120 ISLAND CULTURE AREA OF AMERICA [eth. ann. 31 



are several similar fragments in the Heye collection. The handle of 

 plate 63, C ^ is decorated with a head bearing a toothed structure 

 that may be likened to a bird's head. The representations of the 

 eyes in this head are quite different from those of other birds' 

 heads. In plate 64, .4, we find one of the flat handles of a vessel 

 modified into a head of peculiar shape. This figure shows the head as 

 seen from above, and from a section of the rim it is evident that the 

 vessel to which this head was attached was a flat circular platter of 

 claj^ This wasi. in fact, the handle of one of those flat dishes or 

 griddles on which the natives formerly fried their cassava cakes — a 

 cooking utensil now replaced by an iron plate. 



The square, angular head of this specimen is unlike those already 

 described, and has a peculiar incised decoration not common in West 

 Indian pottery. In plate 64. B, we have another handle of a vessel, 

 from the island of Grenada, which is modified into a head. Although 

 this specimen is rather roughly made, the outlines of mouth, eyes, and 

 nose are well indicated by incised lines. Plate 65, .1. represents 

 another handle of a cooking dish like a head, seen from above. The 

 presence of eyes and mouth and a circle commonly found on the 

 middle of the foreheads of animals, which is one of its most striking 

 features, leads to the identification of this as a head of an animal. 

 This head is surrounded by a row of holes whicli maj^ have been 

 either for insertion of feathers or piu*ely decorative. 



In plate 65, />, is shown a comparatively large fragment of the 

 rim of a vessel, in which the face or head has well-made eyes, nose, 

 and mouth. The meaning of an appendage on each side of the head 

 of this specimen is not easy to interpret. These appendages occur 

 in pairs — one pair on the forehead, the other in the position of the 

 ears. It is not unlikely that they represent the two arms or legs of an 

 animal form, or are appendages of a human being. 



Plate 65, (\ represents the handle or lug of a flat cooking dish, evi- 

 dently a griddle. 



Various forms of handles modified into heads are shown in plate 

 66, ^4, B^ C. They are parts of griddles or clay disks used in cook- 

 ing, and while differing in details appear to represent like animals. 

 The effort made by the artist to enlarge the size of the handles by 

 an extension of the tops of the head or prolongation of the snout 

 imparts a ludicrous expression to the faces of two of these figures. 

 Both of these are large fragments of flat, shallow vessels to which 

 they were formerly attached. 



A unique form of pottery rest with a face on one side, and various 

 other relief designs, appears in figure 11. 



The burnt clay head, plate 66, (\ evidently broken from a bowl or 

 other piece of pottery the shape of which is unknown, has a project- 



