HOLMES.) ALLIGATOR GROUP OF WARE. 131 



out the direct aid of a full series of the objects themselves to convey 

 a clear and comprehensive notion of the metamorphoses through 

 which the forms and decorations i^ass. 



This group, like that last described, is composed chiefly of bottle 

 shai^ed vases with globular bodies and short, wide necks; but there is 

 no danger of confusion. By placing a series from each group side by 

 side a number of marked differences may be noted. In the lost color 

 group the neck is decided in form, the body is usually somewhat flat- 

 tened above and is distinctly conical below, and the prevailing color 

 is a rich dark red. In the alligator group the body is more nearly 

 globular and the curves of the whole outline are more gentle ; the 

 prevaiUng color is a light yellowish gray. The reds and the blacks, 

 which are iised chiefly in the figures, are confined to rather limited 

 areas. 



Besides the bottle shaped vases, there is a limited series of the 

 usual forms, and a few pieces exhibit uniqiie features. The manage- 

 ment of life forms is especially instructive. Handles are rare and 

 legs are usually not of especial interest, as they are plain cones or at 

 most but rude imitations of the legs of animals. Shallow vessels 

 are invariably mounted upon tripods and a few of the deeper forms 

 are so equipped. Usually the sizes are rather small; but we occasion- 

 ally observe a bottle having the capacity of a gallon or more. The 

 ma.terials do not differ greatly from those employed in other groups 

 of ware. The paste is fine grained and light in color, sometimes 

 reddish near the surface, and where quite thick is darker within the 

 mass. A slip of light yellowish hue was in most cases applied to tlu^ 

 entire surface. A red ochery pigment was in some instances used in 

 finishing the lip and the base of the body, and occasionally the red 

 pigment was applied as a base, a kind of sketch foiindation for the 

 decoration proper. For example, when the alligator was to appear 

 upon the side of the vessel, the principal forms were traced in broad 

 lines of the red color, and these were polished down with the slips 

 When the polishing process was complete, the details of the figure, 

 were drawn in black and in cases partially in red. Black was the 

 chief delineating color, the red having been confined to broad areas, 

 to outlines, and to the enframing of panels. In execution, therefore, 

 there is a decided contrast with the preceding group, and it may be 

 added that there is an equally strong contrast in both treatment and 

 subject matter of the ornament. The motives are derived almost 

 wholly from life forms and retain for the most part features that sug- 

 gest their origin. The subjects are chiefly reptilian, the alligator 

 appearing in a majority of casfs, and liciicc the ii:iini' nf tln' yroup. 



I present first a fewe.\ain]>lfsi>f |)l,-iiii Imttlcs whicli lia.\c ihn'xtrane- 

 ous plastic features. The dcrnratinus are arrangi.'d in twi.i ways, in 

 zones about the upper part of the body or in circular ai'eas, generally 

 four in ]iumber, equidistantly placed about the shoulder of the vessel. 



