HOLMES] VASES OF THE LOST COLUR tiKOUP. 113 



gray cast. The greater part oi the surface seems to have been painted 

 red, but the vase has been used over tire to such an extent that little 

 of the original color remains. The body and the legs have ))een deco- 

 rated with geometric 2)atterns in a whitish ^jigment that can be scraped 

 off like indurated clay. The little animal figures were also painted 

 white. A vase very similar to this, from which the legs have been 

 removed, aiid the surface smoothed down, has a longer and more 

 graceful body and a similar rim. Another piece, exhibiting simi- 

 lar yet even more strongly marked characteristics of shape, belongs 

 to the collection of Mr. J. B. Stearns. 



The lost color group. — In number of specimens this group is second 

 to none, excepting perhaps that given under the head of terra cotta 

 ware. Nine-tenths of the pieces may be classed as bottles, which 

 have rather short, wide necks and gloliular Im idles, slightly conical 

 below and in cases flattened above. They raii^v in size from one inch 

 to nearly a foot in height, but the average cajiacity is not above a 

 pint. Aside from the bottles there is a wide range of shapes. There 

 are shallow bowls and various complex and compound forms. Ani- 

 mal forms are assm-iated wilh all classes of \'essels. Ti-i]i()il su])])<irts 

 arelimitedtoi-allier ih.mI.sI in'op. .li ions, and liaiidles. altli<Mi-li nften 

 present and greatly xaried in style, do iKil constitute an ini]i(»rta,nt 

 feature. These vessels are remarkably well preserved and exhibit 

 few traces of abrasion by use or of blackening over fire. The paste 

 is fine grained and usually of a light yellow gray tint throiighout. 



The surface was finished either in a light colored slip or in a strong 

 red pigment. In some cases the light tint was used exclusively and 

 again the red covered the entire surface, ])ut more frequently the 

 two were used together, occupying distinct areas of the same vessel 

 and forming the groiindwork for decorative patterns in other colors. 

 They were usually polished down with very great care, giving a 

 glistening surface, upon which the markings of the tool can still be 

 seen. 



I have already describi'd the methods of decoration, Init may review 

 them briefly here. The bright red color, which forms such a pi'omi- 

 nent and pleasing feature, is, as stated above, only a ground tint and is 

 not used in any case in the delineation of design. The actual pat- 

 terns, so varied and interesting, were worked out in a isigment or fluid 

 now totally lost, but which has left traces of its former existence 

 through its effect upon the ground colors. In beginning the decora- 

 tion, a thin black color, probably of vegetal character, was carried 

 over the area to be treated, and upon this the figures were traced in the 

 lost color. When this color (if it was Imleed a pigment, and not 

 merely an acid or "taking oufmediuni) ilisa|i|H aivd, it carried with 

 it the black tint beneath, exposing the Hylit gi'^i.v .md red tintsof the 

 ground and leaving the interstices in black. The interstitial figures 

 thus formed are often of such a character as to be taken for the true 

 6 ETH 8 



