NO. II PUEBLO RUINS IN ARIZONA — HAURY AND HARGRAVE yj 



3 inches below the rim. Four white lines dotted at regular intervals 

 with paired rows of black spots are diametrically drawn across the 

 central bare area. Specimen d is an excellent example of the unique- 

 ness of design found in many Four-mile polychrome bowls. From the 

 central black spot, a number of white lines terminating in black dots 

 radiate rimwards. It reminds one of a child's drawing of the sun. 

 It will be noted from the preceding vessels shown that rectilinear and 

 curvilinear styles are used with equal skill, and that transitions from 

 one to the other are made within the same vessel. 



Bowl exteriors are treated in a very uniform manner. The orna- 

 mentation is confined to a horizontal zone beginning immediately 

 below the rim and extending downwards for from i^ to 3 inches. This 

 zone is enclosed by two parallel, heavy black lines. The upper one is 

 outlined in white on the lower side only, while the lower one is framed 

 on both sides. The designs introduced into the zone are in white except 

 in the more elaborate instances where black also appears. Figure 8, 

 no. I, shows a simple continuous line pattern, and in nos. 2 and 3 

 concentric parallelograms and triangles are represented. Modifications 

 of the fret or " dentiform " figures ' are characteristic as in nos. 4 and 

 5. The zone is often panelled by one or more diagonal or vertical lines, 

 or merely by the enclosing lines as in no. 5. Elements are usually 

 repeated in each panel but sometimes with slight variations. In no. 6 

 we see a more elaborate treatment. Black diagonal, terraced, and 

 plain vertical elements connect the top and bottom borders. To these 

 further embellishment is added in white. 



Elements of design. — The units of decoration in the main are not 

 dissimilar to those generally employed in Southwestern pottery. 

 The distinction of Four-mile polychrome designs, however, is based on 

 the very singular treatment of the elements, a freedom from the con- 

 ventional equating of the field of design. Obviously this paved the 

 way for greater elasticity in the expression of the relatively few ele- 

 ments into innumerable variations. 



Of the elements, the following appear to be of primary importance : 

 (a) triangles, (b) terraced or stepped figures, (c) spirals, and 

 (d) frets. 



In figure 9, nos. i and 2, triangles are shown as they occur in their 

 simplest forms, while in no. 3 a triangle is embellished in white, and in 

 no. 4 may be seen a common modification of the triangle combined 

 with another element. Frequently in the center of this geometric 

 figure a small rectangular area is left unpainted, which is then either 



' Spier, L., 1919, pp. 367-8. 



