glazed and 

 I could not find any on Jamaica that had 

 been painted in colors, the clay usually 

 being an even shade of brick red, with 

 an occasional sherd of a buff color. A 

 greater part of the pottery found is 

 without ornamentation of any kind. 

 It is only now and then that a decorated 

 piece is discovered. 



There is a great variety however in the 

 thickness, size and shape of the vessels. 

 Some have handles, or lugs; some have 

 none. Some are canoe-shaped, the bow 

 being the " pouring out " end ; others are 



round, and some have rims with turned- 

 in edges. There are both deep and shal- 

 low vessels, but no evidence that pottery 

 covers were used. I have found one or 

 two sherds, as the broken pieces of a pot 

 are called, that indicate in what manner 

 vessels were built up. This was done 

 by coiling bands of wet clay one upon 

 another, and afterward smoothing these 

 down with a stone or other flat object. 

 When one considers that the Arawak did 

 not know the use of the potter's wheels 

 it seems remarkable that they could 

 fashion their vessels with so much deli- 

 cacy of outline, and such superior work- 

 manship. 



Three handles of pottery vessels. The first is a crude representation of a human face, the second 

 shows incised decoration. The third handle must have been made by pinching the material of the 

 vessel while still plastic with the thumb and index finger 



