Ladd] PARITA AND SANTA MARIA ARCHEOLOGY, PANAMA 109 



Chronological position. — Both Pica-pica and Higo varieties of the 

 Macaracas type are probably coeval with Late Code, and earlier than 

 either the El Hatillo or Parita types. 



Relationships of variety. — The close relationship to the Higo variety 

 is demonstrated repeatedly by the appearance of Pica-pica and Higo 

 elements on the same sherd or vessel. Closely related also to the 

 Cuipo variety, again through shared elements on the same vessel. 

 Related also to the Calabaza variety. 



Bibliography. — See geographical range above. 



MACARACAS POLYCHROME; HIGO VARIETY 



Sample. — 2 whole vessels; 232 sherds (pi. 7, a, b). 



Paste. — Same as Pica-pica variety. 



Shape. — Same as the Pica-pica variety with the exception of the 

 pear-shaped high-shouldered bowl. The crocodile motif has been 

 noted at El Hatillo on pedestal plates (both miniature and large) 

 and on collared jars. Plate lips are rounded, pedestals are generally 

 tall >\dth the cuneiform slit present. Jar bases are rounded and un- 

 modified. 



Surface. — The sm'face is smoothed and polished over the entire 

 exterior. In this variety, designs appear on both the upper and lower 

 surfaces of the plates as well as on the pedestals. As in the Pica-pica 

 variety, the major portion of the jar body is decorated, collars and lips 

 are banded, but no instances of black line figured collars were noted. 



The crocodile motif, as it appears in this variety, generally occurs 

 in one of three characteristic poses, apparently depending on the space 

 to be filled. Thus the "crouching crocodile" appears in triangular 

 panels (fig. 42, b), the "galloping crocodile" in rectangular panels (fig. 

 42, a), and the "dancing crocodile" (fig. 42, c) when the design area is 

 large and circular, e.g., on the upper surfaces of plates. '° An example 

 of an apparently rare variation on the crouching crocodile theme, in 

 which two irregularly shaped panels are joined by a "mouth" element 

 and heavy black bull's-eyes are added to the crocodile motif within 

 each panel, is schematically presented in figure 32, a. This combina- 

 tion of an Higo style crocodile with the split-square-face layout was 

 found on shoulder sherds of a large closed vessel (top and base missing) 

 from Trench 8, the only instance of this particular combination of 

 which I know. 



Various crocodile or aUigator motifs are widespread throughout the 

 Panama area, from the alligator motifs of Chiriqui to the crocodile 

 motifs of the Code styles at Sitio Conte. As mentioned earlier, they 

 occur in highly stylized form in the El Hatillo Polychrome type. 



•« The terms "galloping crocodile" and "dancing crocodile" are from Lothrop's discussion of the motif 

 at Sltlo Conte and elsewhere (Lothrop, 1942, pp. 81-83, 103-105, 118-123). 



