62 



A STUDY OF CHIRIQUIAN ANTIQUITIES. 



vase in figure /, it will be seen that the tail was used apart from the animal as 



a decorative feature. 



The tail motive is often repeated in a series that completely surrounds the 



neck of a vase otherwise devoid of plastic animal ornamentation (figs. 85 and 86). 



In figure 87 groups of beautifully executed tail motives alternate with groups of 



a motive derived apparently from the. eye. Another effective pattern is obtained 



by carrying the tail symbols in meander around the neck of a vase, each angular 



space being filled in by an eye symbol, as in figure 88. 



The most characteristic feature 

 of the armadillo is its carapace. 

 It ranks first among armadillo 

 motives. We have already noted 

 how one band of the carapace 

 was made to stand for all three 

 divisions. Why could it not 

 have been used independently 

 to represent not only the whole 

 carapace but also the whole 

 animal? A careful comparison 

 of the incised fillets that adorn 

 the neck of the vase shown in 

 figure 89, with the incised fillet 

 that represents the carapace of 

 the armadillo on the shoulder 

 below, proves them to be identi- 

 cal. We have then a carapace 

 symbol as well as a foot symbol 

 and a tail symbol. There remain 

 the flattened nodes with annular 



Fig. 89. 



Fig. 90. 



indentations seen on the neck 

 of the same vase. Their coun- 

 terpart is somewhat sparingly 

 used to represent the eye, par- 

 ticularly of owl-like and monkey- 

 like heads. They are, no doubt, 

 eye symbols, but they are not 

 confined to Chiriquian art. On 

 the contrary, this particular or- 

 nament is common to the art 

 of various times and peoples. The carapace symbol like the tail symbol makes 

 an attractive meander in combination with either foot symbols (fig. 90) or eye 

 symbols (fig. 91). With due regard to their mode of occurrence in nature the 

 foot- and eye-symbols alternate in groups of four and two, respectively, forming 

 an original pattern (fig. 92), but one not so pleasing as the foregoing meanders. 

 Foot, tail, eye and carapace, all may become purely decorative elements used 

 independently of the whole animal and independently of each other ; separately 



Fig. 91. 



Fig. 89. Neck and shoulder ornament of a vase proving the 

 identity of the carapace motive. Armadillo ware. '/' 



Fig. 90. Meander of 'carapace symbols accompanied by foot 

 symbols. Armadillo ware. '/ 



Fig. 91. Double neck of vase, ornamented with carapace- and 

 eye-symbols. Armadillo ware. '/> 



