REVISED CLASSIFICATION. 



65 



horizontally to the single lateral handle. The paired handles in figure 94 are 

 unadorned. A vase with angular outlines and single handle forming an arch over 

 the aperture and attached to the rim at either side is represented in figure 95. 



An unusual treatment of the armadillo is seen in figure 96. The head barely 

 protrudes beyond the carapace and the latter almost encircles the body of the 

 animal. A long fillet encircling a head on the flat handle in figure 97 may be 

 a conventionalized form of the armadillo. A similar motive appears in figure a 

 of Plate XVI (see also fig. 130). 



Fig. 96. 



Fig. 95. — Vase with single handle forming an arch over aperture. Armadillo ware, 'h 

 Fig. 96. — Cup with single shoulder ornament representing the armadillo. Armadillo ware. V» 

 Fig. 97. — Cup with single flat handle showing possibly a conventionalized form of the ar- 

 madillo. Armadillo ware. ''2 



Revised Classification. — From the foregoing illustrations it is quite evident that 

 the armadillo must have played an important decorative as well as symbolic role 

 among the makers of the biscuit ware. The frog is not a very close second. 

 After these come a number of animal forms more or less fantastically treated and 

 not always determinable. 



Of the 3668 pieces of pottery in the Yale collection, 1620 belong to the arma- 

 dillo group. Of these about one-fifth are decorated with the armadillo motive in 

 one or several of its many forms, the occurrence of other animal representations 

 being rare in comparison. Among the makers of this ware, the preponderating 

 influence of the armadillo suggests the totemic potency of this animal. Why not, 

 then, call this group the armadillo group ? 



Such a terminology, together with the change from " black incised " to serpent 

 group, as I have suggested on page 47, would tend toward uniformity. For sim- 

 ilar reasons, the "tripod" group of Holmes might well be called the fish group. 1 



1 According to Seemann, the quantity of fish, especially in the Bay of Panama, early 

 gave rise to the name of Panama, or place where fish abound. Fish are also abundant in 

 the rivers. 



Memoirs Conn. Acad., Vol. III. 9 



