Ladd] PARITA AND SANTA MARIA ARCHEOLOGY, PANAMA 47 



(c) The appearance of the Cuipo seed pod element (al- 

 though treated quite differently) on a vessel otherwise clearly- 

 assignable to the Ortiga variety (Lothrop, 1942, fig. 482, a). 



(d) The combination of typical Cuipo negative dragon 

 designs with Ortiga frog handles (Lothrop, 1942, fig, 480, a). 



(e) The combination of typical Ortiga filler elements with 

 a split-square-face design (Pica-pica) on a typical Pica-pica 

 collared jar (Mus. Amer. Ind. cat. No. 22/9340). 



Some of these difficulties can be explained by styhstic evolution or 

 developments as in the case of the split-square-face developing into 

 the bull's-eye crocodile, the claw scroll with circle and eye developing 

 into the split-legged scroll, the progressive stylization or conventional- 

 ization of the seed pod from typical Pica-pica representations to that 

 on the Ortiga vessel cited above, and the development of the ray motif. 

 This stylization process, however, does not apply to the few cases of 

 combinations of typical or core elements on the same vessel. 



The other category of contradiction lies in the association of vessels 

 which are chronologically separate. As far as I know at the present 

 time, there are fewer examples of this, and these are indirect. If such 

 associations are infrequent, they may mean no more than a slight 

 overlap in time. The example I have in mind is that of Find 369 in 

 which vessel shapes in Red-buff ware, which are very similar to El 

 Hatillo and Cerit6 variety shapes in polychrome (the globular and 

 pyramid bottles and the bird jar), are associated with Pica-pica variety 

 polychromes. This association is reinforced by the crossties between 

 Find 369 and Finds 372 and 375, each with Pica-pica polychrome 

 vessels. This may be explained by the assumption that the Red-buff 

 ware shapes were actually earlier (they show some differences in 

 proportion from the polychrome examples) and were prototypes for 

 the later development in polychrome styles. No instances of direct 

 associations of typical Macaracas and Parita or El Hatillo types have 

 come to my attention. 



CERAMIC REMAINS 

 POLYCHROME WARES 



It seems best to preface the detailed discussion of polychrome types 

 found at the El Hatillo site with a few general remarks concerning the 

 decorative styles. 



Two major divisions are apparent in the highly developed styles 

 found at the site: a curvifinear style and an angular style. The 

 latter, represented by the El Hatillo type, is characterized by the 

 extensive use of frets and rectilinear elements. Even depictions 

 of "natural" designs, such as faces or reptilian forms, seldom 

 exhibit a curved line; the only conspicuous exception to this angular- 



