LAUFER, TIIK DECORATIVE ART OF THE AMUR TRIBES. 49 



ceived of as something real, as it is entirely filled with conventionalized fishes, or, 

 if one prefers, with leaves which have adopted their forms. These patterns coin 

 cide to such a degree, that, in the two designs terminating this ornament on the 

 right side, it might appear doubtful whether they are to be looked upon as cocks, 

 fishes, or leaves: they combine in their forms all three meanings. 



The outer side of the specimen represented in Fig. 13, Plate xvi, is divided, 

 for the purpose of decoration, into two fields, each of which contains the painting 

 of a scaled dragon. The parts of its horns have the form of conventionalized 

 fishes (Fig. 132). On the body, below, is visible a foot with scales like those on 

 the body. To its body are attached, besides, three cock-spurs, which would here 

 seem to indicate feet. The tail is coiled around into a spiral, as in the cock, and 

 connected with it is a stem bearing six leaves. The inner side of the bow is 

 divided into two unequal parts (Fig. 13 b). The element in the left field is a wave- 

 line. Inside of each curve of the line, both above and below, is a cock-spur, which, 

 in this connection, is meant to represent a leaf. This is one of the remarkable 

 instances where the function of the ornament is different from what it would 

 appear to be. In the field on the right side are represented similar figures, but 

 with freer arrangement. Three oval-shaped leaves are added, and a flower-bud 

 with two petals on either side of a central ovary. This ornament is completed 

 on the right by the representation of three conventionalized fishes. 



In Fig. 14, Plate xvi, is reproduced a bow, the outer side of which is sep 

 arated into two equal parts in the same way as the others. The fundamental 

 motive of this ornament is a wave-line from which extend either simple curved 

 branchlets or ornaments in the form of triskeles. Connected with one of these 

 triskeles we see a conventionalized fish (Fig. 14 a, a), whereas in the branchlets b 

 and c we recognize heads of cocks, from the typical figure of the fish connected 

 with it, and from the circle drawn in the fish. The head of the cock connected 

 with the fish is easier to recognize in d ; in c the figure of the circle appears at 

 the point of the beak. In /&quot; a new combination is reached through the addition 

 of a semicircle to the spiral, which forms with it nearly an X. g and It show the 

 same type of cock with the fish, only inutile wing-feathers are indicated by the 

 addition of a spiral. The fish in the beak has in both cases the same well-known 

 form, the only part properly indicated being the bipartite tail. In / we see two 

 triskeles united into one figure ; and iny a new style of conventionalization of the 

 cock-ornament. It is most remarkable that the artist has used new forms at each 

 offshoot of this wave-line, and exercised his imagination to a great extent to 

 obtain new and varied modifications of the same theme. 



Fig. 14 b, Plate xvi, represents the decoration on the inner side of the same 

 bow. In this case also there is no symmetrical treatment inside of the wave-line, 

 but the maker has striven to vary as much as possible the motive in each con 

 cavity. This illustration is of great value for the study of the evolution of the 

 cock-ornament, for it shows a great many stages in its development. At a 

 we observe the beak of the cock holding a round object and at the same time the 



