REVIEWS — HISTORY OF ANCIENT POTTERY. 259 



an Egyptian type ; a vase which may pass for Etruscan, and a blackish vessel 

 that has been found, seems to be identical with those of the Celtic-Germans ; so 

 perfect, indeed, is the resemblance, that if mixed with the known remains of those 

 countries, the archaeologist would find no difference between them: but these 

 works, so simple, and so easy to manufacture, cannot serve as a criterion to denote 

 the special character of the works of art of any nation. 



" All the skill of the Peruvian potters was laid out upon the manufacture of the 

 Huacas, Conopas and sacred vessels which they placed with the corpses in the 

 sepulchres. The kitchen furniture and other vessels for domestic use are very 

 simple, and without art. The material which they made use of was colored clay 

 and blackish earth, which they prepared so well, that it completely resisted fire, 

 and did not absorb liquids. It seems that they did not burn the vessels, since the 

 substance of these differed very materially from burnt clay, and judging from 

 appearances, they dried it in the sun, after having prepared and mixed it in a 

 manner of which we are ignorant. At this day there exist in majiy houses, pit- 

 chers, large jars and earthen pots of this material, and they are generally preferred 

 for their solidity to those which are manufactured by our own potters, a proof of 

 their superiority. The greater part of the sacred vessels, buried with the mallquis 

 and destined to receive the cliicha of sacrifice on feast days, have an enlarged 

 neck, placed ordinarily near the handle, with a hole to pour out the liquid, and an 

 opposite opening, for the air to escape when the vessel is filled. Many are double, 

 and it seems that they made them thus from preference ; others are quadruple, or 

 sextuple, or even octuple, that is, the principal vessel is surrounded with regular 

 appendages, which communicate among themselves, and with the principal vessel. 

 The double ones were made in such perfection, that when they were filled with a 

 liquid, the air escaping throgh the opening left for that purpose, produced sounds 

 at times very musical : these sounds sometimes imitated the voice of the animal 

 which was represented by the principal part of the vessel, as in a beautiful speci- 

 men we have seen, which represents a cat, and which, upon receiving water 

 through the upper opening, produces a sound similar to the mewing of that animal- 

 "We have in our possession a vessel of black clay, which perfectly imitates the 

 whistle of the thrush, the form of which is seen on the handle. "We also preserve 

 two circular vases, which, being filled with water, through a hole in the bottom> 

 on being turned over, lose not a single drop, the water coming out when it is 

 wished, by simply inclining the upper part of the vase : which proves that the 

 Peruvian artisans had perhaps some knowledge of atmospheric pressure. 



" On many of the sacred vessels there are designs and paintings, which, how- 

 ever, give an idea of the progress of the art of designing among the Peruvians. 

 The architectui'al designs with straight lines are the only parts correct and even 

 beautiful in appearance ; but all the designs with cui'ved lines, such as the repre- 

 sentation of men and animals, are of little value. There is one worthy of notice 

 which is seen very often, either painted on vessels of clay, or engraved on the 

 arms, or worked in raised work in gold or silver, and represents a man with the 

 arms open holding in his hands staves similar to lances (Chuqui), and the head 

 covered with a broad cap. There is no doubt that these figures represent Deities 

 (Huacas) ; others have long garments, and on the head a Species of mitre, showing 

 themselves also co be Huacas, as may be inferred from what Gareilasso relates 



