TERRA COTTA GROUP OF WARE. 



67 



into two grand divisions: the unpainted ware and the painted ware. 

 Two important groups come under the first head. The first of these, 

 the teri-a cotta or biscuit ware, toiiiiiriscs .1 larger number of pieces 

 than any other group and is readil> < 1 ist i iii;uished by its colors, which 

 include only the pale grayish yellow ami reddish tints of the burned 

 clay. The second is limited to a small number of pieces and is black 

 or very dark upon the surface and dark within the mass. 



The terra cotta (/ronp.—TMs biscuit-like pottery is not in any way 

 inferior to the p.-iiiitiMl varieties. It bears evidence of great freedom 

 in handling, and sirvcs, perhaps better than any other class of prod- 

 ucts, to illustrate the masterly skill and the refined taste of the an- 

 cient potter. It is said to occur in the same cemeteries and in the 

 same graves with the more important varieties of painted ware. The 

 function of these handsome vessels cannot be determined. It can 

 hardly have been of a domestic nature, as they show no evidences of 

 discoloration or wear, and we are left to speculate upon the possibility 

 of a purely ceremonial use. The paste is moderately fine, but con- 

 tains an extremely large share of gritty sand; the slip is thin and has 

 received but a slight degree of polish, so that the surface has a dead, 

 somewhat granular effect. As a rule the vases are of small size and 

 are very thin walled. The forms are symmetrical and exceptionally 

 graceful. The ornamentation includes incised figures (mostly geo- 

 metric), raised decoration (of similar character), and animal forms in 

 the round. The following illustrations are intended to eijitomize the 

 multitude of forms, as anything like a complete representation is out 

 of the quesfion. 



Bowls, which form a leading feature of the pottery of most primi- 

 tive peoples, are here rai'ely seen, excepting as mounted upon tripods 

 or annular bases. Thei'e are in the collection a nuraber of small cups 

 of hemispherical shape that may have served as spoons, ladles, or 

 drinking vessels. A few of these are outlined in Fig. 70. Two have 

 minute projections resembling handles affixed to the rim. In rare 



Series of howls aud 



cases these are so prolonged as to be of service in handling the cup; 

 but in no instance is there an approach to the long cylindrical handles 

 seen in the earthenware of other distiicfs. 



