62 ABORIGINAL POTTEEY OF EASTERN UNITED STATES [etii, ann,20 



iiatui;il forni.s in tlie art at a corresponding grade of culture as tlie 

 American Indian, and the striking' result is seen at a glance, when any 

 large number of vessels made b}' the more advanced tribes is bi'ought 

 together. 



3. In the use of any material in the shaping arts certain processes 

 and certain mechanical aids are employed, and these vary with the 

 materials and with the acquirements of the potter so that great varia- 

 tion of form results. Cla^' has limitations of strength unburned and 

 burned, and form is governed by these limitations. If the potter is 

 unskilled of hand and eve, his work will lack in symmetry and grace; 

 and if his appliances are imperfect, its form will as a consequence be 

 unsymnn'tric and rude. The introduction of each improved device 

 leads to modifications of form. It is readily seen, for example, that 

 the discovery of the wheel nuist have led to the introduction of many 

 new features of form, consigning many others to oblivion. 



4. Ideograi)hic influences are felt but little in early stages of the art, 

 yet in time they become a powerful force in giving shai)e to articles 

 of clay. If. for example, a vessel is intended for use in connection 

 with rites relating to a particular animal deity, the shape is made to 

 suggest the form of that deity. The idea in such cases governs not 

 only the shajje but the color and decoration. 



5. Esthetic influence is necessarily weak during the earliest prac- 

 tice of the art. and shape is apparently slow to receive esthetic notice 

 and moditication; but, even at this stage, use, modid, and technic give 

 much that is regarded as pleasing in form. Certain proportions and 

 something of grace are necessarily embodied in each vessel and it is 

 quite impossible in a given case to determine at just what point the 

 esthetic idea begins to pi-oduce its (>tl'ects. In (>ven tlie most primi- 

 tiAC groups of earthenware there are ajiparent traces of the action of 

 this force in the modification of margins and in the turning of curves. 



The forms produced in the primitive stages of the art are. as a rule, 

 exceedingly simple. We may assume that tiie most elementary form 

 is the br)wl or cup with rounded bottom, wide mouth, and plain margin. 

 There are a number of influences tendine- to yixc the base a rounded 

 rather than a flat or concave shape, among which are the aAailal)le 

 natural forms or models. th(> manner of use. and the ease and natural- 

 ness of construction. Flat and concave bottoms come late, as do also 

 such features as pedestals, annular bases, feet, and legs. These come 

 into use no doul)t with tlu^ introduction of hard, level floors in the 

 dwelling. As skill increases, the margin of the vessel ri.ses, the outline 

 varies from the globular form, and many causes lead to si)ecialization 

 and elaboration, so that we have oblong and flattened bodies, constricted 

 rims, straight and recurved lips, short and high nocks, and nianj^ 

 degrees of constriction of opening. Compound and com])lex forms 

 follow, and finally the potter ventures on the production of natural 



