POTTERY FROM CULTURE I, NORTH KURGAN. 127 
and 2; plate 27, figs. 1-3; plate 28, fig. 2; plate 29, figs. 1-4; plate 30, figs. 1-3; 
plate 31, figs. 1 and 2). 
Technique of the painting.—The colors were laid upon either a clay ground, 
more or less well-treated, or upon a thin color-slip. The coloring is, perhaps, still 
more varied than in group a. Here, too, black predominates, and with it occurs 
brown in different shades—light brown, black-brown, red-brown, and violet-brown. 
The manipulation of the brush was for the most part rapid, especially as large 
surfaces were often to be painted. Nevertheless, the lines are drawn appro- 
priately and accurately. 
THE DECORATION OF BOTH GROUPS a AND Bb. 
The patterns used by the painters of the vessels may be divided into two 
classes, according to the arrangement on the surface of the vessels; horizontal, 
linearly arranged patterns (Rei- 
henmuster), 7. e., patterns of which 
the separate motives are arranged 
in rows, and in oblique band- 
patterns (Bandmuster), patterns 
in which the parts become effect- 
ive only when arranged in bands. 
Each starts from a ground form— 
the first from an erect triangle, 
with the point at the top, the 
other from a group of oblique 
parallel lines. 
(1) The triangles are grouped 
in horizontal rows, either placed 
close together (fig. 67) or stand- 
ing farther apart (fig. 68). A 
peculiar motif is formed when 
the top points are forked (fig. 69). 
This last variation recalls the com- , 
mon pole-tent, and the ground motif controls the whole decoration to such an 
extent that we may speak of a tent-ornamentation, merely for the purpose of iden- 
tification, without any reference to the origin of the pattern. 
The ground pattern occurs, however, in many variations. It is halved and 
placed obliquely, or directed upwards (figs. 70, 71). The whole triangle or half- 
triangle is drawn only in contour (figs. 72, 72a). Moreover, the triangular field is 
filled in in different ways—with a trellis pattern (fig. 73), or with parallel lines (fig. 
74), or several lines may start simultaneously from the basal angles upwards, 
crossing each other at the apex (fig. 75). Again, the triangles are so shoved into 
each other that the sides cross each other at the bottom (fig. 76), or at the apex 
(fig. 77), as in the ground pattern (fig. 79). A pattern which is not infrequently 
used is shown in fig. 78 in which the somewhat curved apices of the triangles are 
ranged like the prows of ships (see plate 24, fig. 2). 
66 

