84 ANCIENT ART OF THE PROVINCE OF CHIRIQUI. 



they take first rank in the isthmian states, if not in America, for sim- 

 plicity and refinement of form, perfection of method, and i)urity of 

 style. 



PAINTED WARE. 



The painted vases of Chiriqui embrace at least ten easily distin- 

 guished varieties of ware. The characters upon which the classifica- 

 tion is based are somewhat heterogeneous and include material, color, 

 shape, finish, ornamentation, method of manufactuie. and evidences 

 of use. No single character and no one group of characters can be 

 relied upon to distinguish the different groups. We must depend, 

 therefore, upon an assemblage of characters or upon one character 

 in one place and another in another place. Observing a number of 

 strikiiii;- (lilTcrciicrs in two i^rtmps of ware, we arrive at tlic'cdnclu- 

 sion tli.it 1 1hsc -I'liqis tiiu>l lia\ !■ Imm'u the work of (list i ml loinimini- 

 ties; y\ w-- timl vrry inarkcil (lilfcri'nces in wares that (througli the 

 possession in common of some particular feature) we know to be the 

 work of the same hands. We can, therefore, determine little in re- 

 gard to the peoples concerned. 



I do not consider the presence in a single grave of two or more 

 varieties sufficient proof of their common origin, for a niimber of dis- 

 tinct wares may come into the possession of one community through 

 trade, conquest, or the spoliation of tombs ; but a constant recurrence 

 together of the same forms affords strong evidence that the objects 

 were the work of the jjeople with whom they were buried. Unfortu- 

 nately our observations in the field are not sufficiently accurate to 

 enable us to utilize associations or methods of occurrence in the graves 

 as a means of classification. 



The following classification is, under the circumstances, the best 

 that I can devise, and is of use mainly as a means of facilitating de- 

 scription. The name chosen generally indicates a leading or striking 

 characteristic nf the uroup. 



The .scarifii'd L;ri>u|,. se'parated widely from all other varieties. 



T]ic//a//-//r(/gr,,ui, and 



The tripod group, apparently the work of one community and de- 

 voted to the same or similar uses. 



The maroon group; 



The red line group; 



The white line group; 



The lost color group; 



The alligator group; and 



The polychrome group, no two of which are sufficiently alike to 

 make it certain, without extraneous evidence, that they were manu- 

 factured by the same community, yet all clearly belonging to one 

 great family. 



These groups are presented in the order given. 



