COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 355 



From Huehuetenango there is a flat, circular stand supported upon 

 three legs. It is bordered with a stepped band like the Zuui cloud 

 ornaments (fig. 38). A finely modeled head is fastened to the edge. 



LOCALITIES OF GUATEMALAN POTTERY IN THIS COLLECTION*. 



Center. Guatemala, Sacatepegue, La Majada : La Antigua. 

 South. Escuiuta, Aniatitlan, Santa Lucia. 

 North. Peten, Alta Verapaz, Quiche, Coban. 



West. Huehuetenaugo, Quetzaltenango, cities of Chiapa and Almo- 

 louga. 



THE POTTERY OF COLOMBIA. 



The richness of the exhibit of Colombia in gold was paralleled by its 

 richness in pottery. The commissioners secured loans of all private 

 collections possible and exhibited superb photographs of other collec 

 tions in Colombia. 



The pottery is from the rich areas of the artistic tribes of the Chi- 

 bchas, Quimbayas, Chiriquis, and from the provinces of Aiitioquia, 

 Cauca, and Toliina. 



Similar grades are observed in the pottery of Colombia as in the other 

 countries treated of in this work, the paste being mixed or tempered to 

 suit the intention of the ware. Hie paste in the commoner vessels of 

 the Quimbayas is coarse, red, filled with broken rock and shell, or ashes, 

 and the ware is heavy, dark, and smoky in appearance. All of the 

 Colombian ware which was seen on broken edges, or on the natural 

 surface, is tempered with broken rock or sand. 



The finer ware has a smooth, apparently unmixed paste, varying in 

 color from reddish brown to fine yellow. 



The writer could not find undoubted evidence of coiling or molds in 

 the construction of Colombian pottery. There is a tendency in such col 

 lections to pass over rude or broken specimens, which give an insight 

 into the pottery art, and to exhibit the striking and perfect pieces. 

 There is a strong presumption in favor of the coiling and molds, which 

 were undoubtedly used in the gold objects and might well have been 

 used in the seated figures and certain maskettes. Luting on of handles 

 and other parts was practiced. 



It would be interesting to come upon the site of an ancient pottery 

 and excavate it, as Mr. Holmes has the quarries, or as the mounds have 

 been explored. A reason stands in the way of finding such a site, for 

 the manufacture of aboriginal pottery was an individual craft, usually 

 followed by the women, who performed all the operations from digging 

 the clay to decorating the baked ware. The prevalence of defined 

 forms and ornamentation, as well as certain qualities of ware in defined 

 areas, would show unanimity of tribal or area! custom or practice ; 



