HOLMES] A-ESSELS REPRESENTING THE HUMAN HEAD V)7 



In form this particular vessel is a simple bead, inches in height 

 and 6 inches wide from ear to ear. The apei'tui'e of the vase is in 

 the crown, and is surrounded by a low, upright rim, slightly recurved. 

 The cavity is roughly finished, and follows pretty closely the contour 

 of the exterior surface, except in projecting features such as the ears, 

 lips, and nose. The walls are from one-eightii to one-fourth of an 

 inch in thickness, the base being about three -eighths of an inch thick. 

 The bottom is flat, and on a level with the chin and jaw. 



The material does not differ from that of the other vessels of the 

 same localit}-. It contains a large percentage of shell, some particles 

 of which are quite large. The paste is yellowish gray in color and 

 rather coarse in texture. The vase was modeled in the plain clay and 

 permitted to harden before the devices were engraved. Afterward a 

 thick film of fine yellowish-gray claj^ was applied to the face, partially 

 filling up the engraved lines. The remainder of the surface, includ- 

 ing the lips, received a thick coat of dark red paint. The whole sur- 

 face was then polished. 



The illustrations will convey a more vivid conception of this strik- 

 ing head than any description that can be given. The face can not be 

 said to have a single feature .strongly characteristic of Indian phvsi- 

 ognomy ; instead, we have the round forehead and the projecting chin of 

 the African. The nose, however, is small and the nostrils are narrow. 

 The face would seem to be intended for that of a young person, 

 perhaps a female. The features are well modeled, and the artist must 

 have had in his mind a pretty definite conception of the face to be 

 produced, as well as of the expression appropriate to it, before begin- 

 ning his work. It is possible even that the portrait of a particular 

 face was intended. The closed eyes, the rather sunken nose, and the 

 parted lips were certainly intended to give the eflect of death. The 

 ears are large, correctly placed, and well modeled; they are perfo- 

 rated all along the margins, thus revealing a practice of the people 

 whom they represented. The septum of the nose appears to have 

 been pierced, and the horizontal depression across the upper lip may 

 indicate the former presence of a nose ornament. 



Perhaps the most unicjue and striking feature is the pattern of 

 incised lines that covers the greater part of the face. The lines are 

 deeply engraved and somewhat "scratchy."' and were apparently exe- 

 cuted in the hardened clay before the slip or wash of clay was applied. 

 The left side of the face is plain, excepting for a figure somewhat 

 resembling a grappling hook in outline, which partially surrounds the 

 eye. The right side is covered with a comb-like pattern, placed ver- 

 tically with the teeth upward. The middle of the forehead has a 

 .series of vertical lines and a few short horizontal ones just above the 

 root of the nose (see plate xxx). In plate xxiX(' ar ' u^ le of 

 the front face is given, and the engraved figure is projected at the 



20 ETH~03 7 



