ANCIENT POTTERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. I39 



representing a face. The effect is very much like that of the small 

 perforated disks, riveted upon the exterior of copper or tin kettles 

 for the purpose of attaching handles. Occasionally there is a tail- 

 like attachment to the under side of these discoidal heads, suggesting 

 the tad-pole figures upon the sacred water vessels of the Pueblo 

 Indians. 



One large basin with slightly incurved rim has a series of trian- 

 gular figures in red and brown upon both the inner and the outer 

 surfaces. It is rudely finished and of large size, being eleven inches 

 in diameter and seven and a half in height. 



Eccentric Forms. — Before proceeding with the discussion of life- 

 forms as exhibited in bowls, I must present a {^\\ unique shapes. 



These consist of ladle-shaped vessels, and of bowls or basins with 

 rectangular, oval, or unsymmetrical outlines. Ladles are of rare oc- 

 currence. In the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology 

 I have illustrated the best example that has come to my notice. 

 The Davenport collection contains but one specimen — a rude shal- 

 low cup with a short thick handle. The form suggests the wooden 

 and horn spoons of the modern tribes and may have originated in 

 their archaic prototypes. 



Fig. 1 1 illustrates a minute cup rudely made of coarse clay. The 

 outline is oval and slightly pointed at one end as if intended for 

 pouring liquids. 



Fic. 1 1. — h. Fig. 12 



In Fig. 12 we have another very small vessel of rude finish with 

 two pointed lips. A much larger vessel of similar shape may be 

 seen in the collection. The projecting pointed lip is rarely found 

 in aboriginal pottery, although I see no reason why such a feature 

 may not readily have been suggested to the savage by the prolonged 

 margins of his vessels of shell. ^ 



Rectangular vessels are of the rude shell-tempered ware and 

 although rare, are widely distributed. 



Fig. 13 illustrates a specimen from Pecan Point, Arkansas. The 

 surface is rudely finished and without polish. The color is a dark 

 gray, much flecked with large particles of white shell. Another ex- 



[Proc. D. A. N. S., Voi. IV.] 17 [Dee. 24, 1884.] 



