130 



ANCIENT ART OF THE PROVINCE OF CHIRIyUI. 



tioii. These features are seen to better advantage in the series of 

 vases presented m the f(jllowing section. 



Belonging to tlub grt)U]) .u e ni.ui\ w Instlcs, needlecases, and rattles, 

 all of wfiic-h aie de^i nbcd midei m p.u.iti licidiiig-^ upon subsequent 

 pages. 



Fig. 194. Lars>» bottle shaped vase, with high tripod and alligator designs — t, 



The alligator group. — The group of ware to which I give the above 

 name is perhaps the most interesting in the collection, although 

 numerically inferior to some of those already presented. Its deco- 

 ration is of a very striking character and may serve to throw ruuch 

 light upon the origin and evolution of certain linear devices, as it il- 

 lustrates with more than usual clearness the processes of modification. 



I will first present a representative series of the vessels, in order that 

 they may in a measure tell their own story ; yet it is not possible with- 



