MEAD, PERUVIAN MUMMIES 



19 



bing. Moulds were often used in making; many of the animal heads 

 and human figures that adorn these vessels. The decoration was put 

 on with paint, and, after firing, the vessels were polished by rubbing 

 with a smooth pebble. 



In the absence of an aboriginal written language in Peru and on 

 account of the meagreness of the descriptions left by the first Europeans 

 who visited the country, it is fortunate for the student of Peruvian archae- 

 ology that the potter often represented by the shape of his vessel or in its 



POTTERY VESSEL WITH PAINTED DECORATION 



decoration forms and customs which were familiar to him in his every- 

 day life. 



Representations of the human figure are common. Some of these 

 show the manner of wearing the poncho and other articles of clothing. 

 Some have in the lobe of the ear the large cylindrical ear-ornaments 

 which led the Spaniards to nickname these people "Ore- 

 jones" — big ears. It would be impracticable, however, to 



Human 

 figures 



mention here more than a few of the subjects depicted. On 



one vessel a man pursues and kills a deer with a spear; on another a 



hunter is returning with the body of a deer thrown across his shoul- 



