HOLMES] VASES OF THE RED LINE (iROUP. 1(J9 



Tlir lica<l, li-s. aii(l tail of what is prolialily iiiti'iidiMl to ropmseiiian 

 alli,-al.>r. in.Mlrlcl in the round, are attadir,! t.. the peripliery of the 

 liasin. and heads of some mammal are uscil for legs. 



A most interesting tripod is sliown in Fig. 157. The bowl is beau- 

 tifully modeled, is symmetrical, and has a flaring rim, rounded and 

 polished on the upper surface and drooping slightly at the outer mar- 

 gin. The body is hemisph(?rical and is supported by three grotes(|U(' 

 anthropomorphic figures that strongly remind us of the " mud head "" 

 masks used in one of the dances of the Zuiii Indians. The head is a 

 rounded ball, upon which pellets of clay are stuck to represent the 

 features. The arms are set against the sides of the body, as in other 

 isthmian specimens, the hips are excessively large, the legs straight, 

 and the feet small and united to form the foot of the vessel. Nearly 

 the entire surface is finished in a dark purplish red paint, which ap- 

 pears to have been polished down as a slij]. A companion piece is 

 considerably smaller and the supporting figures are very grotesiiue 

 and somewhat crouched, as if bearing a very heavy weight. 



A number of large basins or caldrons, collected in Chiricpii, ami 

 fragments of vessels of extraordinary size resemble this ware in 

 material, color, and finish. The rims of the larger pieces are up- 

 wai-ds of an inch thick and the walls are in cases three-fourths of an 

 inch thick. A number of large vessels of similar ware now in the 

 National Museum were collected in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. 



The red line group. — The group of vessels to which I have given 

 this name is represented by aboiit a dozen specimens, which indicate 

 a wide range of form and exhibit a number of unique characters. 



The localities from which they are derived extend from 8° -^0' to 

 8" 40' north latitude and from 82° 40' to 82° 50' west longitude. 



The paste is of about the usual compo.sition, but takes a variety of 

 tints on burning, a light gray orange prevailing. The finish of the 

 surface is about the same as in other groups. The decoration consists 

 of life forms and their conventional representatives in relief and 

 of carelessly executed geometric designs, the pigment used being a 

 bright, sienna-like red. 



As will be seen by reference to the illustrations, the f<n'ms are 

 varied and pleasing, but for the most part repeat outlines common 

 to otlier groups. The handles, single or in twos, are upright loops, 

 and the tripods are in nearly all cases looped or annular, an unusual 

 feature in other groups. 



I present three illustrations, two of which were given in outline in 

 the introductory pages. The fir.st (Fig. 158) has a well proportioned, 

 somewhat globular body, supported by three legs formed of looi:)ed 

 bands of clay. On the shoulder are two small animal forms, prol)- 

 aljly meant for frogs. The spaces between these are occupied by 

 panel-like arrangements of red lines. The surface is yellowish gray 

 in color, excepting where blackened in the baking. The paste has 



