THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER, FLORIDA. 243 



not necessarily in immediate association, but never, as we have before remarked, 

 with any objects indicating European contact. 



It is evident that prehistoric Indians fabricated this "freak" earthenware in 

 the observance of some mortuary custom, whose meaning we cannot surely deter- 

 mine, though unquestionably there is a connection between bottomless vessels, ves- 

 sels perforated as to the base previous to baking, and vessels with base perforation 

 made after completion. 



Mutilation of the Base of Earthenware. 



Perforation of the base of earthenware vessels by fracture subsequent to their 

 completion has long been noted as a custom prevalent in Florida in early times, and, 

 according to Squier, in Oregon. The reason prompting this base perforation it is 

 impossible, with certainty, to determine. Professor Holmes, in his able paper with 

 the first Part of this Report, suggests that the mutilation was performed to kill the 

 vessel, so to speak, that it might more appropriately accompany its lifeless owner. 

 This we believe to be the true explanation, and not that this base perforation was 

 practised with a view to lessen the incentive to plunder, since, as we have said 

 before, the most precious possessions of the aborigines are found unbroken with this 

 earthenware. 



While the custom of perforating the base of earthenware used for mortuary 

 purposes obtained in the great majority of mounds in which earthenware other 

 than in the form of sherds is met with, it was be no means universal. We have 

 seen how in the mounds at Racey Point and Beauclerc numbers of imperforate 

 vessels were found, and that total demolition of these mounds failed to bring to 

 light any evidence of base perforation. The majority of vessels from Tick Island 

 are imperforate, while from the mound near Duval's came vessels showing base 

 perforation made previous to completion, others with perforation made subsequent 

 to baking, while others again were imperforate. 



This base perforation of earthenware used for mortuary purposes is assuredly 

 one of the most curious aboriginal customs. 



Source of Supply of Aboriginal Products from the River Mounds. 



Whether the peninsula of Florida was indebted to the neighboring islands and 

 to the culture of Mexico, New Mexico and Arizona for at least a partial supply of 

 the material for, or for ready made, weapons, tools, ornaments, etc., we are unable 

 to decide. 



In our Note on copper we have already made reference to intercourse with 

 Cuba and to possible communication with Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. As 

 we have stated, in our opinion, there can be no reasonable doubt in the mind of 

 any one familiar with the art of the land of Montezuma that the well-known plates 1 



1 Fifth Annual Report, Bureau of Ethnology, and "The Story of a Mound," Washington, 1891. 



