20 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 76 



In one fragment we detect a remote similarity to a fish made in 

 relief on a shard, but no other instance of even a remote likeness to 

 an aquatic animal can be detected. 



There is a great variety of stamped designs, of which the checker 

 pattern is the most abundant. Designs of all kinds as a rule were 

 confined to the outer surfaces of vessels but there are a few in 

 which the decoration is on the interior. These stamped ornaments 

 are similar to those of other parts of Florida. 



PUNCTATION 



The geometrical designs are punctated pyriform, spirals, ovals, cir- 

 cles, scrolls, and rectangular figures. Some of these are identified as 

 feathers, but many are simply cross-hatched spirals and parallel lines. 



One of the marked characters of the decorated pottery from Florida 

 is the use of punctures in outlining designs ; this method of orna- 

 mentation, as elsewhere indicated, is a survival of calabash decora- 

 tion ^ (pis. 16-20) . 



The formation of designs on pottery by the use of superficial 

 punctures is not a very common feature in prehistoric decoration, 

 although it is found at various places in the Florida-Georgia area. 

 It reached a high development at Weeden Island. 



These punctures may be arranged in clusters or in straight or 

 curved lines. Incised lines often bear serial or terminal punctures. 

 The latter is common in Tainan pottery of Porto Rico and Santo 

 Domingo, where the terminal puncture varies according to the shape 

 of the point of the implement with which it was made, the triangular 

 form predominating. 



There is one form of puncture often isolated, sometimes terminal, 

 which merits especial notice. This form is perfectly circular and 

 smooth as if made by revolving an implement with circular point 

 and may be designated as a circular puncture. 



These different varieties of punctation may occur on the same 

 bowl and their combination may lead to a very composite design. 



STAMPED DESIGNS 



There is a very great variety of stamped designs, apparently made 

 with a wooden paddle or stamp and applied to the vessel before 

 it was baked or while the surface was still soft and would readily 

 receive an impression. These are so regular in form that we can 



^ A somewhat better term for this method of representing figures is " tattoo- 

 ing," used by Gushing in labeling photographs of pottery from Tarpon Springs, 

 Florida. 



