42 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 191 



piece and is known to occur as trade ware in both Code and Veraguas. 



A complete widemouthed vessel (pi. 15, a) and nine sherds are of red 

 designs on a white ground, identical to the Code redline ware. 



In the absence of further material from the site, these pieces are all 

 considered to be trade ware brought in from the more westerly prov- 

 inces. Unfortunately, the lack of correlated finds in graves or in 

 context with incised wares makes it impossible to establish them as 

 contemporaneous with the other artifacts. It is of significance, how- 

 ever, that the redline ware is considered to be definitely a late char- 

 acteristic of Sitio Conte in Code. 



Several of the red ware vessels merit individual discussion. In 

 plate 21,6, are shown two red ware vessels, a small dish and a spouted 

 vessel, both with white panels bearing black scrolls. While similar to 

 Code vessels, at least to me they appear to be imitations or copies of 

 the same; an impression perhaps only gained by handling the two side 

 by side. They are cruder, heavier, and slightly different in surface 

 texture than the usual Sitio Conte ware and may be of local 

 manufacture. 



Plate 21, a, also shows a widemouthed pot and a rather massive, dense 

 polychrome pedestal enclosing rattles. Both of these have a coarse, 

 medium buff ground color with designs in red and purple edged in 

 black. In style and finish they do not resemble previously reported 

 Panama polychromes. 



SECONDARY USE OF ARTIFACTS 



Sufficient direct evidence for the repair and re-use of damaged 

 vessels often is lacking. However, the ordinary rim chipping of 

 vessels in use, which was later smoothed by grinding, is seen frequently. 

 When evidence of major repairs is found, it is an occurrence worth 

 detailed notice. When a vessel is used for burial it may be taken as 

 some evidence of a frugal or materially poor culture or, conversely, 

 one lacking a highly formalized burial tradition. This is in marked 

 contrast to many cultures in which the grave furniture is new and 

 constructed specifically for the purpose. 



The lizard motif incised relief vessel shown in plate 12, a, was 

 originally recovered as burial No. 7, where it was found within a 

 conventional undecorated urn. This round-bottomed vessel is 40 

 cm, in maximum diameter by 30 cm. in maximum height, with its 

 inflection point located at five-eighths of the latter. It is of a medium 

 red-brown paste with a smooth unpolished surface. There was a 

 portion of an incompletely oxidized brown to dark-green identical 

 vessel used as a cover. The ridges, which divide the vessel into four 

 panels, and the crest of the lizard exactly match up with the cover 



