12(j ABORIGINAL POTTERY OF EASTERN UNITED STATES [eth.ann-.20 



varieties of products are encountered. The most striking of these is 

 characterized by its style of ornamentation, which consists of elaborate 

 designs worlved out largely witli indentations or jjunctures instead of 

 with plain incised lines, giving tattoo effects. Specimens in the main 

 fragmental have been found over a wide area, but the best preserved 

 and most typical examples arc those recently obtained from a burial 

 mound at Tarpon Springs by Mr F. IT. Gushing. Some of these are 

 presented in the accompanying plates, and the ornamental designs are 

 projected at full length in plate civ. Notwithstanding the largo degree 

 of individuality displa3'ed by these specimens, they by no means stand 

 alone, being closely allied in paste, shape, and ornamentation to one 

 or another of the varieties of Florida potter\-. 



The vase shown in plate ci is perhaps the most interesting and 

 artistic of the group. The lower figure gives a top view of the shat- 

 tered vessel as it appeared when the various pieces were first hastily 

 set together, while the upper shows it as restored by Mr Gushing, 

 save in one respect, namely, that as in his restoi'ation the base is 

 more delicately pointed than seems warranted by any model found 

 in Florida, the liberty of changing it has been taken, the bottom 

 being given a gently rounded or slightly flattened outline, as if 

 the vessel had been intended to stand alone. The color is a j-el- 

 lowish terra cotta, the surface is even and well polished, and the 

 walls are very thin. The incurved rim is narrow and rounded on 

 the margin and is embellished with four conic nodes placed at equal 

 distances about the lii3. The decoration, which is applied and worked 

 out in a very pleasing and artistic manner, appears in plate civ«. 

 Although it is highly conventional, it is undoubtedly significant and 

 symbolic, and is based on some life form. It is seen that the leading 

 featui-e of the design is repeated four times above a broad meander 

 band which encircles the body of the vessel, and that below the band a 

 second and less elaborate feature is also four times repeated. As we 

 recall the usual association of animal features with vases in the gen- 

 eral region, we examine the design to discover, if possible, some sug- 

 gestion of a life concept. It would seem that the leading elements of the 

 design must represent the head of some creature, and by studying the 

 four principal features, it is seen that they show decided analogies 

 with more realistic delineations of the duck observed on other vessels, 

 and the conclusion is reached that the device is a conventional treatment 

 of this favorite concept and that the vessel was invested with appro- 

 priate life symbolism by the people to whom it belonged. 



A second specimen from the Tarpon Springs mound is given in plate 

 cii«. It is quite equal to the other in delicacy of execution and in 

 interest, and the exquisite design shown in full in plate civ 5 may be 

 looked on as of the same class as the preceding and as intended 

 to svm])olize nothing more esoteric or mvsterious than the life idea 



