140 A STUDY OF CHIRIQUIAN ANTIQUITIES. 



symbols. The smallest vessel of this group (fig. e) is but 45 millimeters in height, 

 with a capacity of less than 20 cubic centimeters. A compound tripod with two 

 of the six legs eliminated is shown in figure /. There is no connection between 

 the interior of the two vessels. The most interesting part of their decoration con- 

 sists of a series of alligator motives about the two rims — the downward curving 

 body-line with a single dot above. 



A number of unusual forms are brought together in Plate XLI. Figure a comes 

 very near to being a complete zoomorphic unit. It is a tripod instead of a 

 quadruped, with two legs in front and but one leg behind, which is in a median 

 plane. The tail forms a vertically placed loop-handle, emerging from underneath 

 the carapace to fuse with the hindleg. The legs are marked with parallel trans- 

 verse lines in black, suggesting the carapace motive, in which case each leg 

 would represent an armadillo. The head is well defined, the nose being pointed 

 downward as if to reach the ground. The ears are represented in the round as 

 well as by means of black paint; the eyes, by paint alone — a black circle on 

 cream slip surrounding a black spot. The carapace, like the ears, is represented 



a b 



Figure 241 a, b. — Designs representing conventionalized alligators. 2 h 



both in the round and in color. Its anterior and posterior regions are marked 

 by black spots on the cream slip. The banded character of the middle region is 

 indicated by transverse parallel lines in alternating groups of black and red. The 

 circular aperture cuts all three regions of the carapace; its margin or rim is 

 painted red. The black spots on top of the head also represent dermal armor. 

 The vessel is covered inside and outside by a uniform slip over which the delin- 

 eating colors are applied, except on the interior and the outer ventral surface. 

 The alligator motive is entirely wanting. 



There is nothing to suggest the alligator in figure b, unless it is the dotted 

 dentals on the tripod supports. The latter represent animal heads, are hollow and 

 supplied with pellets. The periphery of the vase is decorated with eight prominent 

 crablike spines and what is probably intended for a head. 



A broken vase from San Carlos, eighteen miles northwest of David, is repro- 

 duced in figure c. With the broken part has disappeared the tail and body of 

 a large painting of an alligator that occupied the rear panel, leaving only the 

 head and nuchal appendage, with spine symbols. A fragment carrying a short 

 tail in the round to match the head opposite has been preserved also among the 

 fragments. In front is an apron-shaped field covered with ocellated markings 

 resembling the coat of the jaguar. At the top, this apron is cut so as to fit 

 about the neck of an animal, probably the jaguar, with wide-open mouth showing 



