88 



A STUDY OF CHIRIQUIAN ANTIQUITIES. 



no balls within. One does find, however, in each leg a quantity of angular 

 fragments of burnt clay, apparently punched from the slits as the latter were 

 being made. They answer all the purposes of the ordinary movable ball. A 

 similar phenomenon has already been noted as occurring in a series of tripods 

 belonging to the armadillo group (PI. VI, figs. /, g and K). The neck is embellished 

 with an incised band on each side extending from handle to handle. At the ends 

 and in the middle of each band, there is a fin symbol. 



Two short bands of clay are applied horizontally to each diminutive handle. 

 The bowl is pointed at the bottom and relatively high, with a distinct shoulder. 



Fig. 144. 



Fig- 145- 



Fig. 144. Tripod in which the legs combine characters 

 of the fish with those of some carnivorous animal. 

 Fish ware. V 1 



Fig. 145. Ornate tripod with twisted handles re- 

 presenting animal forms. Fish ware. '/ 



A solid coat of red paint covers the inner surface of the neck leading down to 

 the orifice, and the outer surface of the bowl from the shoulder down. The legs 

 and outer surface of the neck and shoulder are pale chocolate the color of the 

 slip. The paste is reddish brown. 



Two other exceptions to the general rule of consistency may be found in 

 Plate XXIV. That the tripod legs in figure a are intended to represent fish is 

 indicated by a pointed nose and pectoral fins, but grotesque apelike forms are 

 seated on the nose of each fish. This is the largest tripod in the collection and 

 the only one of this group not provided with handles. The interior is painted 

 with more care than the exterior. In figure 6, the legs are all alike except that 

 the embellishment at the hip is different in each case an alligator and two 

 species of bird, one being the owl. 



