by the ,bibliothque nationale de ,france
 7,bn,f_/,gallica7 at                   
http3_/_/gallica4bnf4fr7                
,,smithsonian ,,institution--,,bureau   
,,of ,,ethnology4  ,,origin ,,and       
,,development  ,,of  ,,form ,,and       
,,ornament ,,in ,,ceramic ,,art4  ,,by  
,,william ,h4 ,,holmes4   ,,contents4   
,page4  ,introductory                   
#ddc   ,origin of form                  
#dde     ,by adventition                
#dde     ,by imitation                  
#dde     ,by invention                  
#dej   ,modification of form            
#dej      ,by adventition               
#dej      ,by intention                 
#deb   ,origin of ornament              
#dec     ,from natural objects          
#ded     ,from artificial objects       
#dee       ,functional features         
#dee       ,constructional features     
#def     ,from accidents attending      
construction       #deg     ,from       
ideographic and pictorial subjects      
#deg   ,modification of ornament        

#deg     ,through material              
#deh     ,through form                  
#deh     ,through methods of realization
              #dei   ,,illustrations4   
,,fig4 #dfd4--;,form derived from a     
gourd                            #ddf   
#dfe4--;,form derived from a conch1     
shell                     #ddg          
#dff4--;,form derived from a stone pot  
#ddh      #dfg4--;,form derived from a  
wooden tray                      #ddh   
#dfh4--;,form derived from a horn spoon 
#ddh      #dfi4--;,form derived from a  
bark vessel                      #ddf   
#dgj4--;,form derived from basketry     
#ddi      #dga4--;,form derived from    
basketry                           #ddi 
#dgb4--;,form derived from a wooden     
vessel                    #ddi          
#dgc4--;,coincident forms               
#dea      #dgd4--;,form produced by     
accident                            #dea
      #dge4--,scroll derived from the   
spire of a conch shell       #ded       
#dgf4--,theoretical development of      

current scroll            #dee          
#dgg4--,ornament derived through        
modification of handles     #dee        
#dgh4--,scroll derived from coil of clay
                     #def               
#dgi4--,ornamental use of fillets of    
clay                    #def            
#dhj4--,variation through1 the influence
 of form             #dei               
#dha4--,theoretical development of the  
current scroll        #dfj              
#dhb4--;,forms of the same motive       
expressed in different arts #dfa        
#dhc4--;,forms of the same motive       
expressed in different arts #dfa        
#dhd4--;,forms of the same motive       
expressed in different arts #dfa        
#dhe4--;,geometric form of textile      
ornament                   #dfb         
#dhf4--,loss of geometric accuracy in   
painting               #dfb             
#dhg4--;,design painted upon pottery    
#dfc      #dhh4--,theoretical           
development of fret work                
#dfd      #dhi4--,theoretical           

development of scroll work              
#dfe   ,,origin ,,and ,,development ,,of
 ,,form ,,and ,,ornament ,,in ,,ceramic 
,,art4  ,,by ,,william ,h4 ,,holmes4    
,,introductory4  ,for the investigation 
of art in its early stages and in its   
widest sense--there is probably no      
fairer field than that afforded by      
aboriginal ,america1 ancient and modern4
  ,at the period of discovery1 art at a 
number of places on the ,american       
continent seems to have been developing 
surely and steadily1 through the force  
of the innate genius of the race1 and   
the more advanced nations were already  
approaching the threshold of            
civilization2 at the same time their    
methods were characterized by great     
simplicity1 and their art products are1 
as a consequence1 exceptionally         
homogeneous4  ,the advent of ,european  
civilization checked the current of     
growth1 and new and conflicting elements
 were introduced necessarily disastrous 
to the native development4  ,there is   

much1 however1 in the art of living     
tribes1 especially of those least       
influenced by the whites1 capable of    
throwing light upon the obscure passages
 of precolumbian art4 ,by supplementing 
the study of the prehistoric by that of 
historic art1 which is still in many    
cases in its incipient stages1 we may   
hope to penetrate deeply into the       
secrets of the past4  ,the advantages of
 this field1 as compared with ,greece1  
,egypt1 and the ,orient1 will be        
apparent when we remember that the dawn 
of art in these countries lies hidden in
 the shadow of unnumbered ages1 while   
ours stands out in the light of the very
 present4 ,this is well illustrated by a
 remark of ,birch1 who1 in dwelling upon
 the antiquity of the fictile art1 says 
that the existence of earthen vessels in
 ,egypt was at least coeval with the    
formation of a written language4#a      
,beyond this there is acknowledged      
chaos4 ,in strong contrast with this1 is
 the fact that all precolumbian         

,american pottery precedes the          
acquisition of written language1 and    
this contrast is emphasized by the      
additional fact that it also antedates  
the use of the wheel1 that great        
perverter of the plastic tendencies of  
clay4  ,footnote #a3 ,birch3 ,history of
 ,ancient ,pottery1 #ahgc1 p4 #h4  ,the 
material presented in the following     
notes is derived chiefly from the native
 ceramic art of the ,united ,states1 but
 the principles involved are applicable 
to all times and to all art1 as they are
 based upon the laws of nature4         
,ceramic art presents two classes of    
phenomena of importance in the study of 
the evolution of sthetic culture4 ,these
 relate1 first1 to form1 and second1 to 
ornament4  ,form1 as embodied in clay   
vessels1 embraces1 #ast1 useful shapes1 
which may or may not be ornamental1 and1
 #b;d1 sthetic shapes1 which are        
ornamental and may be useful4 ,there are
 also grotesque and fanciful shapes1    
which may or may not be either useful or

 ornamental4  ,no form or class of forms
 can be said to characterize a          
particular age or stage of culture4 ,in 
a general way1 of course1 the vessels of
 primitive peoples will be simple in    
form1 while those of more advanced races
 will be more varied and highly         
specialized4  ,the shapes first assumed 
by vessels in clay depend upon the shape
 of the vessels employed at the time of 
the introduction of the art1 and these  
depend1 to a great extent1 upon the kind
 and grade of culture of the people     
acquiring the art and upon the resources
 of the country in which they live4 ,to 
illustrate3 ,if1 for instance1 some of  
the highly advanced ,alaskan tribes     
which do not make pottery should migrate
 to another habitat1 less suitable to   
the practice of their old arts and well 
adapted to art in clay1 and should there
 acquire the art of pottery1 they would 
doubtless1 to a great extent1 copy their
 highly developed utensils of wood1     
bone1 ivory1 and basketry1 and thus     

reach a high grade of ceramic           
achievement in the first century of the 
practice of the art2 but1 on the other  
hand1 if certain tribes1 very low in    
intelligence and having no vessel-making
 arts1 should undergo a corresponding   
change of habitat and acquire the art of
 pottery1 they might not reach in a     
thousand years1 if left to themselves1 a
 grade in the art equal to that of the  
hypothetical ,alaskan potters in the    
first decade4 ,it is1 therefore1 not the
 age of the art itself that determines  
its forms1 but the grade and kind of art
 with which it originates and coexists4 
,ornament is subject to similar laws4   
,where pottery is employed by peoples in
 very low stages of culture1 its        
ornamentation will be of the simple     
archaic kind4 ,being a conservative art 
and much hampered by the restraints of  
convention1 the elementary forms of     
ornament are carried a long way into the
 succeeding periods and have a very     
decided effect upon the higher stages4  

,pottery brought into use for the first 
time by more advanced races will never  
pass through the elementary stage of    
decoration1 but will take its ornament  
greatly from existing art and carry this
 up in its own peculiar way through     
succeeding generations4 ,the character  
of the ornamentation does not therefore 
depend upon the age of the art so much  
as upon the acquirements of the potter  
and his people in other arts4           
,,origin ,,of ,,form   ,in order to     
convey a clear idea of the bearing of   
the preceding statements upon the       
history of form and ornament1 it will be
 necessary to present a number of points
 in greater detail4  ,the following     
synopsis will give a connected view of  
various possible origins of form4       
_/ ,by adventition4 ,origin of form--   
,by imitation--------_/ ,of natural     
models4                  ,by invention4 
,of artificial models   ,,forms         
,,suggested ,,by ,,adventition4  ,the   
suggestions of accident1 especially in  

the early stages of art1 are often      
adopted1 and become fruitful sources of 
improvement and progress4 ,by such means
 the use of clay was discovered and the 
ceramic art came into existence4 ,the   
accidental indentation of a mass of clay
 by the foot1 or hand1 or by a          
fruit-shell1 or stone1 while serving as 
an auxiliary in some simple art1 may    
have suggested the making of a cup1 the 
simplest form of vessel4  ,the use of   
clay as a cement in repairing utensils1 
in protecting combustible vessels from  
injury by fire1 or in building up the   
walls of shallow vessels1 may also have 
led to the formation of disks or cups1  
afterwards independently constructed4   
,in any case the objects or utensils    
with which the clay was associated in   
its earliest use would impress their    
forms upon it4 ,thus1 if clay were used 
in deepening or mending vessels of stone
 by a given people1 it would1 when used 
independently by that people1 tend to   
assume shapes suggested by stone        

vessels4 ,the same may be said of its   
use in connection with wood and wicker1 
or with vessels of other materials4     
,forms of vessels so derived may be said
 to have an adventitious origin1 yet    
they are essentially copies1 although   
not so by design1 and may as readily be 
placed under the succeeding head4       
,,forms ,,derived ,,by ,,imitation4     
,clay has no inherent qualities of a    
nature to impose a given form or class  
of forms upon its products1 as have     
wood1 bark1 bone1 or stone4 ,it is so   
mobile as to be quite free to take form 
from surroundings1 and where extensively
 used will record or echo a vast deal of
 nature and of coexistent art4  ,in this
 observation we have a key that will    
unlock many of the mysteries of form4   
,in the investigation of this point it  
will be necessary to consider the       
processes by which an art inherits or   
acquires the forms of another art or of 
nature1 and how one material imposes its
 peculiarities upon another material4   

,in early stages of culture the         
processes of art are closely akin to    
those of nature1 the human agent hardly 
ranking as more than a part of the      
environment4 ,the primitive artist does 
not proceed by methods identical with   
our own4 ,he does not deliberately and  
freely examine all departments of nature
 or art and select for models those     
things most convenient or most agreeable
 to fancy2 neither does he experiment   
with the view of inventing new forms4   
,what he attempts depends almost        
absolutely upon what happens to be      
suggested by preceding forms1 and so    
narrow and so direct are the processes  
of his mind that1 knowing his resources1
 we could closely predict his results4  
,the range of models in the ceramic art 
is at first very limited1 and includes  
only those utensils devoted to the      
particular use to which the clay vessels
 are to be applied2 later1              
closely-associated objects and utensils 
are copied4 ,in the first stages of art1

 when the savage makes a weapon1 he     
modifies or copies a weapon2 when he    
makes a vessel1 he modifies or copies a 
vessel4  ,this law holds good in an     
inverse ratio to culture1 varying to a  
certain extent with the character of the
 material used4  ,natural               
originals4--,natural originals1 both    
animal and vegetable1 necessarily differ
 with the country and the climate1 thus 
giving rise to individual characters in 
art forms often extremely persistent and
 surviving decided changes of           
environment4  ,the gourd is probably the
 most varied and suggestive natural     
vessel4 ,we find that the primitive     
potter has often copied it in the most  
literal manner4 ,one example only1 out  
of the many available ones1 is          
necessary4 ,this is from a mound in     
southeastern ,missouri4  ,in ,fig4 #dfd1
 a illustrates a common form of the     
gourd1 while b represents the imitation 
in clay4  ,illustration3 a1 ,gourd4 b1  
,clay vessel4 ,,fig4 #dfd4--;,form      

derived from a gourd4  ,all nations     
situated upon the sea or upon large     
rivers use shells of mollusks1 which1   
without modification1 make excellent    
receptacles for water and food4         
,imitations of these are often found    
among the products of the potter's art4 
,a good example from the ,mississippi   
,valley is shown in ,fig4 #dfe1 a being 
the original and b the copy in clay4    
,in ,africa1 and in other countries1    
such natural objects as cocoanut shells1
 and ostrich eggs are used in like      
manner4  ,another class of vessels1     
those made from the skins1 bladders1 and
 stomachs of animals1 should also be    
mentioned in this connection1 as it is  
certain that their influence has        
frequently been felt in the conformation
 of earthen utensils4  ,in searching    
nature1 therefore1 for originals of     
primitive ceramic forms we have little  
need of going outside of objects that in
 their natural or slightly altered state
 are available for vessels4             

,illustration3 a1 ,shell4 b1 ,clay4     
,,fig4 #dfe4--;,form derived from a     
conch shell4  ,true1 other objects have 
been copied4 ,we find a multitude of the
 higher natural forms1 both animal and  
vegetable1 embodied in vessels of clay1 
but their presence is indicative of a   
somewhat advanced stage of art1 when the
 copying of vessels that were           
functionally proper antecedents had     
given rise to a familiarity with the use
 of clay and a capacity in handling it  
that1 with advancing culture1 brought   
all nature within the reach of the      
potter and made it assist in the        
processes of variation and development4 
,artificial originals4--,there is no    
doubt that among most peoples art had   
produced vessels in other materials     
antecedent to the utilization of clay4  
,these would be legitimate models for   
the potter and we may therefore expect  
to find them repeated in earthenware4   
,in this way the art has acquired a     
multitude of new forms1 some of which   

may be natural forms at second hand1    
that is to say1 with modifications      
imposed upon them by the material in    
which they were first shaped4 ,but all  
materials other than clay are           
exceedingly intractable1 and impress    
their own characters so decidedly upon  
forms produced in them that ultimate    
originals1 where there are such1 cannot 
often be traced through them4  ,it will 
be most interesting to note the         
influence of these peculiarities of     
originals upon the ceramic art4  ,a     
nation having stone vessels1 like those 
of ,california1 on acquiring the art of 
pottery would use the stone vessels as  
models1 and such forms as that given in 
,fig4 #dff would arise1 a being in stone
 and b in clay1 the former from         
,california and the latter from         
,arizona4  ,similar forms would just as 
readily come from gourds1 baskets1 or   
other globular utensils4  ,nations      
having wooden vessels would copy them in
 clay on acquiring the art of pottery4  

,this would give rise to a distinct     
group of forms1 the result primarily of 
the peculiarities of the woody          
structure4 ,thus in ,fig4 #dfg1 a1 we   
have a form of wooden vessel1 a sort of 
winged trough that ,i have frequently   
found copied in clay4 ,the earthen      
vessel given in ,fig4 #dfg1 b1 was      
obtained from an ancient grave in       
,arkansas4  ,illustration3 a1 stone4 b1 
clay4 ,,fig4 #dff4--;,form derived from 
a stone pot4  ,illustration3 a1 wood4 b1
 clay4 ,,fig4 #dfg4--;,form derived from
 a wooden tray4  ,illustration3 a1      
,horn4 b1 ,clay4 ,,fig4 #dfh4--;,form   
derived from a horn spoon4              
,illustration3 a1 ,bark4 b1 ,clay4      
,,fig4 #dfi4--;,form derived from a bark
 vessel4  ,the carapace of some species 
of turtles1 and perhaps even the hard   
case of the armadillo1 could be utilized
 in a similar way4 ,the shaping of a    
knot of wood often gives rise to a      
dipper-shaped vessel1 such as may be    
found in use by many tribes1 and is as  

likely an original for the dipper form  
in clay as is the gourd or the conch    
shell2 the familiar horn vessel of the  
western tribes1 ,fig4 #dfh1 a1 would    
have served equally well4 ,the specimen 
given in b is from ,arkansas4 ,as a     
rule1 however1 such vessels cannot be   
traced to their originals1 since by     
copying and recopying they have varied  
from the parent form1 tending always    
toward uniform conventional shapes4  ,a 
vessel of rectangular outline might     
originate in wood or bark4 ,in ,fig4    
#dfi1 a1 we have a usual form of bark   
tray1 which is possibly the prototype of
 the square-rimmed earthen vessel given 
in b4  ,illustration3 a1 ,wicker4 b1    
,clay4 ,,fig4 #dgj4--;,form originating 
in basketry4  ,illustration3 a1 ,wicker4
 b1 ,clay4 ,,fig4 #dga4--;,form         
originating in basketry4  ,illustration3
 a1 ,net4 b1 ,clay4 ,,fig4 #dgb4--;,form
 originating in basketry4  ,basketry and
 other classes of woven vessels take a  
great variety of forms and1 being       

generally antecedent to the potter's art
 and constantly present with it1 have   
left an indelible impression upon       
ceramic forms4 ,this is traceable in the
 earthenware of nearly all nations4 ,the
 clay vessel is an intruder1 and usurps 
the place and appropriates the dress of 
its predecessor in wicker4 ,the form    
illustrated in ,fig4 #dgj1 a1 is a      
common one with the ,pueblo peoples1 and
 their earthen vessels often resemble it
 very closely1 as shown in b4 ,another  
variety is given in ,fig4 #dga1 a and b4
 ,these specimens are from southwestern 
,utah4 ,fig4 #dgb1 b1 illustrates a form
 quite common in the ,southern ,states1 
a section in which pouch-like nets and  
baskets1 a1 were formerly in use and in 
which the pots were often modeled4      
,,invention ,,of ,,form4  ,in the early 
stages of art1 forms are rarely invented
 outright and ,i shall not stop to      
consider the subject here4              
,,modification ,,of ,,form4  ,the       
acquisition of new materials1 the       

development of new uses1 the employment 
of new processes of manufacture1 and    
many other agencies lead to the         
multiplication of forms through         
modification4 ,the processes by which   
highly differentiated forms are reached 
are interesting throughout and repay the
 closest study4  ,a preliminary         
classification of the various causes    
that lead to modification is given in   
the following synopsis3                 
_/                _/                    
_/,to assume form4                      
,incapacity of material--,to retain     
form4                                   
,incapacity of the artisan4             
,changes in method of manufacture4      
,by adventition--,changes in            
environment4                            
,changes of use4 ,modification of form--
               ,lack of use4            
,influence of new or exotic forms1 etc4 
_/,to enhance usefulness4               
,by intention--                         
,to please fancy4--_/,for the beautiful4

                                        
,for the grotesque4   ,,modification    
,,by ,,adventition4  ,incapacity of     
material4--,it is evident at a glance   
that clay lacks the capacity to assume  
and to retain many of the details of    
form found in antecedent vessels4 ,this 
necessarily results in the alteration or
 omission of these features1 and hence  
arise many modifications of original    
forms4  ,the simple lack of capacity on 
the part of the potter who undertook to 
reproduce a model would lead to the     
modification of all but the most simple 
shapes4  ,the acquisition of the art by 
a superior or an inferior race1 or one  
of different habits would lead to       
decided changes4 ,a people accustomed to
 carrying objects upon the head1 on     
acquiring earthen vessels would shape   
the bases and the handles to facilitate 
this use4  ,improvements in the methods 
of manufacture are of the greatest      
importance in the progress of an art4   
,the introduction of the lathe1 for     

example1 might almost revolutionize form
 in clay4  ,as arts multiply1 clay is   
applied to new uses4 ,its employment in 
the manufacture of lamps1 whistles1 or  
toys would lead to a multitude of       
distinct and unique forms4  ,the        
acquisition of a new vessel-making      
material by a nation of potters and the 
association of the forms developed      
through its inherent qualities or       
structure would often lead ceramic      
shapes into new channels4               
,illustration3 a1 wood4 b1 clay4 ,,fig4 
#dgc4--;,coincident forms4  ,the contact
 of a nation of potters with a nation of
 carvers in wood would tend very        
decidedly to modify the utensils of the 
former4 ,one example may be given which 
will illustrate the possibilities of    
such exotic influences upon form4 ,in   
,fig4 #dgc1 a1 we have an ,alaskan      
vessel carved in wood4 ,it represents a 
beaver grasping a stick in its hands and
 teeth4 ,the conception is so unusual   
and the style of vessel so              

characteristic of the people that we    
should not expect to find it repeated in
 other regions2 but the ancient graves  
of the ,middle ,mississippi ,valley have
 furnished a number of very similar     
vessels in clay1 one of which is        
outlined in b4 ,while this remarkable   
coincidence is suggestive of ethnic     
relationships which do not call for     
attention here1 it serves to illustrate 
the possibilities of modification by    
simple contact4  ,illustration3 a b     
,,fig4 #dga4--;,form resulting from     
accident4  ,a curious example           
illustrative of possible transformation 
by adventitious circumstances is found  
in the collection from the province of  
ancient ,tusayan4 ,a small vessel of    
sphynx-like appearance1 possibly derived
 more or less remotely from a skin      
vessel1 has a noticeable resemblance to 
some life form1 ,fig4 #dgd1 a4 ,the     
fore-legs are represented by two large  
bosses1 the wide-open mouth takes the   
place of the severed neck1 and a handle 

connects the top of the rim with the    
back of the vessel4 ,the handle being   
broken off and the vessel inverted1 b1  
there is a decided change2 we are struck
 by the resemblance to a frog or toad4  
,the original legs1 having dark         
concentric lines painted around them1   
look like large protruding eyes1 and the
 mouth gapes in the most realistic      
manner1 while the two short broken ends 
of the handle resemble legs and serve to
 support the vessel in an upright       
position1 completing the illusion4 ,the 
fetich-hunting ,pueblo ,indian1 picking 
up this little vessel in its mutilated  
condition1 would probably at once give  
to it the sacred character of the water 
animal which it resembles1 and it might 
readily transmit its peculiarities of   
form to other generations of vessels4   
,it is not necessary in this study to   
refer at length to the influence of     
metallic vessels upon ceramic forms4    
,they do not usually appear until the   
ceramic art is far advanced and often   

receive a heritage of shape from earthen
 forms4 ,afterwards1 when the inherent  
qualities of the metal have stamped     
their individuality upon utensils1 the  
debt is paid back to clay with interest1
 as will be seen by reference to later  
forms in many parts of the world4       
,,modification ,,by ,,intention4  ,to   
enhance usefulness4--,there can be no   
doubt that the desire upon the part of  
the archaic potter to increase the      
usefulness and convenience of his       
utensils has been an important agent in 
the modification of form4 ,the earliest 
vessels employed were often clumsy and  
difficult to handle4 ,the favorite conch
 shell would hold water for him who     
wished to drink1 but the breaking away  
of spines and the extraction of the     
interior whorl improved it immeasurably4
 ,the clumsy mortar of stone1 with its  
thick walls and great weight1 served a  
useful purpose1 but it needed a very    
little intelligent thought to show that 
thin walls and neatly-trimmed margins   

were much preferable4  ,vessels of clay1
 aside from the forms imposed upon1 them
 by their antecedents and associates1   
would necessarily be subject to changes 
suggested by the growing needs of man4  
,these would be worked out with         
ever-increasing ease by his unfolding   
genius for invention4 ,further          
investigation of this phase of          
development would carry me beyond the   
limits set for this paper4  ,to please  
fancy4--,the skill acquired by the      
handling of clay in constructing vessels
 and in efforts to increase their       
usefulness would open an expansive field
 for the play of fancy4 ,the potter     
would no sooner succeed in copying      
vessels having life form than he would  
be placed in a position to realize his  
capacity to imitate forms not peculiar  
to vessels4 ,his ambition would in time 
lead him even beyond the limits of      
nature and he would invade the realm of 
imagination1 embodying the conceptions  
of superstition in the plastic clay4    

,this tendency would be encouraged and  
perpetuated by the relegation of vessels
 of particular forms to particular      
ceremonies4      ,,origin ,,of          
,,ornament4   ,the birth of the         
embellishing art must be sought in that 
stage of animal development when        
instinct began to discover that certain 
attributes or adornments increased      
attractiveness4 ,when art in its human  
sense came into existence ideas of      
embellishment soon extended from the    
person1 with1 which they had been       
associated1 to all things with which man
 had to deal4 ,the processes of the     
growth of the sthetic idea are long and 
obscure and cannot be taken up in this  
place4  ,the various elements of        
embellishment in which the ceramic art  
is interested may be assigned to two    
great classes1 based upon the character 
of the conceptions associated with them4
 ,these are ideographic and             
non-ideographic4 ,in the present paper  
,i shall treat chiefly of the non       

ideographic1 reserving the ideographic  
for a second paper4  ,elements1         
non-ideographic from the start1 are     
derived mainly from two sources3 #ast1  
from objects1 natural or artificial1    
associated with the arts2 and1 #b;d1    
from the suggestions of accidents       
attending construction4 ,natural objects
 abound in features highly suggestive of
 embellishment and these are constantly 
employed in art4 ,artificial objects    
have two classes of features capable of 
giving rise to ornament3 these are      
constructional and functional4 ,in a    
late stage of development all things in 
nature and in art1 however complex or   
foreign to the art in its practice1 are 
subject to decorative treatment4 ,this  
latter is the realistic pictorial stage1
 one of which the student of native     
,american culture needs to take little  
cognizance4  ,elements of design are not
 invented outright3 man modifies1       
combines1 and recombines elements or    
ideas already in existence1 but does not

 create4  ,a classification of the      
sources of decorative motives employed  
in the ceramic art is given in the      
following diagram3                      
_/,suggestions of features of natural   
utensils or objects4                    
_/                                      
_/,handles4                             
,legs                                   
,functional,bands                       
,perforations1 etc4                     
,suggestions of features of             
artificial utensils or objects4         
_/,the coil4                            
,the seam4 ,origin of ornament          
,constructional,the stitch4             
,the plait4                             
,the twist1 etc4                        
,suggestions from accidents     _/,marks
 of fingers4                            
attending construction4       ,marks of 
implements4                             
,marks of molds1 etc4                   
,suggestions of ideographic features or 
pictorial delineations4  ,,suggestions  

,,of ,,natural ,,features ,,of          
,,objects4  ,the first articles used by 
men in their simple arts have in many   
cases possessed features suggestive of  
decoration4 ,shells of mollusks are     
exquisitely embellished with ribs1      
spines1 nodes1 and colors4 ,the same is 
true to a somewhat limited extent of the
 shells of the turtle and the armadillo 
and of the hard cases of fruits4  ,these
 decorative features1 though not        
essential to the utensil1 are           
nevertheless inseparable parts of it1   
and are cast or unconsciously copied by 
a very primitive people when similar    
articles are artificially produced in   
plastic material4 ,in this way a utensil
 may acquire ornamental characters long 
before the workman has learned to take  
pleasure in such details or has         
conceived an idea beyond that of simple 
utility4 ,this may be called unconscious
 embellishment4 ,in this fortuitous     
fashion a ribbed variety of fruit shell 
would give rise to a ribbed vessel in   

clay2 one covered with spines would     
suggest a noded vessel1 etc4 ,when taste
 came to be exercised upon such objects 
these features would be retained and    
copied for the pleasure they afforded4  
,illustration3 a4--,shell vessel4       
b4--,copy in clay4 ,,fig4 #dge4--,scroll
 derived from the spire of a conch      
shell4  ,passing by the many simple     
elements of decoration that by this     
unconscious process could be derived    
from such sources1 let me give a single 
example by which it will be seen that   
not only elementary forms but even so   
highly constituted an ornament as the   
scroll may have been brought thus       
naturally into the realm of decorative  
art4 ,the sea-shell has always been     
intimately associated with the arts that
 utilize clay and abounds in suggestions
 of embellishment4 ,the ,busycon was    
almost universally employed as a vessel 
by the tribes of the ,atlantic drainage 
of ,north ,america4 ,usually it was     
trimmed down and excavated until only   

about three-fourths of the outer wall of
 the shell remained4 ,at one end was the
 long spike-like base which served as a 
handle1 and at the other the flat       
conical apex1 with its very pronounced  
spiral line or ridge expanding from the 
center to the circumference1 as seen in 
,fig4 #dge a4 ,this vessel was often    
copied in clay1 as many good examples   
now in our museums testify4 ,the notable
 feature is that the shell has been     
copied literally1 the spiral appearing  
in its proper place4 ,a specimen is     
illustrated in ,fig4 #dge b which1      
although simple and highly              
conventionalized1 still retains the     
spiral figure4  ,illustration3 a b c    
,,fig4 #dgf4--,possible derivation of   
the current scroll4  ,in another example
 we have four of the noded apexes placed
 about the rim of the vessel1 as shown  
in ,fig4 #dgf;a1 the conception being   
that of four conch shells united in one 
vessel1 the bases being turned inward   
and the apexes outward4 ,now it is only 

necessary to suppose the addition of the
 spiral lines1 always associated with   
the nodes1 to have the result shown in  
b1 and by a still higher degree of      
convention we have the classic scroll   
ornament given in c4 ,of course1 no such
 result as this could come about        
adventitiously1 as successful           
combination calls for the exercise of   
judgment and taste2 but the initiatory  
steps could be taken--the motive could  
enter art--without the conscious        
supervision of the human agent4         
,,suggestions ,,by ,,features ,,of      
,,artificial ,,objects4  ,illustration3 
,,fig4 #dgg4--,ornament derived through 
the modification of handles4            
,functional features4--,functional      
features of art products liable to      
influence ornament comprise handles1    
legs1 feet1 rims1 bands1 and other      
peculiarities of shape originating in   
utility4 ,handles1 for instance1 may    
have been indigenous to a number of     
arts2 they are coeval and coextensive   

with culture4 ,the first load1 weapon1  
or vessel transported by man may have   
been suspended by a vine or filament4   
,such arts as have fallen heir to       
handles have used them according to the 
capacities of the material employed4 ,of
 all the materials stone is probably the
 least suited to their successful use1  
while clay utilizes them in its own     
peculiar way1 giving to them a great    
variety of expression4 ,they are copied 
in clay from various models1 but owing  
to the inadequate capacities of the     
material1 often lose their function and 
degenerate into mere ornaments1 which   
are modified as such to please the      
potter's fancy4 ,thus1 for example1 the 
series of handles placed about the neck 
of the vessel become1 by modification in
 frequent copying1 a mere band of       
ornamental figures in relief1 or even   
finally in engraved1 punctured1 or      
painted lines1 in the manner suggested  
in ,fig4 #dgg4 ,legs1 pedestals1 spouts1
 and other features may in a like manner

 give rise to decoration4               
,illustration3 a4--,coiled fillet of    
clay4 b4--,double coil4 ,,fig4          
#dgh4--,scroll derived from coil of     
clay4   ,constructional                 
features4-,features of vessels resulting
 from construction are infinitely varied
 and often highly suggestive of         
decoration4 ,constructional             
peculiarities of the clay utensils      
themselves are especially worthy of     
notice1 and on account of their actual  
presence in the art itself are more     
likely to be utilized or copied for     
ceramic ornament than those of other    
materials4 ,the coil1 so universally    
employed in construction1 has had a     
decided influence upon the ceramic      
decoration of certain peoples1 as ,i    
have shown in a paper on ancient ,pueblo
 art4 ,from it we have not only a great 
variety of surface ornamentation        
produced by simple treatment of the coil
 in place1 but probably many forms      
suggested by the use of the coil in     

vessel building1 as1 for instance1 the  
spiral formed in beginning the base of a
 coiled vessel1 ,fig4 #dgh a1 from which
 the double scroll b1 as a separate     
feature1 could readily be derived1 and  
finally the chain of scrolls so often   
seen in border and zone decoration4     
,this familiarity with the use of       
fillets or ropes of clay would also lead
 to a great variety of applied ornament1
 examples of which1 from ,pueblo art1   
are given in ,fig4 #dgi4 ,the sinuous   
forms assumed by a rope of clay so      
employed would readily suggest to the   
,indian the form of the serpent and the 
means of representing it1 and might thus
 lead to the introduction of this much  
revered creature into art4              
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dgi4--,ornamental
 use of fillets4  ,of the various       
classes of utensils associated closely  
with the ceramic art1 there are none so 
characteristically marked by            
constructional features as nets and     
wicker baskets4 ,the twisting1          

interlacing1 knotting1 and stitching of 
filaments give relieved figures that by 
contact in manufacture impress          
themselves upon the plastic clay4 ,such 
impressions come in time to be regarded 
as pleasing features1 and when free-hand
 methods of reproducing are finally     
acquired they and their derivatives     
become essentials of decoration4 ,at a  
later stage these characters of basketry
 influence ceramic decoration in a      
somewhat different way4 ,by the use of  
variously-colored fillets the woven     
surface displays figures in color       
corresponding to those in relief and    
varying with every new combination4     
,many striking patterns are thus        
produced1 and the potter who has learned
 to decorate his wares by the stylus or 
brush reproduces these patterns by      
free-hand methods4 ,we find pottery in  
all countries ornamented with patterns1 
painted1 incised1 stamped1 and relieved1
 certainly derived from this source4 ,so
 well is this fact known that ,i need   

hardly go into details4  ,in the higher 
stages of art the constructional        
characters of architecture give rise to 
many notions of decoration which        
afterwards descend to other arts1 taking
 greatly divergent forms4 ,aboriginal   
architecture in some parts of ,america  
had reached a development capable of    
wielding a strong influence4 ,this is   
not true1 however1 of any part of the   
,united ,states4   ,,suggestions ,,of   
,,accidents4  ,besides the suggestions  
of surface features impressed in        
manufacture or intentionally copied as  
indicated above1 we have also those of  
accidental imprints of implements or of 
the fingers in manufacture4 ,from this  
source there are necessarily many       
suggestions of ornament1 at first of    
indented figures1 but later1 after long 
employment1 extending to the other modes
 of representation4   ,,ideographic     
,,and ,,pictorial ,,subjects4           
,non-ideographic forms of ornament may  
originate in ideographic features1      

mnemonic1 demonstrative1 or symbolic4   
,such significant figures are borrowed  
by decorators from other branches of    
art4 ,as time goes on they lose their   
significance and are subsequently       
treated as purely decorative elements4  
,subjects wholly pictorial in character1
 when such come to be made1 may also be 
used as simple decoration1 and by long  
processes of convention become          
geometric4  ,the exact amount of        
significance still attached to          
significant figures after adoption into 
decoration cannot be determined except  
in cases of actual identification by    
living peoples1 and even when the       
signification is known by the more      
learned individuals the decorator may be
 wholly without knowledge of it4        
,,modification ,,of ,,ornament4   ,there
 are comparatively few elementary ideas 
prominently and generally employed in   
primitive decorative art4 ,new ideas are
 acquired1 as already shown1 all along  
the pathway of progress4 ,none of these 

ideas retain a uniform expression1      
however1 as they are subject to         
modification by environment just as are 
the forms of living organisms4 ,a brief 
classification of the causes of         
modification is given in the following  
synopsis3                               
_/,through material4 ,modification of   
ornament------,through form4            
,through1 methods of realization4       
,through material4--,it is evident at a 
glance that material must have a strong 
influence upon the forms assumed by the 
various decorative motives1 however     
derived4 ,thus stone1 clay1 wood1 bone1 
and copper1 although they readily borrow
 from nature and from each other1       
necessarily show different decorative   
results4 ,stone is massive and takes    
form slowly and by peculiar processes4  
,clay is more versatile and decoration  
may be scratched1 incised1 painted1 or  
modeled in relief with equal facility1  
while wood and metal engender details   
having characters peculiar to           

themselves1 producing different results 
from the same motives or elements4 ,much
 of the diversity displayed by the art  
products of different countries and     
climates is due to this cause4  ,peoples
 dwelling in arctic climates are        
limited1 by their materials1 to         
particular modes of expression4 ,bone   
and ivory as shaped for use in the arts 
of subsistence afford facilities for the
 employment of a very restricted class  
of linear decoration1 such chiefly as   
could be scratched with a hard point    
upon small irregular1 often cylindrical1
 implements4 ,skins and other animal    
tissues are not favorable to the        
development of ornament1 and the textile
 arts--the greatest agents of           
convention--do not readily find suitable
 materials in which to work4            
,decorative art carried to a high stage 
under arctic environment would be more  
likely to achieve unconventional and    
realistic forms than if developed in    
more highly favored countries4 ,the     

accurate geometric and linear patterns  
would hardly arise4  ,through           
form4--,forms of decorated objects      
exercise a strong influence upon the    
decorative designs employed4 ,it would  
be more difficult to tattoo the human   
face or body with straight lines or     
rectilinear patterns than with curved   
ones4 ,an ornament applied originally to
 a vessel of a given form would         
accommodate itself to that form pretty  
much as costume becomes adjusted to the 
individual4 ,when it came to be required
 for another form of vessel1 very       
decided changes might be necessary4     
,with the ancient ,pueblo peoples       
rectilinear forms of meander patterns   
were very much in favor and many earthen
 vessels are found in which bands of    
beautiful angular geometric figures     
occupy the peripheral zone1 ,fig4 #dhj  
a1 but when the artist takes up a mug   
having a row of hemispherical nodes     
about the body1 b1 he finds it very     
difficult to apply his favorite forms   

and is almost compelled to run spiral   
curves about the nodes in order to      
secure a neat adjustment4               
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dhj4--,variations
 in a motive through the influence of   
form4  ,through methods of              
realisation4--,it will readily be seen  
that the forms assumed by a motive      
depend greatly upon the character of the
 mechanical devices employed4 ,in the   
potter's art devices for holding and    
turning the vessel under manipulation   
produce peculiar results4  ,in applying 
a given idea to clay much depends upon  
the method of executing it4 ,it will    
take widely differing forms when        
executed by incising1 by modeling1 by   
painting1 and by stamping4  ,intimately 
associated with methods of execution are
 peculiarities of construction1 the two 
agencies working together in the        
processes of modification and           
development of ornament4  ,i have       
previously shown how our favorite       
ornament1 the scroll1 in its            

disconnected form may have originated in
 the copying of natural forms or through
 the manipulation of coils of clay4 ,i  
present here an example of its possible 
origin through the modification of forms
 derived from constructional features of
 basketry4 ,an ornament known as the    
guilloche is found in many countries4   
,the combination of lines resembles that
 of twisted or platted fillets of wood1 
cane1 or rushes1 as may be seen at a    
glance1 ,fig4 #dha a4 ,an incised       
ornament of this character1 possibly    
derived from basketry by copying the    
twisted fillets or their impressions in 
the clay1 is very common on the pottery 
of the mounds of the ,mississippi       
,valley1 and its variants form a most   
interesting study4 ,in applying this to 
a vessel the careless artist does not   
properly connect the ends of the lines  
which pass beneath the intersecting     
fillets1 and the parts become           
disconnected1 b4 ,in many cases the ends
 are turned in abruptly as seen in c1   

and only a slight further change is     
necessary to lead to the result1 d1 the 
running scroll with well-developed      
links4 ,all of these steps may be       
observed in a single group of vessels4  
,it may be thought by some that the     
processes of development indicated above
 are insufficient and unsatisfactory4   
,there are those who1 seeing these forms
 already endowed with symbolism1 begin  
at what ,i conceive to be the wrong end 
of the process4 ,they derive the form of
 symbol directly from the thing         
symbolized4 ,thus the current scroll is1
 with many races1 found to be a symbol  
of water1 and its origin is attributed  
to a literal rendition of the sweep and 
curl of the waves4 ,it is more probable 
that the scroll became the symbol of the
 sea long after its development through 
agencies similar to those described     
above1 and that the association resulted
 from the observation of incidental     
resemblances4 ,this same figure1 in use 
by the ,indians of the interior of the  

continent1 is regarded as symbolic of   
the whirlwind1 and it is probable that  
any symbol-using people will find in the
 features and phenomena of their        
environment1 whatever it may be1        
sufficient resemblance to any of their  
decorative devices to lead to a symbolic
 association4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4    
#dha4--,theoretical development of the  
current scroll4  ,one secret of         
modification is found in the use of a   
radical in more than one art1 owing to  
differences in constructional           
characters4 ,for example1 the tendency  
of nearly all woven fabrics is to       
encourage1 even to compel1 the use of   
straight lines in the decorative designs
 applied4 ,thus the attempt to employ   
curved lines would lead to stepped or   
broken lines4 ,the curvilinear scroll   
coming from some other art would be     
forced by the constructional character  
of the fabric into square forms1 and the
 rectilinear meander or fret would      
result1 as shown in4 ,fig4 #dhb1 a being

 the plain form1 painted1 engraved1 or  
in relief1 and b the same idea developed
 in a woven fabric4 ,stone or brick-work
 would lead to like results1 ,fig4 #dhc2
 but the modification could as readily  
move in the other direction4 ,if an     
ornament originating in the             
constructional character of a woven     
fabric1 or remodeled by it1 and hence   
rectilinear1 should be desired for a    
smooth structureless or featureless     
surface1 the difficulties of drawing the
 angular forms would lead to the        
delineation of curved forms1 and we     
would have exactly the reverse of the   
order shown in ,figs4 #dhb and #dhc4    
,the two forms given in ,fig4 #dhd      
actually occur in one and the same      
design painted upon an ancient ,pueblo  
vase4 ,the curved form is apparently the
 result of careless or hurried work1 the
 original angular form1 having come     
from1 a textile source4  ,illustration3 
a1 free-hand form4 b1 form imposed1 by  
fabric4 ,,fig4 #dhb4--;,forms of the    

same motive expressed in different arts4
  ,illustration3 a1 free-hand form4 b1  
form imposed by masonry4 ,,fig4         
#dhc4--;,forms of the same motive       
expressed in different arts4            
,illustration3 a b ,,fig4               
#dhd4--,variations resulting from change
 of method4  ,many excellent examples   
illustrative of this tendency to        
modification are found in ,pueblo art4  
,much of the ornament applied to pottery
 is derived from the sister art1        
basketry4 ,in the latter art the forms  
of decorative figures are geometric and 
symmetrical to the highest degree1 as ,i
 have frequently pointed out4 ,the rays 
of a radiating ornament1 worked with the
 texture of a shallow basket1 spring    
from the center and take uniform        
directions toward the margin1 as shown  
in ,fig4 #dhe4 ,but when a similar idea 
derived from basketry 7as it could have 
no other origin7 is executed in color   
upon an earthen vessel1 we observe a    
tendency to depart from symmetry as well

 as from consistency4 ,i call attention 
here to the arrangement of the parts    
merely1 not to the motives employed1 as 
,i happen to have no examples of        
identical figures from the two arts4    
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dhe4--;,geometric
 form1 of textile ornament4             
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dhf4--,loss of   
geometric accuracy in painting4  ,it    
will be seen by reference to the design 
given in ,fig4 #dhf1 taken from the     
upper surface of an ancient vase1 that  
although the spirit of the decoration is
 wonderfully well preserved the idea of 
the origin of all the rays in the center
 of the vessel is not kept in view1 and 
that by carelessness in the drawing two 
of the rays are crowded out and         
terminate against the side of a         
neighboring ray4 ,in copying and        
recopying by free-hand methods1 many    
curious modifications take place in     
these designs1 as1 for example1 the     
unconformity which occurs in one place  
in the example given may occur at a     

number of places1 and there will be a   
series of independent sections1 a small 
number only of the bands of devices     
remaining true rays4  ,illustration3    
,,fig4 #dhg4--;,design painted upon     
pottery4  ,a characteristic painted     
design from the interior of an ancient  
bowl is shown in ,fig4 #dhg1 in which   
merely a suggestion of the radiation is 
preserved1 although the figure is still 
decorative and tasteful4 ,this process  
of modification goes on without end1 and
 as the true geometric textile forms    
recede from view innovation robs the    
design of all traces of its original    
character1 producing much that is       
incongruous and unsatisfactory4  ,the   
growth of decorative devices from the   
elementary to the highly constituted and
 elegant is owing to a tendency of the  
human mind to elaborate because it is   
pleasant to do so or because pleasure is
 taken in the result1 but there is still
 a directing and shaping agency to be   
accounted for4  ,i have already shown   

that such figures as the scroll and the 
guilloche are not necessarily developed 
by processes of selection and           
combination of simple elements1 as many 
have thought1 since they may have come  
into art at a very early stage almost   
full-fledged2 but there is nothing in   
these facts to throw light upon the     
processes by which ornament followed    
particular lines of development         
throughout endless elaboration4 ,in     
treating of this point1 ,prof4 ,c4,f4   
,hartt#b maintained that the development
 of ornamental designs took particular  
and uniform directions owing to the     
structure of the eye1 certain forms     
being chosen and perpetuated because of 
the pleasure afforded by movements of   
the eye in following them4 ,in          
connection with this hypothesis1 for it 
is nothing more1 ,mr4 ,hartt advanced   
the additional idea1 that in unison with
 the general course of nature decorative
 forms began with simple elements and   
developed by systematic methods to      

complex forms4 ,take for example the    
series of designs shown in ,fig4 #dhh4  
,the meander a made up of simple parts  
would1 according to ,mr4 ,hartt1 by     
further elaboration under the           
supervision of the muscles of the eye1  
develop into b4 ,this1 in time1 into c1 
and so on until the elegant anthemium   
was achieved4 ,the series shown in ,fig4
 #dhi would develop in a similar way1 or
 otherwise would be produced by         
modification in free-hand copying of the
 rectilinear series4 ,the processes here
 suggested1 although to all appearances 
reasonable enough1 should not be passed 
over without careful scrutiny4          
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#dhh4--,theoretical development of      
fret-work4  ,footnote #b3 ,hartt3       
,popular ,science ,monthly1 ,vol4 ,,vi1 
p4 #bff4  ,taking the first series1 we  
observe that the ornaments are projected
 in straight continuous lines or zones1 
which are filled in with more or less   
complex parts1 rectilinear and          

geometrically accurate4 ,still higher   
forms are marvelously intricate and     
graceful1 yet not less geometric and    
symmetrical4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4     
#dhi4--,theoretical development of      
scroll work4  ,let us turn to the       
primitive artisan1 and observe him at   
work with rude brush and stylus upon the
 rounded and irregular forms of his     
utensils and weapons1 or upon skins1    
bark1 and rock surfaces4 ,is it probable
 that with his free hand directed by the
 eye alone he will be able to achieve   
these rythmic geometric forms4 ,it seems
 to me that the whole tendency is in the
 opposite direction4 ,i venture to      
surmise that if there had been no other 
resources than those named above the    
typical rectilinear fret would never    
have been known1 at least to the        
primitive world2 for1 notwithstanding   
the contrary statement by ,professor    
,hartt1 the fret is in its more         
highly-developed forms extremely        
difficult to follow with the eye and to 

delineate with the hand4 ,until arts1   
geometric in their construction1 arose  
to create and to combine mechanically   
the necessary elements and motives1 and 
lead the way by a long series of        
object-lessons to ideas of geometric    
combination1 our typical border ornament
 would not be possible4 ,such arts are  
the textile arts and architecture4      
,these brought into existence forms and 
ideas not met with in nature and not    
primarily thought of by man1 and        
combined them in defiance of human1     
conceptions of grace4 ,geometric        
ornament is the offspring of technique4 
,,index4  ,acquisition of new material  
modifies form in pottery #dea           
,adventition1 a source of form #dde1    
#dej ,america as a field for study of   
art #ddc ,basketry copied in pottery    
#ddi ,busycon shell copied as a vessel1 
,the #ded ,california1 ,pottery from    
#ddg ,ceramic art1 ,origin and          
development of form and  ornament in1   
,w4,h4 ,holmes #dcg-dfe   form discussed

 #ddd   ornament discussed #ddd ,coils  
suggesting spiral ornament #def         
,decorative motive in pottery1 ,sources 
of #dec ,european civilization checked  
aboriginal ,american art #ddc ,fancy    
modifying form in pottery #deb ,fictile 
art related to written language #ddc    
,form modifies ornament in pottery #deh 
of pottery modified by certain          
influences #dej-deb ,hartt1 ,prof4      
,c4,f41 on form of designs as influenced
 by  structure of the eye #dfc-dfd      
,ideographic elements of decoration #dec
 ,imitation1 ,a source of form #dde     
,improvements in modes of manufacture   
modify forms in pottery #dej ,intention 
a modifier of form in pottery #deb      
,modification of ornaments in pottery   
#deh ,non-ideographic elements of       
decoration #dec ,origin and development 
of form and ornament in  ceramic art    
7,w4,h4 ,holmes7 #dcg-dfe ,origin of    
ornament in pottery #dec ,ornament in   
pottery1 ,origin of #dec-deg ,ornamental
 elements modified by invention #dec    

,pottery from ,california #ddg          
,tusayan #dea   ,utah #ddi ,scroll1     
,possible origin of the #dei ,shells    
copied in pottery #ddg ,skin vessels    
copied in pottery #ddg ,sources of      
decorative motive in ceramic art #dec   
,spiral ornament from coils #def ,stone 
vessels copied in pottery #ddg ,symbols 
adopted rather than invented #dfj       
,utility modifies form in pottery #deb  
,wooden vessels copied in pottery #ddg1 
#dea ,written language as related to    
fictile art #ddc