Ladd] PARITA AND SANTA MARIA ARCHEOLOGY, PANAMA 73 



variation here. Arrangements of designs on the bu"ds' heads also 

 showed considerable variation, and no attempt was made to record 

 these. Below the wings a black or black and red band (fig. 19, h, c) 

 generally extends horizontally around the vessel from claws to anus, 

 the latter normally represented by a black or black and red egg- 

 shaped motif (fig. 18, d-j). 



Despite a core of quite similar vessels within this type, it blends to 

 some extent into the El HatUlo globular bird bowl; i.e., occasional 

 vessels were found which might be classified as variants of either type. 

 Other variations present at the El Hatillo site include a plain red 

 slipped counterpart, and a predominantly red slipped vessel with 

 decoration of the head and claws only. 



The pedestal bases of this variety and the following An6n variety 

 are generally decorated by broad black bands horizontally encircling 

 the base (fig. 20, c), although "pointer" bases with red triangular 

 m.otifs extending vertically from the horizontal bands are also noted 

 (fig. 20, h). Though this latter base is very similar to the "diamond 

 base" of the Macaracas type (see fig. 38, 6), and sherds with only 

 part of the design present could be classed with either type, no diamond 

 bases were found attached to vessels of either the Nispero or the An6n 

 varieties. An additional base pattern of alternating diamond and 

 pyramid elements is illustrated in figure 20, d. 



Variations from other sites. — MacCurdy (MacCurdy, 1911, fig. 246) 

 illustrates a globular bird effigy jar from Divala, ChiriquI, with wings, 

 tail, and decoration similar to this variety, but with a ring base and 

 a short straight collar. 



A vessel with still a different shape, but sharing the tail elements 

 of this variety and the triangle and zigzag element of the Ortiga 

 variety, is present in the Dade Collection at the Museum of the 

 American Indian (cat. No. 22/8375). The shape is reminiscent of a 

 plump pigeon perched on a ring base; the head and neck form the 

 collar or neck of the jar. Measuring 25 cms. in length and 18 cms. 

 in width, the vessel is listed from Parita. 



Geographical range. — As noted above, a straight collared jar of this 

 variety from Divala, Chiriqui, is listed by MacCurdy. Otherwise, all 

 examples I know of come from the Parita area, and probably the same 

 site (Lothrop, 1942, fig. 449); a red-buff example (ibid., fig. 472), 

 Museum of the American Indian (cat. No. 22/8374; cat. No. 22/8375, 

 a variant shape). The vulture bowl shape in plain or red ware has 

 been reported extensively in Veraguas, however (see Lothrop, 1950). 



Chronological position. — On the basis of the meager stratigraphic 

 evidence at the site, as well as grave associations, I believe that the 

 variety is late, possible contemporary with El Hatillo Polychrome. 



Relationships of variety. — Related to other varieties of the Parita 



