HOLMES.) ENGRAVED VESSEL FROM ARKANSAS. 195 



highly polished; the interior is less so, having suffered somewhat from 

 decay; the beak is very long and slender, and has been used as a han- 

 dle. The whole vessel has a dipper like appearance. 



The finest example of these vessels yet brought to my notice was 

 obtained from a mound at Harrisburg, Ark., by Dr. Palmer, in Octo- 

 ber, 1882. It differs from the other specimens described in having an 

 elaborate ornamental design engraved on the exterior surface. In shape 

 it corresponds pretty closely to the first specimen figured, no part of the 

 spire, however, being cut away; the interior parts have been removed, 

 as usual. The surface is quite smooth, and the ridges on the inner sur- 

 face of the spire are neatly rounded and polished. Its length is eleven 

 inches, and its width seven. Plate XXIII is devoted to the illus- 

 tration of this specimen. The entire exterior surface, from apex to 

 base, is covered with a design of engraved lines and figures, which are ap- 

 plied in such a manner as to accord remarkably well with the expand- 

 ing spiral of the shell. The upper surface of the spire is unusually flat, 

 and has been ground quite smooth. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 

 2, Plate XXIII, that a series of lines, interrupted at nearly regular 

 intervals by short cross lines and rectangular intaglio figures, has been 

 carried from the apex outward toward the lip. Another series of lines 

 begins on the upper margin next the inner lip of the shell, passes around 

 the circumference of the upper surface, and extends downward over 

 the carina, covering, as shown in the other figure, the entire body 

 of the vessel, excepting the extreme point of the handle. The base of 

 the shell, which is perforated, has a small additional group of lines. The 

 lines of the principal series are, on the more expanded portion of tbe 

 body of the shell, about eight inches long, and are interrupted by two 

 rows of short lines and two rows of incised rectangular figures. The 

 space between the latter contains the most interesting feature of the 

 design. Three arrow-head shaped figures, two inches in length by one 

 and one-half in width, are placed, one near the outer Up, another near 

 tlie inner lip, and the third in the middle of the body, a Uttle below the 

 center. These figures are neatly cut and symmetrical, and resemble a 

 barbed and blunt-pointed arrow-head. Near the center of each is a 

 small circle, which gives the figure a close resemblance to a variety of 

 perforated stone implements, one specimen of which has been found 

 near Osceola, Ark. Whatever may be the significance of this design, 

 and it is undoubtedly significant, it is at least a very remarkable piece 

 of work and a highly successful effort at decoration. The pottery of 

 this region which is generally highly decorated with painted and in- 

 cised lines, contains nothing of a character similar to this, and it is 

 probable that what I have come to consider a rule in such matters ap- 

 plies in this case; the design on the shell is significant or ideographic, 

 that on the pottery is purely ornamental. 



For the purpose of showing the very wide distribution of vessels made 

 from large seashells, especially the Bimjcon perversum, I introduce here 

 descriptions of most of the specimens heretofore reported. 



