^"iSJ^^esf^^' PREHISTORY OF PANAMA VIEJO — BIESE 29 



general, sherds from these pits were very sparse, often less than five in 

 each hole, so they were added to the general pool. 



The pooled sample consisted of 450 decorated sherds of which 

 339 were body sherds, 32 were rim pieces, and 79 were miscellaneous 

 painted sherds. These will be analyzed in detail during the dis- 

 cussion of their respective pottery types. 



SIZE AND SHAPE OF VESSELS 



Only one vessel was recovered complete, though it was severely 

 broken by earth pressure. The restored piece is a very large, round- 

 bottom, squat pot measuring 40 cm. in diameter. It is discussed in 

 detail below. Several of the larger sherds would seem to belong to 

 a vessel of approximately the same size. Modern day undecorated 

 examples can be seen in almost every hut in the mountains throughout 

 Panama, where they are used for water and grain storage or to prepare 

 the alcoholic "chicha." Of the smaller sherd pieces, the majority have 

 so little curvature that they must certainly have come from at least 

 moderate-sized vessels of unknown shape; the contours are shown 

 with the sherd figures. The size is also attested to by identifiable 

 portions of incised effigies which must have occupied an area at least 

 the size of our intact example. It would be very interesting to know 

 the range of shapes and uses of these pottery types and why they 

 alone were given the distinctive stylistic treatment not found on 

 smaller vessels. 



RED WARE 



The general, and presumably utilitarian, pottery is a plain, un- 

 decorated, hard, dense vessel of medium red-brown color. It is 

 tempered with fine grit often bearing minute siliceous deposits. The 

 slip varies from red-brown to a decidedly red-orange color and is easily 

 washed off in water. Refiring of sherds in excess oxygen at 500° C. 

 for 30 minutes causes no color change, indicating a state of full 

 oxidation. 



The most common shapes are the small globular "beanpot" with a 

 rounded bottom, a larger and more stable wide-mouthed bowl, 

 and a rather thick and heavy plate of very shallow form. There is a 

 simple recurved rim without secondary elaboration or decoration so 

 that cross sections are of uniform width. Thickness averages about 

 0.6 cm. Typical shapes are shown in figures 8, a-f, and 9, a, b. 



Surface finish varies from a smooth to a rather roughened appear- 

 ance with undiagnostic tooling marks on both the interior and ex- 

 terior. These at least indicate the use of some type of stone or wood 

 object or, in some instances, corncobs to smooth the vessel surfaces 

 before drying. Firing is often uneven with isolated black smudges 



