344 COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADK1D. 



The bodies are built up in sections and the clothing is made of sheets 

 of clay tried over a form (fig. 12, PI. II) and applied. The whole is 

 touched up with modeling tools (fig. 13, PI. I) adapted for various uses, 

 burned in a kiln (fig. 14, PI. I), and painted with various native and 

 acquired colors mixed with the milk of the mulberry tree, Morus celti- 

 difolia. A portrait bust by Pantaleon Panduro is shown (fig. 15, PI. II), 

 his workshop (fig. 16, PI. II), and a group of the Guadalajara ware (fig. 

 17, PI. II). 



The paste of ancient Mexican pottery, as a rule, is quite uniform and 

 rarely gives evidence of a coarse degraissant. Experience has taught 

 the modern workmen that the admixture of different kinds of clay 

 answers all the purposes of tempering, as did the shell, mica, etc., of the 

 ancient potters. Dr. Berendt has also found wash gold in the paste of 

 Yucatan pottery. The Maya ware burns to various shades from red to 

 slate color. These colors are found in all localities, and are due to the 

 firing and components of the clay. 



In the construction of ware the Mexican potters were conversant with 

 molds; some shallow, like stamps, for the front portion of the figurines, 

 masks, etc., and others for the entire vessel. A portion of a mold 

 believed to be from the Nahua area was exhibited and is the only exam 

 ple in this very large collection. This extremely rare object is the only 

 ancient mold the writer has seen. No examples of coiling were found. 

 It is probable that the small, plain vessels were made in sections as 

 described in the manufacture of Guadalajara pottery. The complicated 

 vases were undoubtedly so made, and the modeled or molded portions 

 luted on and the finishing touches applied. 



The surface of Mexican pottery was finished by polishing or burnish- 

 ing with tools, and the painted ware was sometimes polished. The 

 natural surface was sometimes left without tooling. The slip is often 

 missing, having been dissolved away by long burial. The marks of 

 finishing tools may be noticed. 



The common pipe-clay slip or paint was known all over Mexico. On 

 the small cult figures this slip was applied with a brush, and probably 

 formed the base for the addition of colors used for painting. No genu 

 ine glazes have been observed, and if a finish of resin varnish was 

 applied to the ancient ware it has disappeared with time. 



Dr. Berendt mentions a vase dug out at Jaina, on the Gulf coast north 

 of Campeche, which was varnished and painted. 1 



The ornamentation by impressions in the paste are undulations, tri 

 angles, stars, crosses, and frets, especially in the Tecos group. The art 

 of inlaying, or forming a mosaic of bits of shell, etc., pressed into the 

 paste, as practiced by the modern potter of Morelos, seems not to be 

 ancient. The bulging or indenting of the paste is not. found in the old 

 ware. 



1 Hartt. Pottery among Savage Races. Amer. Nat., Feb., 1879, p. 90. 



