COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 



347 



In many cases the Costa Eican pottery is not burnished, but in 

 objects of taste it was invariably practiced either upon the slip or the 

 body. The occasional pieces of black lustrous ware were finely bur 

 nished. Many polishing stones were exhibited. As a rule vessels are 

 finished as well on the inside as on the outside. 



As in Nicaragua, cream-colored slip is common in Costa Eica. In 

 the Nicoya vases the slip was evidently put on with a brush ; this was 

 perhaps the method used everywhere, as no evidence has been pro 

 cured of a vessel plunged in slip pursuant to modern methods. Tbe 

 slip must primarily be regarded as paint, and later as a means of get 

 ting a background for relief of colored ornamentation as well as a 

 fine smooth surface over the inequalities produced by shrinkage in 

 baking. 



There is no evidence of resin or varnish in connection with the 

 finish. A small image, No. 5483, has every appearance of having 

 been glazed. 



Quite a variety of methods of ornamentation are found on the 

 pottery of Costa Eica. The familiar methods of incised, punched, 

 scratched, and applied ornament are common on the Nicoya ware. The 

 crude ware of the Guetares has punched ornamentation. In modeled 

 portions of the Aguacaliente ware the eyes, teeth, ears, etc., have been 

 punched with a stick. 



There is scarcely any evidence of the use of stamps, though many 

 stamps have been found. 



The fine ware is painted in red and black over a cream ground. This 

 is the method pur 

 sued in the splendid 

 vase No. 3202 (see Pis. 

 Ill and IV), from the 

 peninsula of Nicoya. 



Notably in a few in 

 stances red vases have 

 been ornamented by 

 the application of 

 thick slip in definite 

 patterns. This, when 

 burnished, gives a 

 pretty, slightly raised 

 or embossed surface, 



as in the Hindu lacquers. This method applied to pottery is unique 

 and shows great originality. 



Animal heads, more or less easy of determination, are applied to 

 vessels, and the &quot; apple pie,&quot; or scalloped border, is common. 



The most common forms observed in Costa Eica are small hemi 

 spherical bowls and small ladles called incensarios 1 (fig. 18), but in 



Fig. 18. 



&quot;INCENSE BURNER. 



Huacas of the Guetaro Indians, Costa Rica. Arellano collection. 



See p. 345. 



