sTBVEKBos.j SIMILARITY OF ORNAMENTATION. 327 



the figures wholly black, and those which are partly black and partly 

 brown or red. The differences in the decorat«d pottery appear to be 

 always accompanied by certain other variations sufficient to warrant 

 speaking of them as difl'erent varieties or groups. The former (those 

 having the figures wholly black), which are made of the ordinary plastic 

 blue clay, have only the upper half or two-thirds of the body of the 

 vessel overlaid with the white coating for receiving the decorations, the 

 lower part being uncoated, and of the natural pale red or salmon color 

 produced by burning, but usually well polished. As additional distin- 

 guishing features of this group we notice that the shape is more gen- 

 erally globular, the workmanship rather superior, and the pottery some- 

 what harder and less friable than that of the other group ; the angular 

 and geometrical figures formed by straight lines are more common in 

 this group ; here we also find the meander or Greek fret correctly 

 drawn, the vine, and several other designs rarely or never found in the 

 other groui). The figures of animals, which are common to both varie- 

 ties, are in the former more usually distributed in zones or groups, while 

 in the latter they are generally placed singly in inclosed spaces. The 

 latter variety, in which we see the curve freely used, shows an evident 

 advance over the ornamentation of the older pottery of this region; and 

 while the figures must bo classed as rude, and the outlines are less sharp, 

 and not so well defined as in the older specimens, yet they indicate 

 clearly a mental advance in the greater variety of conception. 



The figures of this entire class, as regards forms, may be grouped un- 

 der three general headings : first, the geometrical, which is the most 

 common; second, the figures of animals; and, third, rude attempts at 

 floral decorations, which forms are rather rare. Strange to say, in but 

 few instances can any attempt at representing the human form or any 

 part of it be discovered in these color decorations. 



The geometric figures present an endless variety; but we notice, as 

 is shown by the cuts and plates, that triangles with an elongate acumi- 

 nate apex and the zigzag are very common in the black-brown decora- 

 tions. The checkered figure also is not uncommon. The animals most 

 frequently represented are the elk or deer and birds. The floral decora- 

 tions are chiefly vines well drawn, and rude attempts at representing 

 trees, and the flowers of various species of Helianthus. 



5. Red ware icitli color decorations. This ware is represented by but 

 few vessels, which are in every respect simQar to the best variety of the 

 red pottery heretofore mentioned, except that it is marked with figures 

 in black, many of which are decorated only on the upper portions around 

 the neck or rim. 



6. The ancient pottery, of which Figs. C80 (4081G) and 693 (40817) are 

 good examples. 



The Pueblo tribes of New Mexico and Arizona, with rare exceptions, 

 manufacture earthenware vessels for domestic use. Th6 Pueblo of Taos 

 may be mentioned as one of these exceptions ; although the manner of 



