,bibliothque nationale de ,france       
7,bn,f_/,gallica7 at                    
http3_/_/gallica4bnf4fr7                
,,smithsonian ,,institution--,,bureau   
,,of ,,ethnology4    ,,ancient ,,pottery
    ,,of ,,the    ,,mississippi         
,,valley4    ,,by    ,,william ,h4      
,,holmes4         99       99       99  
99       99     ,,contents4             
,page4   ,introductory                  
#cfg   ,ceramic groups                  
#cfi     ,middle ,mississippi province  
#cfi         ,distribution              
#cfi         ,how found                 
#cgj         ,age                       
#cga         ,use                       
#cga         ,construction              
#cgb         ,material                  
#cgb         ,color                     
#cgc         ,form                      
#cgc         ,finish                    
#cgc         ,ornament                  
#cgc         ,modification of shape     
#cgc         ,relief ornament           
#cgd         ,intaglio designs          

#cgd         ,designs in color          
#cgd         ,classification of forms   
#cge         ,origin of form            
#cgf       ,bowls                       
#cgf         ,form                      
#cgf         ,ornament                  
#cgg         ,illustrations             
#cgh         ,ordinary forms            
#cgh         ,eccentric forms           
#chj         ,life forms                
#chc       ,pot-shaped vessels          
#cib         ,material                  
#cic         ,form                      
#cic         ,handles                   
#cic         ,origin of handles         
#cic         ,ornament                  
#cid         ,illustrations             
#cid       ,wide-mouthed bottles or jars
                   #cih         ,form   
#cii         ,ornament                  
#cii         ,illustrations             
#cii         ,ordinary forms            
#cii         ,eccentric forms           
#djc         ,life forms                
#djd       ,high-necked bottles         

#daa         ,form                      
#daa         ,ornament                  
#dab         ,illustrations             
#dac         ,ordinary forms            
#dac         ,eccentric forms           
#dbj         ,life forms                
#dbb     ,upper ,mississippi province   
#dbf     ,gulf province                 
#dca     ,rsum                          
#dcd   ,,illustrations4                 
,page4   ,,fig4 #cfa4--,scale of forms  
#cgf        #cfb4--;,forms of bowls     
#cgf        #cfc4--,rim modification    
#cgg        #cfd4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas    
#cgh        #cfe4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas    
#cgh        #cff4--;,cup3 ,arkansas     
#cgi        #cfg4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas    
#cgi        #cfh4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas    
#chj        #cfi4--;,cup3 ,arkansas     
#chj        #cgj4--;,cup3 ,arkansas     
#chj        #cga4--,rectangular bowl3   
,arkansas              #cha             
#cgb4--;,burial casket3 ,tennessee      
#cha        #cgc4--,trough-shaped       
vessel3 ,arkansas          #chb         

#cgd4--;,clay vessels imitating shell   
#chd        #cge4--;,bowl imitating a   
conch shell            #chd             
#cgf4--;,frog-shaped bowl3 ,arkansas    
#che        #cgg4--;,frog-shaped bowl3  
,arkansas              #che             
#cgh4--;,animal-shaped bowl3 ,arkansas  
#che        #cgi4--;,bird-shaped bowl3  
,arkansas              #chf             
#chj4--;,bird-shaped bowl3 ,arkansas    
#chf        #cha4--;,bird-shaped bowl3  
,arkansas              #chg             
#chb4--;,bowl with grotesque heads3     
,arkansas     #chg        #chc4--;,heads
 of birds                          #chh 
#chd4--;,grotesque heads                
#chh        #che4--;,bowl with grotesque
 head3 ,arkansas      #chi              
#chf4--;,bowl with grotesque head3      
,arkansas      #chi        #chg4--;,bowl
 with grotesque handle3 ,arkansas       
#cij        #chh4--;,animal-shaped bowl3
 ,arkansas            #cij              
#chi4--;,animal-shaped bowl3 ,arkansas  
#cia        #cij4--;,bowl with bat's    

head3 ,arkansas          #cib           
#cia4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas                
#cib        #cib4--;,forms of pots      
#cic        #cic4--;,handles            
#cic        #cid4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cid        #cie4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cie        #cif4--,pot3 ,tennessee     
#cie        #cig4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cie        #cih4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cie        #cii4--,pot3 ,alabama       
#cif        #djj4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cif        #dja4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cif        #djb4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cif        #djc4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cig        #djd4--,pot3 ,tennessee     
#cig        #dje4--,pot3 ,arkansas      
#cih        #djf4--;,forms of jar-shaped
 bottles             #cii               
#djg4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas              
#cii        #djh4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas  
#djj        #dji4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas  
#djj        #daj4--;,engraved bottle3   
,arkansas               #dja            
#daa4--;,engraved bottle3 ,arkansas     
#dja        #dab4--;,engraved design    

#djb        #dac4--,teapot-shaped       
vessel3 ,arkansas          #djc         
#dad4--,vessel of eccentric form3       
,arkansas      #djc                     
#dae4--,vessel of eccentric form3       
,arkansas      #djd                     
#daf4--;,animal-shaped vase3 ,arkansas  
#djd        #dag4--,sun-fish vase3      
,arkansas                 #dje          
#dah4--,opossum vase3 ,arkansas         
#dje        #dai4--;,animal-shaped vase3
 ,arkansas            #djf              
#dbj4--;,head-shaped vase3 ,arkansas    
#djg        #dba4--;,engraved figures   
#djh        #dbb4--;,head covering      
#djh        #dbc4--;,head-shaped vase3  
,arkansas              #dji             
#dbd4--;,head-shaped vase3 ,arkansas    
#daj        #dbe4--,scale of forms      
#daa        #dbf4--,tripods             
#daa        #dbg4--,stands              
#dab        #dbh4--;,compound forms of  
vessels               #dab              
#dbi4--;,adaptation of the human form   
#dab        #dcj4--;,bottle3 ,tennessee 

#dac        #dca4--;,gourd-shaped       
vessel3 ,tennessee          #dac        
#dcb4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas              
#dad        #dcc4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas  
#dad        #dcd4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas  
#dae        #dce4--;,engraved bottle3   
,arkansas               #daf            
#dcf4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas              
#dag        #dcg4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas  
#dag        #dch4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas  
#dah        #dci4--;,fluted bottle3     
,arkansas                 #dai          
#ddj4--;,engraved bottle3 ,arkansas     
#dai        #dda4--,tripod bottle3      
,arkansas                 #dbj          
#ddb4--,tripod bottle3 ,arkansas        
#dba        #ddc4--,tripod bottle3      
,arkansas                 #dba          
#ddd4--;,bottle of eccentric form3      
,arkansas      #dbb                     
#dde4--,owl-shaped bottle3 ,arkansas    
#dbb        #ddf4--;,bear-shaped bottle3
 ,tennessee           #dbc              
#ddg4--;,bear-shaped bottle3 ,arkansas  
#dbc        #ddh4--;,bottle with human  

head3 ,arkansas        #dbd             
#ddi4--;,bottle with human head3        
,arkansas        #dbd                   
#dej4--;,bottle with human head3        
,arkansas        #dbd                   
#dea4--;,bottle with human head3        
,arkansas        #dbd                   
#deb4--;,bottle with human head3        
,arkansas        #dbe                   
#dec4--,position of feet                
#dbe        #ded4--;,bottle with human  
form3 ,arkansas        #dbf             
#dee4--;,bottle with human form3        
,arkansas        #dbf                   
#def4--,vase3 ,iowa                     
#dbh        #deg4--,vase3 ,wisconsin    
#dbi        #deh4--,vase3 ,illinois     
#dcj        #dei4--;,cup3 ,alabama      
#dca        #dfj4--;,bowl3 ,alabama     
#dcb        #dfa4--;,bottle3            
,mississippi                     #dcb   
#dfb4--;,bottle3 ,alabama               
#dcc        #dfc4--,painted design      
#dcd     ,,ancient ,,pottery ,,of ,,the 
,,mississippi ,,valley4   ,by ,,william 

,h4 ,,holmes4   ,,introductory4  ,this  
paper is the third of a series of       
preliminary studies of aboriginal       
ceramic art which are intended to be    
absorbed into a final work of a         
comprehensive character4  ,the groups of
 relics selected for these studies are  
in all cases of limited extent1 and are 
such as can lay claim to a considerable 
degree of completeness4 ,it is true that
 no series of archologic objects can    
ever be considered complete1 but in     
exceptional cases the sources of supply 
may be so thoroughly explored that the  
development of new features of          
importance cannot reasonably be         
expected4 ,if any series of ,american   
ceramic products has reached such a     
condition1 it is that of the middle     
portions of the ,mississippi ,valley2   
yet1 even in this case1 ,i consider it  
unwise to attempt a monographic study1  
and prefer to single out a particular   
collection1 making it the subject of a  
thorough investigation4  ,when the idea 

of preparing such a paper was first     
conceived1 the collection presenting the
 greatest advantages was that of the    
,academy of ,natural ,sciences at       
,davenport1 ,iowa1 which was1 therefore1
 chosen4 ,other museums1 especially     
those at ,cambridge1 ,saint ,louis1 and 
,washington1 were rich in material from 
this region1 but none of these          
collections were so homogeneous and     
satisfactory4  ,the ,national ,museum   
has recently received important         
accessions from the ,mississippi        
,valley1 through the agency of the      
,bureau of ,ethnology1 and ere the      
publication of this paper will probably 
excel all others in the number and      
variety of its mound relics4 ,some of   
its material has already been published 
by ,dr4 ,charles ,rau1 ,prof4 ,c4 ,c4   
,jones1 ,dr4 ,joseph ,jones1 and myself1
 and several additional examples are    
given in this paper4  ,professor ,f4 ,w4
 ,putnam has described and illustrated  
many pieces belonging to the ,peabody   

,museum1 and ,professor ,w4 ,b4 ,potter 
and ,dr4 ,edward ,evers have issued an  
important work on the ,saint ,louis     
collections1 in ,contributions to the   
,archology of ,missouri4  ,this study is
 intended to pave the way to a thorough 
classification of the multitude of      
relics1 and to the discovery of a method
 of procedure suited to a broad and     
exhaustive treatment of the ceramic art4
  ,i do not expect to discuss ethnical  
questions1 although ceramic studies will
 eventually be of assistance in         
determining the distribution and        
migrations of peoples1 and in fixing the
 chronology of very remote events in the
 history of pottery-making races4  ,some
 of the results of my studies of the    
evolutionary phase of the subject are   
embodied in an accompanying paper upon  
the ,origin and ,development of ,form   
and ,ornament1 and a second paper will  
soon follow4 ,before the final work is  
issued ,i hope to make close studies of 
all the principal collections1 public   

and private4 ,in such a work the        
importance of great numbers of examples 
cannot be overestimated4 ,facts can be  
learned from a few specimens1 but       
relationships and principles can only be
 derived from the study of multitudes4  
,i shall probably have occasion to      
modify many of the views advanced in    
these preliminary papers1 but it is only
 by pushing out such advance guards that
 the final goal can be reached4  ,since 
the original issue of this paper in the 
,proceedings of the ,davenport ,academy 
of ,sciences1 a careful revision of the 
text has been made and much additional  
matter and a number of illustrations    
have been added4  ,i wish in this place 
to express my obligations to the        
officers and members of the ,davenport  
,academy of ,sciences1 and especially to
 ,mrs4 ,m4 ,l4 ,d4 ,putnam and ,prof4   
,w4 ,h4 ,pratt1 whose generous aid has  
been of the greatest service to me4     
,,ceramic ,,groups4  ,in studying the   
collections from the ,mississippi       

,valley1 ,i find it convenient to       
classify the ceramic products in three  
great groups1 which belong to as many   
pretty well-defined districts2 these ,i 
have named1 for convenience of          
treatment1 the ,upper ,mississippi1 the 
,middle ,mississippi1 and the ,lower    
,mississippi or ,gulf provinces4 ,other 
pottery occurs within the limits of     
these areas1 but the examples found in  
the museums are so few that very little 
of importance can be learned from them4 
,the three groups enumerated are not    
equally represented4 ,the great body of 
our collections is from the middle      
province4 ,the ware of the ,lower       
,mississippi or ,gulf district1 of which
 we have but a small number of pieces1  
has many features in common with the    
pottery of the middle district1 and at  
the same time is identical in most      
respects with that of the ,gulf coast to
 the east4 ,no well-defined line can be 
drawn between them2 but the ware of the 
north is wholly distinct and need never 

be confounded with the other groups4    
,,middle ,,mississippi ,,province4      
,,distribution4--,it must not be        
inferred that there is perfect          
uniformity in the pottery of this1 or   
any other1 extended region2 local       
peculiarities are always to be found4   
,the products of contiguous districts1  
such1 for example1 as those of          
,mississippi ,county1 ,arkansas1 and    
,new ,madrid ,county1 ,missouri1 have   
much in common1 and will at once be     
recognized as belonging to the same     
family1 yet the differences are so      
marked that the unskilled observer could
 point them out with ease4  ,as         
indicated by decided family             
resemblances1 the wares of this group   
extend over the greater part of the     
,states of ,missouri1 ,arkansas1 and    
,tennessee1 cover large portions of     
,mississippi1 ,kentucky1 and ,illinois1 
and reach somewhat into ,iowa1 ,indiana1
 ,alabama1 ,louisiana1 and ,texas4 ,the 
types are better marked and the products

 more abundant about the center of this 
area1 which may be defined roughly as   
including contiguous parts of ,missouri1
 ,arkansas1 and ,tennessee1 with a      
pretty decided focal center1 at least in
 the abundance of relics1 at ,pecan     
,point1 ,arkansas4  ,the borders of the 
district are necessarily not clearly    
defined4 ,the characters of the art     
products blend more or less with those  
of neighboring sections4 ,this is a     
usual phenomenon1 and is probably due to
 a variety of causes4 ,the mere contact 
of peoples leads to the exchange of     
ideas1 and1 consequently1 to            
similarities in the products of         
industry4 ,a change of habitat1 with its
 consequent change of environment1 is   
capable of modifying art to a great     
extent4 ,groups of relics and remains   
attributed by archologists to distinct  
stocks of people1 may1 in cases1 be the 
work of one and the same people executed
 under the influence of different       
environments and at widely separated    

periods of time4  ,mixed conditions in  
the remains of a locality are often due 
to the presence of different peoples1   
synchronously or otherwise4 ,this occurs
 in many places on the outskirts of this
 district1 a good illustration being    
found in ,east ,tennessee1 where three  
or four distinct groups of ware are     
intermingled4 ,as would naturally be    
expected1 the distribution is governed  
somewhat by the great water-ways1 and   
pottery of this province is found far up
 the ,ohio1 ,tennessee1 and ,arkansas   
,rivers4  ,,how ,,found4--,all peoples  
have resorted1 at some period of their  
history1 to the practice of burying     
articles of use or value with the dead4 
,it is to this custom that we owe the   
preservation of so many entire pieces of
 these fragile utensils4 ,they are      
exhumed from burial mounds in great     
numbers1 and to an equal extent1        
perhaps1 from simple1 unmarked graves   
which are constantly being brought to   
light by the plowshare4 ,fragmentary    

ware is found also in refuse heaps1 on  
house and village sites1 and scattered  
broadcast over the face of the land4    
,this pottery1 at its best1 was probably
 not greatly superior in hardness to our
 own soft earthenware1 and the          
disintegrating agencies of the soil have
 often reduced it to a very fragile     
state4 ,some writer has expressed the   
belief that a considerable portion of   
the ware of this province was sun-baked 
merely4 ,this view is hardly a safe one1
 however1 as clay1 unmixed with lime or 
other like indurating ingredient1 no    
matter how long exposed to the rays of  
the sun1 would1 from ages of contact    
with the moist earth1 certainly return  
to its original condition4 ,i have seen 
but few pieces that1 even after the     
bleaching of centuries1 did not show    
traces of the dark mottlings that result
 from imperfect firing4 ,there probably 
was a period of unbaked clay preceding  
the terra-cotta epoch1 but we cannot    
expect to find definite traces of its   

existence except1 perhaps1 in cases     
where large masses1 such as mounds or   
fortifications1 were employed4  ,the    
relations of the various articles of    
pottery to the bodies with which they   
were associated seem to be quite varied4
 ,the position of each vessel was       
determined by its contents1 by its      
symbolic use1 or by the pleasure of the 
depositor4 ,uniformity cannot be        
expected in this more than in other     
features of burial4 ,in other sections  
of the country the pieces of pottery are
 said to have been broken before final  
inhumation took place1 but such was     
certainly not the practice in this      
province4  ,,age4--,there can be no     
reasonable doubt that the manufacture of
 this ware began many centuries before  
the advent of the white race1 but it is 
equally certain that the art was        
extensively practiced until quite recent
 times4 ,the early explorers of         
,louisiana saw it in use1 and the       
processes of manufacture are described  

by ,dumont and others4  ,possibly ,du   
,pratz had in mind some of the identical
 vessels now upon our museum shelves    
when he said that the women make pots of
 an extraordinary size1 jars with a     
medium-sized opening1 bowls1 two-pint   
bottles with long necks1 pots or jugs   
for containing bear's oil1 which hold as
 much as forty pints1 and finally plates
 and dishes in the ,french fashion4#a   
,vessels were certainly made in great   
numbers by the ,natchez and other tribes
 within our period1 and it is reasonable
 to suppose that they belonged to the   
great group under discussion4 ,if not1  
it will be necessary to seek the cause  
of their total disappearance1 since1 as 
,i have already said1 the pottery of    
this district1 as shown by the relics1  
is practically a unit4  ,the            
introduction of metal utensils was a    
death-blow to the native industry1      
although some of the southern tribes1   
the ,cherokees1 for example1 seem to    
have practiced the art continuously1 in 

a very limited way1 down to the present 
time4 ,there is but little evidence of  
the influence of the art of the whites  
upon the ceramic products of this       
province1 although the forms are        
sometimes thought to be suggestive of   
,european models4 ,it is certain1       
however1 that the art had reached its   
highest stage without the aid of        
civilized hands1 and in the study of its
 many interesting features we can feel  
assured that we are dealing with purely 
aboriginal ideas4  ,the pottery of this 
province is remarkably homogeneous in   
character1 and we are warranted in      
assigning it to a single period of      
culture1 and1 in concluding1 that the   
peoples who developed and practiced the 
art belonged to a group of              
closely-allied tribes4 ,we can also     
state without fear of precipitating a   
controversy that the people who made    
this pottery were mound-builders4 ,at   
the same time1 they were not necessarily
 of the same people as the builders of  

the mounds of ,wisconsin1 ,ohio1 or     
,georgia or contemporaneous with them4  
,footnote #a3 ,du ,pratz3 ,histoire de  
la ,louisiane1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4     #agi4 
,,use4--,it is difficult to determine   
the functions of the various forms of   
vessels4 ,we are safe in stating that in
 very primitive times nearly all were   
intended for use in the domestic arts1  
and that as time went on uses were      
differentiated--form1 as a consequence1 
undergoing many changes4 ,early writers 
on the ,southern ,states mention a      
number of ordinary uses1 such as        
cooking1 the carrying and boiling of    
water1 the manufacture of sugar and     
salt1 and the preservation of honey1    
oil1 and paint4  ,only a small          
percentage of the vessels1 and these    
generally of the pot-shaped variety1    
show indications of use over fire4 ,it  
is well known that with most peoples    
particular forms were devoted to        
especial ceremonial uses4 ,the          
construction of vases exclusively for   

mortuary purposes was probably not      
generally practiced1 although a few     
examples1 notably those illustrated in  
,figs4 #cgb and #dbj1 point decidedly in
 this direction4  ,the simple conditions
 of life with these people are indicated
 by the absence of certain forms4       
,lamps1 whistles1 toys1 bricks1 tiles1  
and other articles in common use with   
many barbaric nations1 are not found in 
this province4 ,pipes1 so neatly shaped 
by other mound-building peoples1 are    
here of a very rude character1 a point  
indicating decided distinctions between 
the tribes of this province and those of
 neighboring sections4                  
,,construction4--,the methods of        
manufacture have evidently been of a    
primitive character4 ,the wheel or lathe
 has not been used4 ,at the advent of   
the whites1 the natives were observed to
 build their vessels by a process known 
as coiling1 and by modeling over gourds1
 and over blocks of wood and masses of  
indurated clay shaped for the purpose4  

,it is probable that in many cases the  
support was not a mold in the ordinary  
sense1 but was simply a rounded object  
of small size held in one hand while the
 base of the vessel was formed over it  
by the other4 ,rounded pebbles1 or the  
mushroom-shaped objects of clay         
sometimes found in the mounds1 would    
have served the purpose perfectly4      
,trowels1 paddles1 stamps1              
polishing-stones1 and other implements  
were used in finishing4  ,baskets were  
also used as molds1 and pliable fabrics1
 such as nets and coarse cloths1 were   
employed in some sections4 ,the methods 
of baking have apparently not been      
described in much detail by early       
writers1 but the ware itself bears the  
marks of those simple processes known to
 our modern tribes4 ,it is highly       
probable that the work was done by the  
women1 and that each community had its  
skilled potters1 who built and baked the
 ware in the open air1 going through    
those simple mummeries that accompany   

the work among most primitive peoples4  
,,material4--,the material employed was 
usually a moderately fine-grained clay1 
tempered1 in a great majority of cases1 
with pulverized shells4 ,the shells used
 were doubtless obtained from the       
neighboring rivers4 ,in many of the     
vessels the particles are large1        
measuring as much as one-fourth or even 
one-half of an inch in width1 but in the
 more elegant vases the shell has been  
reduced to a fine powder4 ,powdered     
potsherds were also used4 ,the clay was1
 apparently1 often impure or loamy4 ,it 
was1 probably1 at times1 obtained from  
recent alluvial deposits of the         
bayous--the sediment of overflows--as   
was the potter's clay of the ,nile4     
,there is no reason for believing that  
the finer processes of powdering and    
levigation were known4 ,a slip or wash  
of very finely comminuted clay was      
sometimes applied to the surface of the 
vessel4 ,the walls of the vessels are   
often thick and uneven1 and are always  

quite porous1 a feature of no little    
importance in the storage of            
drinking-water1 but one resulting from  
accident rather than from design4       
,,color4--,the paste of this ware       
presents two marked varieties of color1 
a dark and a light hue4 ,in a majority  
of cases it is dark1 ranging from a rich
 black to all shades of brown and gray4 
,the lighter tints are usually warm     
ochrey grays1 rarely approaching reddish
 or terra-cotta hues4 ,it is highly     
probable that the differences of color  
were1 to some extent1 intentionally     
produced1 and that the material or      
methods of firing were regulated in a   
way to produce one tint or another at   
pleasure4 ,this theory is confirmed by  
the fact that certain forms of vases are
 pretty generally dark1 while certain   
other forms are as uniformly light--the 
latter in nearly all cases being used   
for the application of color1 or of     
designs in color4  ,,form4--,this ware  
exhibits a great variety of forms1 many 

of which are extremely pleasing4 ,in    
this respect it is far superior to the  
other prehistoric groups of the eastern 
,united ,states4 ,the shapes are as     
varied and elegant as those of the      
ancient ,pueblo pottery1 but are        
inferior to those of ,mexico1 ,central  
,america1 and ,peru4 ,they take a higher
 rank than the prehistoric wares of     
central and northern ,europe1 but as a  
matter of course lack the symmetry and  
refinement of outline that characterize 
the wheel-made wares of ,mediterranean  
countries4  ,as ,i classify by form     
farther on1 and discuss the origin of   
form as each form-group is presented1 ,i
 shall not make further reference to    
this topic here4  ,,finish4--,the       
finish1 as compared with the work of    
civilized nations1 is rude4 ,the surface
 is often simply hand or trowel         
smoothed4 ,generally1 however1 it was   
more or less carefully polished by      
rubbing with an implement of stone1     
shell1 bone1 or other suitable          

substance1 the markings of these tools  
being distinctly visible4 ,nothing      
resembling a glaze has been found on    
pieces known to be ancient4 ,the surface
 was sometimes washed or coated with a  
slip or film of fine clay which         
facilitated the polishing1 and in very  
many cases a coat of thick red ocher was
 applied4  ,,ornament4--,the ancient    
potter of the middle province has taken 
especial delight in the embellishment of
 his wares1 and the devices used are    
varied and interesting4 ,they include1  
first1 fanciful modifications of form2  
second1 relief ornament2 third1 intaglio
 figures2 and1 fourth1 designs in color4
  ,modification of shape4--,it can      
hardly be claimed that the ancient      
peoples of this region had a very       
refined appreciation of elegance of     
outline1 yet the simple1 essential forms
 of cups and pots were by no means      
satisfactory to them4 ,there are many   
modifications of shape that indicate a  
taste for higher types of beauty1 and a 

constant attempt to realize them4 ,the  
sthetic sentiment was considerably      
developed4  ,there is also a decided    
tendency toward the grotesque4 ,to such 
an extreme have the dictates of fancy   
been followed1 in this respect1 that    
utility1 the true office of the utensil1
 has often taken a secondary place1     
although it is never lost sight of      
entirely4 ,bowls have been fashioned    
into the shapes of birds1 fishes1 and   
reptiles1 and vases and bottles into a  
multitude of animal and vegetable forms 
without apparent regard to convenience4 
,all of these modifications of essential
 forms were doubtless looked upon as1 in
 a sense1 ornamental4 ,so far as ,i can 
determine they were in no case intended 
to be humorous4  ,relief                
ornament4--,decorative ideas of a purely
 conventional character are often worked
 out in both low and salient relief4    
,this is generally accomplished by the  
addition of nodes and fillets of clay to
 the plain surfaces of the vessel4      

,fillets are applied in various ways    
over the body1 forming horizontal1      
oblique1 and vertical bands or ribs4    
,when placed about the rim or base1     
these fillets are often indented with   
the finger or an implement in a way to  
imitate1 rudely1 a heavy twisted cord--a
 feature evidently borrowed from        
basketry4 ,nodes are likewise attached  
in various ways to the neck and body of 
the vessel4 ,in some cases the entire   
surface of the larger vessels is varied 
by pinching up small bits of the clay   
between the nails of the fingers and    
thumb4 ,an implement is sometimes used  
to produce a similar result4  ,intaglio 
designs4--,the sthetic tendencies of    
these potters are well shown by their   
essays in engraving4 ,they worked with  
points upon both the plastic and the    
sun-dried clay1 as well as at times upon
 the fire-baked surface4 ,figures thus  
produced exhibit a wide range of        
artistic achievement4 ,they illustrate  
all stages of progress from the most    

archaic type of ornament--the use of    
dots and straight lines--to the most    
elegant combinations of curves2 and1    
finally1 to the delineation of life     
forms and fanciful conceptions4         
,generally1 when a blunt implement is   
employed1 the line is produced by a     
movement that ,i shall call trailing1 in
 contradistinction to incision1 in which
 a sharp point is used1 and excision or 
excavation1 which is more easily        
accomplished with the end of a hollow   
reed or bone4 ,impressed or stamped     
ornament is of rare occurrence1 and     
anything like repousse work is          
practically unknown4 ,the practice of   
impressing cords and fabrics was common 
among many of the northern tribes1 and  
nets have been used in the manufacture  
and ornamentation of vases at many      
points within this province4 ,the use of
 stamps1 especially prepared1 was in    
vogue in most of the ,gulf ,states1 and 
to a limited extent in northern         
localities4  ,designs in color4--,the   

colors used in painting are white1 red1 
brown1 and black1 and have generally    
consisted of thick1 opaque1 clayey      
paste1 white or colored with ochers4    
,occasionally the colors used seem to   
have been mere stains4 ,all were        
probably laid on with coarse brushes of 
hair1 feathers1 or vegetable fiber4 ,the
 figures are in most cases simple1 and  
are applied in broad1 bold lines1       
indicative of a strong talent for       
decoration4 ,the forms are1 to a great  
extent1 curvilinear1 and embrace        
meanders1 scrolls1 circles1 and         
combinations and groupings of curved    
lines in great variety4 ,of rectilinear 
forms1 lozenges1 guilloches1 zigzags1   
and checkers are best known4  ,the      
decided prevalence of curved forms is   
worthy of remark4 ,with all their       
fertility of invention1 the inhabitants 
of this valley seem never to have       
achieved the rectangular linked meander1
 or anything more nearly approaching it 
than the current scroll or the angular  

guilloche1 while other peoples1 such as 
the ,pueblos of the ,southwest and the  
ancient nations of ,mexico and ,peru    
found in it a chief resource4 ,the      
reasons for this1 as well as for other  
peculiarities of the decorative art of  
the mound-builders as embodied in       
pottery1 must be sought for in the      
antecedent and coxistent arts of these  
tribes4 ,these peoples were certainly   
not highly accomplished in the textile  
arts1 nor had they felt the influence of
 advanced architecture such as that of  
,mexico4 ,the influence of such arts    
inevitably gives rise to angular        
geometric figures4 ,taken as a whole1   
the remains of the mound-builders would 
seem to point to a hyperborean origin   
for both the people and their arts4     
,the origin of decorative ideas1 the    
processes by which they are acquired by 
the various arts1 and their subsequent  
mutations of form and significance are  
matters of the greatest interest1 and a 
separate paper will be devoted to their 

consideration4  ,,classification ,,of   
,,forms4--,form cannot be made a        
satisfactory basis of classification1   
yet within a given group of products1   
defined by general characters1 a        
classification by shape will be found to
 facilitate description4 ,in making such
 a classification we must distinguish   
essential from non-essential features1  
that is to say1 for example1 that bowls 
must be placed with bowls1 bottles with 
bottles1 etc41 disregarding the various 
fanciful modifications given to rims1   
necks1 and bodies for the sake of       
embellishment4 ,to recognize these      
adventitious features1 which are almost 
infinite in variety1 would be to greatly
 embarrass form classification4  ,there 
is also another difficulty in the       
employment of form in                   
classification--the nomenclature is very
 imperfect4 ,we cannot use ,greek names1
 as our forms correspond in a very few  
instances only with the highly developed
 forms known to classic art4 ,our own   

plain terms1 although defective1 are    
better and far more appropriate4 ,all   
necessary correlations of form can      
readily be made when the comparative    
study of the pottery of the world is    
undertaken4  ,if we take a full set of  
these primitive vessels and arrange them
 in the order of increasing complexity  
we have an unbroken series ranging from 
the simplest cup to the high-necked     
bottle with perforated foot or with     
tripod4 ,a partial series is shown in   
the upper line1 ,fig #cfa4 ,a multitude 
of variations from these outlines are   
found1 a few of which are suggested in  
the lower line4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4  
#cfa4--,scale of forms4  ,compound1     
eccentric1 and life forms are given     
elsewhere4  ,in deciding upon the order 
of arrangement for the various form     
groups1 ,i shall be governed by what    
appears to be the natural order of      
evolution--a progress from simple to    
complex4 ,first then we have basin-like 
vessels1 such as dishes1 cups1 and      

bowls4 ,second1 vases with wide mouths  
and somewhat globular bodies1 the larger
 of which would be very generally       
recognized as pots4 ,third1 vases with  
full bodies and narrow mouths1 such as  
are often termed jars1 but which are as 
properly called bottles4 ,fourth1       
vessels with high1 narrow necks1        
universally denominated bottles4        
,vessels that cannot be grouped with    
either of these classes will have to be 
described in sub-groups1 arranged in the
 order of their complexity or           
importance4  ,,origin ,,of ,,form4--,the
 derivation and subsequent mutations of 
form will be treated somewhat in detail 
as the various forms come up1 and a     
subsequent paper will dwell upon the    
topic at considerable length4   ,,bowls4
  ,basin or bowl-shaped vessels exhibit 
great diversity of shape and ornament4  
,in size they range from less than one  
inch in diameter and depth to more than 
twenty inches in diameter and a foot in 
depth4 ,in color and finish they are    

uniform with vessels of the other       
classes4 ,their uses were doubtless     
chiefly domestic4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4
 #cfb4--;,forms of bowls4  ,,form4--,the
 forms are greatly varied1 as will be   
seen in ,fig4 #cfb4 ,many are simply    
segments of spheres and vary from a     
shallow saucer to a hollow perforated   
globe4 ,others have elongated1          
compressed1 or conical bodies1 with     
round or flattened bases4 ,rectangular  
and irregular forms are sometimes found4
 ,stands and legs are but rarely        
attached1 and handles1 excepting those  
of a grotesque character1 are           
exceptional4  ,it will probably be safe 
to assume that some form of shallow     
vessel--a dish1 cup1 or bowl1 was the   
first artificial form produced4 ,such a 
vessel would be most easily fashioned in
 clay and may have been suggested by    
accident1 or by natural or artificial   
vessels4  ,whatever the origin or       
whichever the method of construction1   
the difficulties encountered would at   

first prevent the manufacture of other  
than the simplest forms4                
,,ornament4--,the ornamentation of bowls
 was accomplished in a variety of ways4 
,these have been already described in a 
general way1 under the head of ornament4
 ,rim modifications constitute an       
important feature4 ,the margin or lip   
may be square1 oblique1 round1 or       
grooved1 as indicated in ,fig4 #cfc a1  
b1 c1 and d4 ,the scallop may be        
employed as in e and f1 and relief      
ornament may be added1 such as fillets  
and nodes1 and various horizontal       
projections1 as shown in the second     
line1 ,fig4 #cfc1 to say nothing of     
incised lines and indentations1 which   
are the heritage of wicker-work4        
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#cfc4--,modification of rims4  ,not     
satisfied with these simple ideas of    
decoration1 the fancy of the potter led 
him to add embellishments of most varied
 and often of extraordinary character4  
,the nodes and ridges have been enlarged

 and prolonged1 and fashioned into a    
thousand natural and fanciful forms4    
,shells1 fish1 birds1 beasts1 human and 
impossible creatures have been utilized 
in a multitude of ways4 ,many           
illustrations of these are given on     
subsequent pages4  ,the body of the bowl
 is somewhat less profusely ornamented  
than the rim4 ,the interior1 as well as 
the exterior1 has received painted1     
relieved1 and intaglio designs4 ,in the 
painted ones the favorite idea for the  
interior is a series of volutes1 in     
broad lines1 radiating from the center  
of the basin4 ,groups of festooned      
lines1 either painted or engraved1 and  
arranged to give the effect of imbricate
 scales1 form also a favorite motive4   
,the exterior surface of the incurved   
rims of globular vessels offers a       
tempting surface to the artist and is   
often tastefully decorated in all the   
styles4  ,,illustrations4--,ordinary    
forms4--,i have not thought it necessary
 to present many cuts of simple         

undecorated vessels1 as their shapes are
 repeated numberless times in elaborated
 forms4 ,the crude examples teach       
nothing as to stage of culture4 ,they   
are of the same time and people as the  
finer specimens4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4 
#cfd4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,the 
small bowl given in ,fig4 #cfd is       
unusually well made1 and is peculiar in 
having its interior surface decorated   
with a rather chaste incised design     
consisting of festooned lines4 ,this was
 a favorite idea with the ancient       
potters and may be seen on both exterior
 and interior surfaces of a variety of  
vessels4 ,the rim is beveled on the     
inner edge and has a beaded or indented 
fillet encircling the outer margin4 ,the
 bottom is somewhat flattened4 ,this    
specimen is from ,arkansas4             
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cfe4--;,bowl3    
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,in ,fig4 #cfe we   
have a good example of the dark1        
nicely-finished ware of ,arkansas4 ,the 
widely expanding rim is neatly scalloped

 on the margin and is finished on the   
inside with a pattern of incised lines4 
,these lines appear to have been        
engraved in the hardened clay4 ,the form
 is rendered graceful by a shallow      
encircling depression or groove at the  
base of the rim4 ,the bottom is somewhat
 flattened4  ,occasionally we find very 
deep bowls with sloping sides and flat  
bottoms resembling our common flower    
pots4 ,one example from ,arkansas is    
seven inches in diameter at the top and 
four at the base1 and five inches deep4 
,a heavy band of clay has been added to 
the outer margin of the rim1 leaving a  
channel above and beneath4 ,a number of 
perforations occur in this rim1 as if   
made for the passage of thongs or       
filaments4 ,a similar specimen of larger
 dimensions may be seen in the ,national
 ,museum4  ,we have a number of bowls   
with incurved rims4 ,this form is more  
characteristic of the south and is      
common along the ,gulf coast4  ,a very  
small example is shown in ,fig4 #cff4   

,the lower part of the body is nearly   
hemispherical while the rim contracts   
slightly1 giving a rather graceful      
outline4 ,the exterior is embellished   
with a simple figure consisting of four 
linked scrolls which have been traced   
with a blunt point in the moist clay4   
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cff4--;,cup3     
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,a much larger      
vessel resembling the above in shape is 
given in ,fig4 #cfg4 ,it is of the dark 
brownish shell-tempered ware1           
characteristic of ,arkansas4 ,the lip is
 much incurved and the base considerably
 flattened1 so that the form is that of 
a greatly compressed oblate spheroid4   
,the outer surface has been moderately  
well polished1 and is ornamented in a   
very effective manner by a series of    
figures1 outlined by incised lines1     
alternate spaces being filled in with   
minute punctures4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4
 #cfg4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas4 787--#a_/c4  
,a favorite form is a bowl with full    
deep body and incurved lip4 ,a vessel of

 this class is illustrated in ,fig4     
#cfh4 ,the rim is but slightly incurved1
 while the body is considerably         
constricted below the greatest          
circumference4 ,it is a unique and      
handsome specimen4 ,the color of the    
slip is a pale1 reddish-gray1 a little  
darker than an ordinary flesh tint4 ,the
 paste is seen to be yellowish where the
 surface has been injured4 ,the ornament
 is a simple meander1 consisting of     
three incised lines4 ,it is said to have
 been found in ,arkansas4 ,other bowls  
of like form and of elegant finish are  
found in the collection4 ,they are      
generally dark in color1 and have large 
apertures1 low walls and flattened      
bases4 ,the meander1 mostly in its more 
simple forms1 is the favorite           
decoration4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4      
#cfh4--;,bowl3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4       
,there are many red vessels of the class
 under consideration1 but the majority  
are less contracted at the aperture and 
thus are somewhat pot-shaped4 ,they are 

rather rudely constructed and finished1 
and but for the color1 would seem to be 
intended for ordinary cooking purposes4 
,i observe in a number of cases that    
circular medallion-like ornaments have  
been set around the rim4 ,these are from
 one-half to one inch in diameter1 and  
are generally perforated or punctured in
 two or three places1 apparently with   
the idea of representing a face4 ,the   
effect is very much like that of the    
small perforated disks1 riveted upon the
 exterior of copper or tin kettles for  
the purpose of attaching handles4       
,occasionally a tail-like appendage is  
added to the under side of these        
discoidal heads1 suggesting the tadpole 
figures upon the sacred water vessels of
 the ,pueblo ,indians4  ,one large basin
 with slightly incurved rim has a series
 of triangular figures in red and brown 
upon both the inner and the outer       
surfaces4 ,it is rudely finished and of 
large size1 being eleven inches in      
diameter and seven and a half in height4

  ,eccentric forms4--,before proceeding 
with the discussion of life-forms as    
exhibited in bowls1 ,i must present a   
few unique shapes4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #cfi4 ,,fig4 #cgj4 ,cups3        
,arkansas 7874--#a_/c4  ,these consist  
of ladle-shaped vessels1 and of bowls or
 basins with rectangular1 oval1 or      
unsymmetrical outlines4 ,ladles are of  
rare occurrence4 ,in the ,third ,annual 
,report of the ,bureau of ,ethnology ,i 
have illustrated the best example that  
has come to my notice4 ,the ,davenport  
collection contains but one specimen--a 
rude shallow cup with a short thick     
handle4 ,the form suggests the wooden   
and horn spoons of the modern tribes and
 may have originated in their archaic   
prototypes4  ,fig4 #cfi illustrates a   
minute cup rudely made of coarse clay4  
,the outline is oval and slightly       
pointed at one end1 as if intended for  
pouring liquids4  ,in ,fig4 #cgj we have
 another small vessel of rude finish    
with two pointed lips4 ,a much larger   

vessel of similar shape may be seen in  
the ,davenport collection4 ,the         
projecting pointed lip is rarely found  
in aboriginal pottery1 although ,i see  
no reason why such a feature may not    
readily have been suggested to the      
savage by the prolonged margins of his  
vessels of shell4  ,rectangular vessels 
are of the rude shell-tempered ware1    
and1 although rare1 are widely          
distributed4  ,fig4 #cga illustrates a  
specimen from ,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4 
,the surface is rudely finished and     
without polish4 ,the color is a dark    
gray1 much flecked with large particles 
of white shell4 ,another example has a  
square rim but a rounded bottom1 and is 
covered with a coat or slip of dark red 
clay4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4            
#cga4--,rectangular bowl3 ,pecan ,point1
 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,a small vessel    
from the same region as the preceding   
has the rim pressed in on the four      
sides1 leaving sharp1 projecting        
corners4  ,one of the most notable      

vessels in the collection is illustrated
 in ,fig4 #cgb4 ,it is a heavy casket   
consisting of two parts1 body and lid1  
and is made as usual of clay and        
coarsely pulverized shell4 ,it is       
brownish gray in color and bears some   
marks of the baking4 ,it was obtained by
 ,captain ,w4 ,p4 ,hall from a low mound
 at ,hale's ,point1 ,tennessee1 and is  
described by ,mr4 ,w4 ,h4 ,pratt1 in the
 following language3 ,it is of rude1    
irregular1 quadrangular form1 made in   
two parts4 ,the lower1 or case proper1  
is #ab inches long1 #g inches wide1 and 
#e inches deep1 inside measure1 the     
upper edge being slightly bent inward   
all around4 ,the upper part or lid is of
 similar form and dimensions1 being very
 slightly larger1 so as to close down   
over the other part1 about one and a    
half inches1 and is somewhat more       
shallow4 ,as the lid does not fit very  
perfectly1 the joint around the edge had
 been plastered up with clay4 ,when     
found1 it contained the remains of a    

very small child reduced to dust1 except
 that some of the bones of the skull1   
jaws1 and limbs retained their form1    
crumbling rapidly1 however1 upon removal
 and exposure to the air4 ,there were   
also found two or three dozen small     
shell beads4 ,excepting the remains     
described1 the case was entirely empty4 
,the case weighs six and a quarter1 and 
the lid just six pounds4 ,this is one of
 the very few vessels that would seem to
 have been constructed especially for   
mortuary purposes4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #cgb4--;,burial casket3 ,hale's  
,point1 ,tennessee4--#a_/d4  ,i wish to 
add to the list of eccentric forms a    
singular example from the collection of 
,j4 ,r4 ,thibault1 of ,little ,rock1    
,arkansas4 ,as shown in ,fig4 #cgc it is
 an oblong1 trough-like vessel with flat
 projecting wings at the ends4 ,it is   
extremely well-finished1 with thin      
walls1 symmetrical form1 and high       
polish4 ,the color is quite dark and the
 material is as usual4 ,the engraved    

design consists of incised lines1 which 
form a number of rectangular            
compartments extending around the       
exterior surface of the body4 ,the wings
 are perforated4 ,the form of this      
vessel suggests the wooden trays of some
 modern tribes4 ,a similar example1     
which is illustrated in the ,third      
,annual ,report of the ,bureau of       
,ethnology1 is of much inferior         
interest1 being plain and rude4  ,life  
forms4--,a very large percentage of the 
bowls of this district are modified in  
such a way as to resemble1 more or less 
closely1 the form of some living        
creature--bird1 beast1 or reptile4      
,especial attention has been given to   
the heads4 ,these are modeled in the    
round and attached to the rim or side1  
while other parts of the animal appear  
upon different portions of the vessel4  
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#cgc4--,trough-shaped vessel3           
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,national ,museum4  
,it will be difficult to determine the  

origin of this curious practice4 ,we    
shall not be able to say that it came   
from the elaboration of handles1 simply 
to please fancy1 for the reason that    
vessels of this class are rarely known  
to have had simple handles2 nor from the
 modification of simple ornaments1 as   
such were but little used4 ,it is still 
less probable that animal forms were    
first modeled independently1 and        
afterwards changed in such a way as to  
serve as vessels4 ,there are no examples
 of animal forms in clay independent of 
vessels4 ,it would not be consistent    
with primitive methods of procedure to  
copy nature direct1 at least until some 
mystic significance had become attached 
to the form employed4 ,it is possible1  
however1 that the origin of this        
practice is not to be found within the  
plastic art itself1 but in the shapes of
 antecedent and co-existent vessels of  
other materials in which life forms had 
been employed2 or in the use of natural 
objects themselves as utensils1 the     

original forms not having been lost     
sight of and having in time suggested   
the employment of other natural forms4  
,examples of the latter class may be    
cited4  ,shells were primitive vessels4 
,the hard cases of seeds and fruits were
 also much used4 ,these were doubtless  
antecedent to vessels of clay4 ,they    
were the natural models for the potter1 
the carver in wood or stone1 and their  
employment as such served to lead up    
gradually to a more realistic and       
general use of natural shapes in works  
of art to which they were not essential 
features4 ,the importance of the various
 animal forms was increased by their    
association with religious ideas4       
,nearly all the vessels of this class   
presented in the following illustrations
 come from the vicinity of ,pecan       
,point1 ,arkansas4  ,clay vessels       
imitating both marine and fresh-water   
shells are occasionally obtained from   
the mounds and graves of the            
,mississippi ,valley4 ,the conch shell  

appears to have been a favorite model1  
especially in its modified form1 ,fig4  
#cgd1 a and b4 ,the clam shell is also  
imitated in c and d4 ,the more          
conventional forms of these vessels are 
exceedingly interesting1 as they point  
out the tendencies and possibilities of 
modification4 ,an instructive example   
illustrated in e has four groups of     
nodes1 each1 consisting of a large      
central node with four or five smaller  
ones1 surrounding it1 set about the rim1
 the conception being that of four      
shells joined in one vessel1 with the   
noded apexes turned outward and the     
bases inward4  ,a still more highly     
conventionalized form is shown in f4    
,the cup is unsymmetrical in outline1   
and has a few imperfect nodes near one  
corner1 but its resemblance to a shell  
would hardly be recognized by one       
unacquainted with more realistic        
renderings of like subjects4 ,in g we   
have an imitation of a shell cup placed 
within a plain cup4  ,illustrations3    

,,fig4 #cgd4--;,clay vessels imitating  
shells4  ,a very good illustration of   
this class of vessel is given in ,fig4  
#cge4 ,it is evidently intended to      
imitate a trimmed conch shell4 ,the apex
 and a few of the surrounding nodes are 
shown at the right1 while the base or   
spine forms a projecting lip at the     
left4 ,a coil of clay forms the apex4   
,this is carried outward in a sinistral 
spiral to the noded shoulder4 ,we have  
here a suggestion of the origin of a    
favorite decorative motive1 the scroll1 
a clew1 however1 which the paucity of   
examples makes it difficult to follow up
 satisfactorily4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4 
#cge4--;,bowl imitating a modified conch
 shell4--#a_/c4  ,although we may not be
 able to arrive at any definite         
conclusion in regard to the origin and  
significance of the practice of modeling
 life forms in clay1 we are certain of  
one thing1 that it became an important  
feature in the potter's art1 and that in
 due course of time the practice broke  

loose from the restraints of birth and  
tradition and asserted its freedom in   
the production of any form that         
superstition or fancy happened to       
select4  ,the artist probably did not   
follow nature with great accuracy in all
 the details of species and varieties1  
but some definite model must have been  
in view1 in nearly all cases1 and such  
characters as came to be regarded as    
essential to that creature were never   
lost sight of1 consistency being a most 
notable characteristic of the art of a  
savage or barbaric people4              
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#cgf4--;,frog-shaped bowl3 ,craigshead  
,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4              
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#cgg4--;,frog-shaped bowl3 ,pecan       
,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4              
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#cgh4--;,animal-shaped bowl3            
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,the sun-fish was a 
favorite model1 but its form was        
generally employed in vessels with      

upright necks4 ,a number of examples    
occur in the next section4 ,of reptilian
 forms the frog seems to have been the  
favorite4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4        
#cgi4--;,bird-shaped bowl3              
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #chj4--;,bird-shaped bowl3       
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,few examples occur1
 however1 in the shallower vessels4 ,in 
the bowl illustrated in ,fig4 #cgf1 the 
various members of the body are boldly  
modeled1 and appear about the most      
expanded portion of the vessel4 ,the rim
 is ornamented with a series of notches1
 and two small loops connect the rim    
with the head and tail of the creature4 
,the legs are characteristic1 and the   
long toes extend beneath the body4 ,the 
bottom of the vessel is flat4 ,the make 
and finish are as usual1 but the surface
 has been painted red4 ,a similar vessel
 is shown in ,fig4 #cgg1 the view being 
taken from the front4 ,it is well       
polished and has a rounded bottom4 ,the 
color is dark4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4   

#cha4--;,bird-shaped bowl3              
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #chb4--;,bowl with grotesque     
heads3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,another     
remarkable example of this use of animal
 forms is seen in the vessel presented  
in ,fig4 #cgh4 ,a deep globular bowl of 
dark1 well-polished ware is made to     
represent the head of an animal4 ,a long
 snout1 with teeth and nostrils and     
accompanied by a pair of knobs for eyes1
 embellishes the right side--as seen in 
the cut--ears appear at the front and   
back1 and a circular node standing1     
perhaps1 for the severed neck1 is placed
 at the left4 ,the head has a decidedly 
porcine look1 yet it may have been      
intended for a raccoon or an opossum4   
,fig4 #cgi illustrates a large shallow  
bowl or pan of ordinary form and finish4
 ,the head of a bird resembling a turkey
 is attached to one side1 with the bill 
turned inward4 ,on the opposite side    
there is a small handle-like projection 
that represents the bird's tail4  ,a    

vessel of somewhat extraordinary form is
 shown in ,fig4 #chj4 ,the bowl is      
smaller and deeper than the last1 and   
serves as the body of a bird1 the head  
and tail of which are of unusual        
proportions4 ,the neck is very long and 
thick and is gracefully curved1 but the 
head is not modeled with sufficient care
 to make apparent the species intended4 
,the vessel shown in ,fig4 #cha is also 
finished in imitation of a bird4 ,in    
this case the bird is placed upon its   
back1 the neck and head being looped up 
to form a sort of handle on one side1   
while the legs answer a like purpose on 
the opposite side4 ,the wings are       
represented by a number of lines rudely 
engraved upon the sides of the vessel4  
,the resemblance of this bowl to the    
wooden basins made by ,northwest ,coast 
,indians is very striking4  ,the vessel 
shown in ,fig4 #chb is one of the most  
unique yet brought to light4 ,it is a   
heavy1 rather rudely finished bowl1 to  
the rim of which two grotesque heads1   

apparently of nondescript character1    
have been attached4 ,one resembles the  
oft-occurring plumed serpent of         
aboriginal ,american art in a number of 
its characters4 ,the other has a double 
comb somewhat resembling that of a      
domestic fowl4 ,no description can      
convey as clear a conception of these   
monstrosities as the accompanying       
illustration4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4    
#chc4--;,heads of birds4  ,illustration3
 ,,fig4 #chd4--;,grotesque heads4  ,a   
good degree of skill is shown in the    
modeling of varieties of birds4 ,a fair 
idea of the accuracy of these potters in
 this direction will be conveyed by the 
series of heads shown in ,fig4 #chc4    
,several species of ducks are apparently
 differentiated1 one of which1          
resembling the summer duck closely1 is  
given in a1 while the head given in b1  
although possibly also intended for a   
duck1 is much like a grouse or          
partridge4 ,the pigeon or dove is seen  
in c1 the vulture or eagle in d1 and the

 owl in e4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4       
#che4--;,bowl with grotesque head3      
,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4       
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #chf4--;,bowl with
 grotesque head3 ,pecan ,point1         
,arkansas4--#a_/b4  ,it would be        
difficult to imagine more grotesque and 
outlandish heads than those attached to 
the bowls illustrated in ,figs4 #che and
 #chf4 ,the vessels themselves are of   
the usual type1 rudely modeled and      
finished and very heavy4 ,the first is  
dark in color1 the other red4 ,the      
strange animal here represented is      
certainly not a close copy of anything  
in nature4 ,it is characterized by      
upright ears1 a high bulbous snout and a
 grinning mouth4 ,the teeth in some     
cases resemble the fangs of a serpent4  
,the eyes consist of rounded nodes2 and 
often curved lines1 incised or in       
relief1 extend from them or the mouth   
down the sides of the neck4 ,the tail at
 the opposite end of the vessel is      
turned upward and coiled4 ,the type     

specimens of this form are from ,pecan  
,point1 ,arkansas4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #chg4--;,bowl with grotesque     
handle3 ,scanlon's ,landing1            
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #chh4--;,animal-shaped bowl3     
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,the peculiar       
character of this class of heads is well
 shown in the series given in ,fig4     
#chd4 ,my observations have led me to   
suspect that they may be the result of  
attempts to model in clay the mythical  
plumed serpent which is so graphically  
delineated in the engraving upon the    
little vase shown in ,fig4 #djg4 ,the   
fact that in one case legs have been    
added to the base of the body militates 
against this theory4 ,their resemblance 
to the gargoyle heads of medival        
architecture suggests the possibility of
 early ,european influence4  ,if        
possible1 a still more novel conceit is 
embodied in the handle of the vessel    
shown in ,fig4 #chg4 ,it can be likened 
to nothing in nature more readily than  

to the antler of an elk4 ,this vessel is
 of a dark brownish color1 and is but   
slightly polished4 ,a duplicate specimen
 of inferior size and finish has        
recently been added to the ,national    
,museum from a grave at ,pecan ,point4  
,similar to the preceding in general    
appearance are a number of bowls or deep
 pans1 embellished with the heads of    
animals4 ,a very good example is given  
in ,fig4 #chh4 ,the head has a decided  
resemblance to that of a female deer or 
fawn4 ,the tail appears upon the        
opposite side of the basin1 and is      
pendant1 as in nature4 ,legs have been  
added to the base of the bowl2 these    
terminate beneath the body in cloven    
hoofs4  ,the small bowl1 shown in ,fig4 
#chi1 is nearly hemispherical in shape4 
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#chi4--;,animal-shaped bowl3            
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,a small head1      
representing some animal1 has been      
attached to the rim4 ,the exterior      
surface is covered with a number of     

groups of roughly-worked concentric     
ridges1 which may be meant to imitate   
hair4 ,these ridges have apparently been
 made by pinching up the clay between   
the nails of the fingers and thumb4     
,figures of similar form are generally  
incised4 ,this vessel is probably from  
the vicinity of ,pecan ,point4  ,the    
creature represented by the head1 shown 
in ,fig4 #cij1 would not be recognized  
from the cut1 or perhaps not even with  
certainty from any single specimen1 but 
with a number of examples in view1 there
 need be no hesitation4 ,the animal     
intended is a bat4 ,in a number of      
features the likeness is striking4 ,the 
high top head1 the angular ears1 and the
 small eyes crowded down upon the mouth 
are characteristic4 ,the tail is flat1  
curved a little upward1 and ridged along
 the middle in imitation of the         
attenuated caudal column4 ,the general  
consistency of this work is demonstrated
 by the fact that this particular form  
of tail accompanies this form of head in

 all cases1 and is not associated with  
any other4 ,the face of the bat is      
always turned toward the vessel2 in     
imitation of other varieties of animals1
 it is nearly always turned out4        
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cij4--;,bowl with
 bat's head3 ,pecan ,point1             
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,in one case1 ,fig4 
#cia1 we have1 what appears to be1 a    
human head attached to the side of the  
bowl4 ,this head is furnished with a    
triangular crest1 notched on the edges1 
and enlarged at the top4 ,the case is a 
perplexing one1 especially as a tail    
like that attached to the bird bowls    
occurs on the side opposite the head4   
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cia4--;,bowl3    
,arkansas4--#a_/c4   ,,pot-,,shaped     
,,vessels4  ,there is no hard line of   
demarcation between the class of vessels
 now to be considered and those already 
described4 ,the distinction is made     
chiefly for convenience of treatment4   
,,material1 ,,etc4--,as a rule1         
pot-shaped vessels are of coarser       

materials and of ruder finish than other
 forms1 indicating1 perhaps1 their      
exclusive relegation to the culinary    
arts1 where nice finish was not         
essential4 ,in many cases they show use 
over fire4  ,in size1 they have a wide  
range4 ,the larger are often as much as 
fifteen inches in diameter1 and twenty  
in height4 ,there are a score or more of
 very large size in the ,davenport      
museum4  ,,form4--,the form             
characteristics are a full globular     
body--sometimes elongated1 sometimes    
compressed vertically--a low neck1 and a
 wide aperture4 ,the bottom is very     
generally rounded4 ,a few of the form   
modifications are shown in ,fig4 #cib4  
,the rim or neck is always short1 and is
 upright or slightly recurved4 ,many    
vessels resembling the shapes here      
presented are placed with the succeeding
 group1 as they appear to be            
functionally distinct from this4 ,there 
are no examples with legs or stands4    
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cib4--;,forms of 

pots4  ,,handles4--,looped handles are  
confined almost wholly to this class of 
vessels4 ,they are generally ranged     
about the rim or neck4 ,in a majority of
 cases there are four handles to a      
vessel4 ,we rarely find less than that  
number1 but often more4 ,it is a usual  
thing to see fifteen or twenty handles  
set about the rim4 ,originally the      
handles may have been exclusively       
functional in character2 they were so at
 least in antecedent forms4 ,these      
potters have certainly1 at times1       
employed them for purposes of           
embellishment4 ,in some cases they are  
too fragile for use1 in others they are 
flattened out against the neck of the   
vessel and united with it throughout    
their whole length4 ,again1 they have   
degenerated into mere ridges1 notched   
and otherwise modified to suit the      
fancy4 ,in many instances their place is
 taken by incised lines or indentations 
which form effective and appropriate    
ornamental figures4 ,a series of vessels

 showing gradations from perfect handles
 to their atrophied representatives is  
shown in ,fig4 #cic4  ,illustration3    
,,fig4 #cic4--;,handles4  ,,origin ,,of 
,,handles4--,handles were doubtless     
originally attached to facilitate the   
suspension and handling of vessels and  
other articles4 ,they probably had their
 typical development in basketry1 and   
there are good reasons for supposing    
that certain forms of the handles upon  
pottery owe their existence to contact  
with the sister art4 ,this idea is      
confirmed by their shapes1 and by the   
fact that a large percentage of the     
pottery handles are useless as aids to  
suspension or transportation4           
,,ornament4--,rim margins are modified  
for decorative purposes1 very much as   
they are in bowls4 ,see ,fig4 #cfc4     
,the bodies of these vessels are often  
elaborately ornamented1 mostly by       
incised figures1 but often by punctures1
 nodes and ribs4 ,the incised lines are 
arranged principally in groups of       

straight lines forming angular          
figures--a very archaic style--and in   
groups of festooned lines so placed as  
to resemble scales4 ,the punctures are  
made with a sharp point1 and form       
encircling lines and various carelessly 
executed patterns4 ,a rude sort of      
ornamentation is produced by pinching up
 the soft clay of the surface between   
the nails of the fingers and thumb4     
,relief ornament consists chiefly of    
applied fillets of clay1 arranged to    
form vertical ribs4 ,rows of nodes are  
sometimes seen1 and in a few cases the  
whole body is covered with rude nodes4  
,,illustrations4--,the specimens        
selected for illustration are intended  
to epitomize the forms and decorations  
of a very great number of vessels1 and  
are not always the most showy examples  
to be found4  ,a vessel of rather       
exceptional shape is given in ,fig4     
#cid4 ,it could as well be classed with 
bowls as with pots4 ,the ware is of the 
rude kind generally used over the fire4 

,the body is high and cylindrical1 the  
rim flaring1 and the bottom quite flat4 
,the form is suggestive of our domestic 
crockery4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4        
#cid4--,pot3 ,arkansas 7874--#a_/c4     
,another bowl-like pot is illustrated in
 ,fig4 #cie4 ,it is of the dark1 rudely 
hand-polished variety4 ,the body is     
globular1 the neck is very short and is 
ornamented with a dentate band4 ,below  
this are two pairs of perforations1     
probably used for suspending the vessel4
 ,there are a number of vessels of this 
variety1 mostly smaller than the example
 given4  ,the vessel shown in ,fig4 #cif
 is still more pot-like4 ,the neck is   
higher than the preceding and is        
slightly constricted4 ,it is of very    
rude construction and finish4 ,the rim  
is furnished with two small horizontal  
projections1 and the body is somewhat   
obscurely lobed4 ,it represents a very  
numerous class1 especially plentiful in 
,southeast ,missouri4  ,illustration3   
,,fig4 #cie4--,pot3 ,arkansas           

7874--#a_/c4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4     
#cif4--,pot3 ,waverly1                  
,tennessee4--#a_/c4  ,the little pot    
presented in ,fig4 #cig has the body    
covered with rude nodes4 ,the neck is   
surrounded by a heavy fillet1 notched   
obliquely in imitation of a twisted     
cord4 ,four rude handles have also been 
attached4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4        
#cig4--,pot3 ,arkansas 7874--#a_/c4     
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cih4--,pot3      
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,in ,fig4 #cih we   
have one of the rudest examples in the  
collection4 ,the neck is furnished with 
four handles1 which alternate with four 
vertical ribs4 ,the body is misshapen   
and rough1 and is ornamented with a     
series of nearly vertical ridges1 a     
rather usual device1 and one which is   
sometimes very neatly executed4  ,the   
body of the nicely finished pot shown in
 ,fig4 #cii is embellished with short1  
incised markings1 arranged in vertical  
lines4 ,the neck is furnished with a    
heavy indented band and four strong     

handles4 ,the locality given is         
,four-,mile ,bayou1 ,alabama4  ,the     
specimen given in ,fig4 #djj illustrates
 the use of great numbers of handles4   
,in this case there are sixteen4 ,they  
are gracefully formed and add much to   
the appearance of the vessel1 which is  
really a bowl with wide1 flaring rim4   
,in most of its characters it resembles 
the pots4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4        
#cii4--,pot3 ,alabama 7874--#a_/c4      
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #djj4--,pot3      
,arkansas 7874--#a_/c4  ,another curious
 variation in the shape of handles is   
shown in the little cup given in ,fig4  
#dja4 ,this can hardly be called a usual
 feature1 although occurring in vessels 
of various localities4 ,i have seen an  
example from the ,missouri ,valley in   
which a great number of perforated      
handles were set about the rim1 and     
another in which there was a continuous1
 partially free1 collar perforated at   
intervals4 ,there is a specimen of this 
class in the ,davenport ,academy        

collection in which the flattened       
handles are so placed about the neck as 
to form a series of arches4 ,these1 ,i  
take it1 are partially atrophied forms4 
,the body is ornamented by a scale-like 
pattern of incised lines--a favorite    
method of decoration with the ancient   
potter4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4          
#dja4--,pot3 ,arkansas 7874--#a_/c4     
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #djb4--,pot3      
,arkansas 7874--#a_/c4  ,in ,fig4 #djb  
we have an illustration of total        
atrophy4 ,the handles are represented by
 simple incised lines4 ,there is no     
relief whatever4 ,in many cases the form
 of the handles is shown in low relief1 
the outer surface being plain or        
ornamented with incised lines or        
punctures4 ,the body of the vessel last 
mentioned is covered with rudely incised
 scroll designs4  ,another good         
illustration of this class of vessels is
 shown in ,fig4 #djc4  ,the cut is taken
 from my paper in the ,third ,annual    
,report of the ,bureau of ,ethnology4   

,the handles are indicated by incised   
lines4 ,the body was ornamented by      
pinching up the clay between the nails  
of the thumb and forefinger4 ,locality3 
,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4               
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #djc4--,pot3      
,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4       
,national ,museum  ,illustration3 ,,fig4
 #djd4--,pot3 ,hale's ,point1           
,tennessee4--#a_/c4  ,a good example of 
the larger pots is illustrated in ,fig4 
#djd4 ,it is engraved a little less than
 one-fourth the dimensions of the       
original4 ,the height is seventeen      
inches and the greatest diameter        
eighteen inches4 ,it is very well made4 
,the walls are even and only moderately 
thick4 ,the dark1 unpolished surface is 
profusely speckled with fragments of    
white shell4 ,there are four wide1      
strong handles4 ,the rim and neck are   
ornamented with encircling lines of     
finger-nail indentations4               
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dje4--,pot3      
,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,a   

masterpiece of this class of work is    
shown in ,fig4 #dje4 ,it was obtained at
 ,pecan ,point4 ,it is not quite        
symmetrical in form but is carefully    
finished4 ,the color is gray1 with      
mottlings of dark spots1 the result of  
firing4 ,the height is eleven inches1   
and the aperture is ten inches in       
diameter4 ,there are ten strong1        
well-proportioned handles1 each having a
 knob resembling a rivet head1 near the 
upper end4 ,the margin of the rim has a 
circle of indentations4 ,there are a few
 red vessels of this shape which have   
figures of reptiles attached to the     
neck4   ,,wide-,,mouthed ,,bottles ,,or 
,,jars4  ,vessels of this class were    
probably not devoted to the ordinary    
uses of cooking and serving food4 ,they 
are handsome in shape1 tasteful in      
decoration1 and generally of small      
dimensions4 ,they are found1 as are all 
other forms1 buried with the dead1      
placed by the head or feet1 or within   
reach of the hands4 ,their appearance is

 not suggestive of their original       
office1 as there is no indication of    
wear1 or of use over fire4  ,,form4--,i 
include under this head a series of     
forms reaching from the wide-mouthed pot
 to the well-developed bottle4 ,they    
really correspond closely to the        
high-necked bottles in all respects save
 in height of neck1 and the separation  
is therefore for convenience of         
treatment only4 ,the following          
illustration 7,fig4 #djf7 will give a   
good idea of the forms included4        
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #djf4--;,forms of 
jar-shaped bottles4  ,there are also    
many eccentric and many extremely       
interesting life forms included in this 
group4 ,a number of vases1 modeled after
 the human head1 are1 by their general  
outline1 properly included4             
,,ornamentation4--,the rims1 bodies1 and
 bases are embellished much after the   
fashion of the vessels already          
described1 with the exception that      
handles or handle-like appendages or    

ornaments seldom appear4 ,the painted   
designs are in one1 two1 or three       
colors1 and the incised figures have    
been executed both in the soft and in   
the thoroughly dried clay4  ,the style  
of execution is often of a very high    
order1 especially in some of the more   
southerly examples1 a number of which   
are from the mounds of ,mississippi and 
,louisiana4 ,we note the fact that in a 
few of the designs there is a slight    
suggestion of ,mexican forms4  ,in      
illustrating this group1 ,i am          
compelled1 for the want of space to omit
 many interesting examples4 ,i present  
only such as seem to me especially      
instructive4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4     
#djg4--;,bottle3 ,pecan ,point1         
,arkansas4  ,,illustrations4--,ordinary 
forms4--,the vessel shown in ,fig4 #djg 
may be taken as a type of a very large  
class4 ,it is most readily described as 
a short-necked1 wide-mouthed bottle4 ,it
 is symmetrical in shape and very nicely
 finished4 ,the lip is supplied with a  

narrow1 horizontal rim4 ,the body       
expands somewhat abruptly from the base 
of the upright neck to the squarish     
shoulder1 and contracts below in an even
 curve1 giving a hemispherical base4    
,there are a multitude of variations    
from this outline1 a few of which are   
suggested in ,fig4 #djf4 ,these vessels 
are nearly all of the dark1             
grayish-brown1 fire-mottled ware4 ,a few
 are yellowish1 and such are often      
painted red or decorated with designs in
 red and white4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4  
#djh4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4     
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dji4--;,bottle3  
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,two charming vases 
are shown in ,figs4 #djh and #dji4 ,the 
surface finish is in both cases very    
superior4 ,the lines of the figures are 
carefully drawn1 and seem to have been  
produced by the trailing1 under even    
pressure1 of a smooth rather blunt      
point4 ,it is difficult to get so nicely
 finished and even a line by simple     
incision1 or by excavating the clay4    

,the design in ,fig4 #djh consists of   
eight groups of curved lines arranged in
 pairs1 which are separated by plain    
vertical bands4 ,it might be considered 
an interrupted or imperfectly connected 
form of the running scroll4 ,this       
grouping of lines is frequently met with
 in the decorative designs of the       
,southern ,states4 ,the design upon the 
other vase1 ,fig4 #dji1 is still more   
characteristic of the ,south4 ,it       
consists of an encircling row of round1 
shallow indentations1 about which series
 of incised scrolls are linked1 and of  
two additional rows of depressions1 one 
above and the other below1 through which
 parallel lines are drawn4  ,many other 
interesting illustrations of the simpler
 forms could be given1 but nearly all   
are very similar in their more important
 features to the examples that precede  
or follow4  ,as skilled as these peoples
 were in modeling life forms1 and in    
engraving geometric devices1 they seem  
rarely to have attempted the linear     

representation of life forms4 ,we have1 
however1 two very good examples4        
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #daj4--;,engraved 
bottle3 ,arkansas4  ,the first of these 
is shown in outline in ,fig4 #daj4 ,it  
is a large bottle embellished with four 
rude drawings of the human figure1      
executed with a sharp point in the soft 
clay4 ,height of vessel1 eight inches4  
,the work is characteristic of a very   
early stage of art4 ,the figures could  
be duplicated in the work of the ancient
 ,pueblos1 and in the pictographic art  
of many of our savage tribes4 ,they are 
probably derived from symbolic art1 and 
possibly relate to the guardians of the 
four points of the compass1 or to some  
similar mythical characters4            
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #daa4--;,engraved 
bottle3 ,arkansas4--#c_/d4  ,the work   
upon the neat little bottle1 presented  
in ,fig4 #daa1 is of the same class as  
the above but of a much higher grade1   
both in execution and conception4 ,the  
engraved design is one of the most      

remarkable ever obtained from the       
mounds4 ,it consists of two winged and  
crested rattlesnakes1 which encircle the
 most expanded part of the vessel1 and  
of two sunflower-like figures1          
alternating with them4 ,these designs   
are very carefully engraved with a      
needle-like point1 and are adjusted to  
the form of the vase in a way that      
suggests forethought and an appreciation
 of the decorative value of the figures4
 ,by dint of rubbings1 photographs and  
sketches1 ,i have obtained the complete 
drawing of the various figures which are
 given in ,fig4 #dab on a scale of      
one-half the original4  ,illustration3  
,,fig4 #dab4--;,engraved design4--#a_/b4
  ,the serpent1 especially the          
rattlesnake1 has always taken a leading 
place in the mythology and the art of   
the more cultured ,american races1 and  
crest-plumes1 and wings have often been 
considered its proper attributes4 ,the  
conventional method of representation is
 also characteristically aboriginal4    

,the plumes1 the figure connected with  
the eye1 the bands upon the neck1 the   
stepped figures of the body1 and the    
semi-circular patches on the wings are  
all characters that appear again and    
again in the ancient art of the ,united 
,states4 ,the peculiar emblematic       
treatment of the heart is almost        
universal in temperate ,north ,america4 
,and just here ,i may be permitted to   
suggest that the remarkable feature of  
the great earth-work serpent of ,adams  
county1 ,ohio1 which has been regarded  
as the symbolic egg1 and which in its   
latest phase has become the issue of a  
frog and the prey of the serpent1 is    
possibly intended for the heart of the  
serpent1 the so-called frog being the   
head4 ,the rosette figures are not often
 duplicated in ,indian art4 ,there can  
be little doubt that the figures of this
 design are derived from mythology4     
,eccentric forms4--,a form of vessel of 
which civilized men make peculiar use is
 depicted in ,fig4 #dac4 ,there is a    

marked resemblance to a common tea-pot4 
,a very few examples have been found1   
two of which are illustrated in the     
,third ,annual ,report of the ,bureau of
 ,ethnology4 ,the specimen here given is
 well made and carefully finished4 ,the 
neck is low and wide1 and the body is a 
compressed sphere4 ,the spout is placed 
upon one side and a low knob upon the   
other4 ,the absence of a handle for     
grasping indicates that the vessel was  
probably not intended for boiling water4
 ,these characters are uniform in all   
the specimens that have come to my      
notice4 ,two small circular depressions 
occur on the sides of the vessel        
alternating with the spout and the knob 
and with these features form centers for
 four rosettes of involute incised      
lines4 ,the origin of this form of      
vessel is suggested by a fine red piece 
from ,mississippi1 now in the national  
collection4 ,the knob is the head of a  
turtle or other full-bodied reptile1 and
 the spout takes the place of the       

creature's tail4 ,many of the           
animal-shaped vases would resemble this 
form closely if an opening were made    
through the top of the body and through 
the tail4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4        
#dac4--,teapot-shaped vessel3           
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #dad4--,vessel of eccentric form3
 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,in connection with
 the teapot-like vessels it will be well
 to describe another novel form not     
wholly unlike them in appearance1 an    
example being shown in ,fig4 #dad4 ,the 
shoulder is elongated on opposite sides 
into two curved1 horn-like cones1 which 
give to the body a somewhat             
crescent-shaped outline4 ,it is of the  
ordinary plain1 dark ware1 and has had a
 low stand or base which is now broken  
away4  ,the specimen given in ,fig4 #dae
 has been considerably mutilated1 but   
evidently belongs to the same class as  
the preceding4 ,it probably also        
resembled the vessel which follows2 it  
serves at least as a link between the   

two4 ,the body is ornamented with       
carelessly drawn1 deeply incised1       
involute designs4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4
 #dae4--,vessel of eccentric form3      
,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4       
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#daf4--;,animal-shaped vase3 ,pecan     
,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,life       
forms4--,a further elaboration of the   
preceding forms is illustrated in ,fig4 
#daf4 ,on one side the conical          
projection is greatly elongated and     
fashioned to resemble the head of some  
grotesque beast1 with horns1 expanded   
nostrils1 and grinning mouth4 ,the      
opposite point is elongated and looped1 
forming a tail1 while the base of the   
body is furnished with four feet4 ,on   
the sides of the vessel are engraved    
figures1 consisting of clusters of      
involute lines1 as in the specimen just 
given4 ,it is of the ordinary dark      
pottery1 and was obtained at ,pecan     
,point4  ,equally noteworthy as plastic 
representations are the two examples    

that follow4 ,the vessel shown in ,fig4 
#dag is modeled in imitation of a       
sunfish4 ,the body is much flattened and
 is neatly polished4 ,the head is well  
modeled1 as are also the fins and tail4 
,many examples of this form are found1  
some of which are elaborately treated1  
the scales being minutely shown4 ,the   
body of the fish is sometimes placed in 
the natural upright position1 the neck  
of the vessel rising from the back1     
producing a lenticular shape4           
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dag4--,sunfish   
vase3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,the animal so
 carefully modeled in the vessel given  
in ,fig4 #dah resembles a raccoon or an 
opossum4 ,the mouth of the vessel is    
wide and the neck upright and short4    
,the body is ornamented with a pattern  
made up of triangular groups of incised 
lines1 which may or may not be meant for
 hair4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4           
#dah4--,opossum vase3 ,arkansas4--#b_/c4
  ,the love of modeling life forms shows
 itself again in the little vase        

illustrated in ,fig4 #dai4 ,the head of 
some animal1 rudely suggested1 projects 
from one side1 while a curved tail on   
the other carries out the idea of the   
complete creature4 ,the round body is   
decorated with broad vertical lines in  
dark red4 ,a red line encircles the rim4
  ,illustration3 ,,fig4                 
#dai4--;,animal-shaped vase3            
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,it is not strange  
that a people who had successfully      
engaged in the modeling of life forms1  
and especially the heads of animals1    
should attempt the human head4 ,their   
remarkable success in this direction is 
shown in a number of vases1 one of which
 is given in ,fig4 #dbj4 ,this and      
kindred peoples had made considerable   
progress in carving in stone and other  
materials1 evincing a decided talent for
 sculpture2 but clay is so much more    
readily manipulated than either wood1   
stone1 or shell1 that we are not        
surprised to find their best work in    
that material4  ,it is an interesting   

fact that with all this cleverness in   
the handling of clay1 and in the        
delineation of varied models1 the art   
had not freed itself from the parent    
stem--the vessel--and launched out into 
an independent field4 ,in a few cases   
such an end seems to have been achieved 
by certain groups of mound builders1    
notably those whose works at            
,madisonville1 ,ohio1 have recently been
 explored by ,professor ,putnam4        
,modeling in clay was probably confined 
to vessels for the reason that1 through 
their humble agency1 the art was        
developed4  ,up to the present time ,i  
have met with but eight of these curious
 head-shaped vases4 ,all were obtained  
from the vicinity of ,pecan ,point1     
,arkansas1 and1 like other vessels1 have
 been associated with human remains in  
graves or mounds4 ,it is true that in   
all cases the bones of the dead have not
 been found1 but this only indicates    
their complete decay4 ,the question as  
to whether or not these vases were made 

exclusively for sepulchral purposes must
 remain unanswered2 there is no source  
of information upon the subject4 ,such a
 purpose is1 however1 suggested in this 
case by the semblance of death given to 
the faces4  ,the finest example yet     
found is shown in ,fig4 #dbj4 ,in form  
it is a simple head1 five inches in     
height and five inches wide from ear to 
ear4 ,the aperture of the vase is in the
 crown1 and is surrounded by a low1     
upright rim1 slightly recurved4 ,the    
cavity is roughly finished1 and follows 
pretty closely the contour of the       
exterior surface1 excepting in          
projecting features such as the ears1   
lips1 and nose4 ,the walls are generally
 from one-eighth1 to one-fourth of an   
inch in thickness1 the base being about 
three-eighths4 ,the bottom is flat1 and 
takes the level of the chin and jaws4   
,the material does not differ from that 
of the other vessels of the same        
locality4 ,there is a large percentage  
of shell1 some particles of which are   

quite large4 ,the paste is yellowish    
gray in color and rather coarse in      
texture4 ,the vase was modeled in the   
plain clay and permitted to harden      
before the devices were engraved4 ,after
 this a thick film of fine              
yellowish-gray clay was applied to the  
face1 partially filling up the engraved 
lines4 ,the remainder of the surface1   
including the lips1 received a thick    
coat of dark red paint4 ,the whole      
surface was then highly polished4       
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#dbj4--;,head-shaped vase3 ,pecan       
,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/b4  ,the        
illustration will convey a more vivid   
conception of this striking head than   
any description that can be given4 ,the 
face cannot be said to have a single    
feature strongly characteristic of      
,indian physiognomy4 ,we have instead   
the round forehead and the projecting   
mouth of the ,african4 ,the nose1       
however1 is small and the nostrils are  
narrow4 ,the face would seem to be that 

of a youngish person1 perhaps a female4 
,the features are all well modeled1 and 
are so decidedly individual in character
 that the artist must have had in his   
mind a pretty definite conception of the
 face to be produced as well as of the  
expression appropriate to it1 before    
beginning his work4 ,it will be         
impossible1 however1 to prove that the  
portrait of a particular personage was  
intended4 ,the closed eyes1 the rather  
sunken nose1 and the parted lips were   
certainly intended to give the effect of
 death4 ,the ears are large1 correctly  
placed1 and well modeled2 they are      
perforated all along the margin1 thus   
revealing a practice of the people to   
whom they referred4 ,the septum of the  
nose appears to have been pierced1 and  
the horizontal depression across the    
upper lip may indicate the former       
presence of a suspended ornament4       
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dba4--,the       
engraved figures4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4
 #dbb4--;,head covering4  ,perhaps the  

most unique and striking feature is the 
pattern of incised lines that covers the
 greater part of the face4 ,the lines   
are deeply engraved and somewhat        
scratchy1 and were apparently executed  
in the hardened clay before the slip was
 applied4 ,the left side of the face is 
plain1 with the exception of a figure   
somewhat resembling a grappling hook in 
outline which partially surrounds the   
eye4 ,the right side is covered with a  
comb-like pattern1 placed vertically1   
with the teeth upwards4 ,the middle of  
the forehead has a series of vertical   
lines and a few short horizontal ones   
just above the root of the nose4 ,there 
are also three curved lines near the    
corner of the mouth not shown in the    
cut4  ,the diagram presented herewith   
7,fig4 #dba7 gives in dotted lines the  
correct outline of the front face1 and  
shows projected in solid lines the      
engraved figures4 ,the significance of  
these markings can only be surmised in  
the most general way4 ,their function is

 probably the same as that of the       
tattooed and painted figures upon the   
faces of living races4  ,it will be well
 to observe that upon the forehead1 at  
the top1 there is a small perforated    
knob or loop4 ,similar appendages may be
 seen upon many of the clay human heads 
from this valley4 ,a ,mexican           
terra-cotta head now in the museum at   
,mexico has a like feature1 and1 at the 
same time1 has closed eyes and an open  
mouth4  ,the head dress should be       
noticed4 ,it seems to have been modeled 
after a cloth or skin cap4 ,it extends  
over the forehead1 falls back over the  
back of the head1 and terminates in     
points behind1 as seen in ,fig4 #dbb4   
,two layers of the material are         
represented1 the one broad1 the other   
narrow and pointed1 both being raised a 
little above the surface upon which they
 rest4 ,this vase head is somewhat      
smaller than the average human head4    
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#dbc4--;,head-shaped vase3 ,pecan       

,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/b4  ,national   
,museum4  ,another of a very similar    
character now in the ,davenport ,museum 
is about one-half the size of this4 ,the
 face is much mutilated4  ,a third is   
somewhat larger than the one            
illustrated1 but is nearly the same in  
finish and color4 ,the face also has the
 semblance of death1 but the features   
are different1 possessing very decided  
,indian characteristics4 ,there is no   
tattooing4  ,all of these heads1        
including also some of those in the     
,national ,museum1 are much alike in    
conception and execution4  ,this fact   
will be forcibly impressed upon the mind
 by a study of ,fig4 #dbc1 which        
represents a specimen recently exhumed  
at ,pecan ,point by agents of the       
,bureau of ,ethnology4 ,in size1 form1  
color1 finish1 modeling of features1 and
 expression1 this head closely resembles
 the one first described4 ,the work is  
not quite so carefully executed and the 
head has probably not such pronounced   

individuality4 ,the curious device that 
in the other example appeared near the  
left eye here occurs on both sides4 ,the
 lower part of the face is elaborately  
engraved4 ,three lines cross the upper  
lip and cheeks1 reaching to the ear2 a  
band of fret-like devices extends across
 the mouth to the base of the ears1 and 
another band filled in with oblique     
reticulated lines passes around the chin
 and along the jaws4 ,the ears are      
perforated as in the other case and the 
septum of the nose is partially broken  
away as if it had once held a ring4 ,a  
perforated knob has occupied the top of 
the forehead as in the other case4 ,the 
face is coated with a light yellowish   
gray slip1 and the remainder of the     
surface is red4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4  
#dbd4--;,head-shaped vase3              
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,thibault           
,collection4  ,fig4 #dbd illustrates a  
very interesting specimen of the red    
pottery of ,arkansas4 ,it belongs to the
 collection of ,mr4 ,thibault1 of       

,little ,rock1 and was obtained from a  
mound in the vicinity of that city4 ,the
 body is slightly lenticular and the    
human face1 which is modeled upon one   
side1 interferes but little with the    
outline4 ,the face is slightly relieved 
and extends from the neck of the vase to
 the widest part of the body1 and       
laterally occupies about one-third of   
the circumference4 ,the middle portion  
of the face is finished with a light    
flesh-colored slip1 the remainder of the
 surface of the vessel being painted a  
bright rich red4 ,like the preceding    
example1 the countenance is made to give
 the appearance of death or sleep4      
,other face-vessels of scarcely less    
interest are found in the ,thibault     
collection4   ,,high-,,necked ,,bottles4
  ,high-necked1 full-bodied bottles form
 a decided feature in the pottery of    
this province4 ,similar vessels are     
rarely found in other sections of the   
,united ,states1 but occur in ,mexico   
and ,south ,america4 ,the forms are     

nowhere else so pronounced4 ,they       
suggest the well-known water bottles of 
eastern countries4  ,in material1       
finish1 and decorative treatment they do
 not differ greatly from the vases      
described in the preceding section4     
,,form4--,their forms are greatly and   
often happily varied as will be seen    
from the series of outlines given in    
,fig4 #dbe4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4      
#dbe4--,scale of forms4  ,illustration3 
,,fig4 #dbf4--,tripods4  ,a striking    
feature is found in the presence of legs
 and stands4 ,the former exhibit        
globular1 conical1 cylindrical1 and     
terraced forms1 ,fig4 #dbf4 ,no example 
has any striking resemblance to         
,european forms4 ,all are tripods1 and  
are attached to ordinary forms of       
vessels in a way to suggest that they   
are superadded features probably rather 
recently acquired2 at the same time legs
 were doubtless employed by the         
precolumbian peoples4 ,this is known to 
be true of ,mexico1 and ,central and    

,south ,america4 ,there is no reason why
 the mound-builders of the ,mississippi 
should not have discovered the use of   
such a device1 readily suggested by the 
use of supports in building1 in baking1 
or in using the vessels1 and it would   
necessarily follow the modeling of life 
forms4 ,it is true that quadrupeds would
 not directly suggest the tripod1 but   
birds modeled in clay were made to rest 
upon the feet and tail1 thus giving     
three supports2 besides it would readily
 be discovered that more than three     
supports are unnecessary4  ,the stands  
attached to these bottles are not       
essentially different from those        
described in the preceding section4     
,they take the form of simple bands1 as 
seen at a1 ,fig4 #dbg2 double bands1 as 
shown in b and c2 or perforated feet1 as
 seen in d4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4      
#dbg4--,stands4  ,compound vessels are  
rather rare1 nearly all of the varieties
 being outlined in ,fig4 #dbh4 ,some of 
these are formed by uniting two or even 

three simple forms in one4 ,others are  
only partially compound and resemble the
 askoidal shapes of ,greek art4         
,attention will be called to the        
probable origin of all these shapes     
elsewhere4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4       
#dbh4--;,compound forms4  ,life forms   
are found in all the groups of ware1 but
 differ in the manner in which they are 
employed4 ,fig4 #dbi shows the usual    
methods of adapting the human form to   
high-necked bottles4 ,quadrupeds1       
fishes1 and birds are treated in        
somewhat similar ways4 ,the vessels     
represented in this and the four        
preceding illustrations belong to the   
various museums of the country4         
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#dbi4--;,adaptation of the human form4  
,,ornament4--,the styles of decoration  
are not distinct from those of other    
classes of vessels4 ,the incised scroll 
patterns are sometimes very elaborate1  
and the designs in color are perhaps    
executed with greater care than in other

 groups4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4         
#dcj4--;,bottle3 ,tennessee4--#a_/c4    
,illustration3 ,,fig4                   
#dca4--;,gourd-shaped vessel3           
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,national ,museum4  
,,illustrations4--,ordinary forms4--,i  
have not thought it advisable to figure 
many specimens of plain bottles1 as all 
the varieties of outline are repeated in
 the more highly elaborated or          
embellished pieces4 ,fig4 #dcj          
represents a plain bottle of the        
ordinary dark porous ware4 ,the neck is 
narrow above and expands abruptly below4
 ,the body is globular4 ,looking at this
 vessel with reference to a possible    
origin1 we observe its resemblance to a 
common form of gourd4 ,by a review of   
the collection1 we find that there are  
many similar vessels actually modeled in
 imitation of gourds4 ,good examples are
 given in the ,third ,annual ,report of 
the ,bureau of ,ethnology1 from which   
,fig4 #dca is taken1 and in a paper by  
,edward ,evers in ,contributions to the 

,archology of ,missouri4 ,the markings  
of the original are often shown with a  
great deal of truthfulness in the       
earthenware reproductions4              
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dcb4--;,bottle3  
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #dcc4--;,bottle3                 
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,national ,museum4  
,quite distinct in outline from the     
preceding forms is the bottle shown in  
,fig4 #dcb4 ,the neck is high and       
cylindrical and the body resembles a    
slightly-flattened globe4 ,set about the
 shoulder are four medallion-like faces1
 the features of which are modeled      
roughly in low relief4 ,the ware is of  
the ordinary dark1 slightly polished    
variety4  ,we have in ,fig4 #dcc a good 
example of bottle-shaped vessels1 the   
neck of which is wide and short1 and the
 body much compressed vertically4 ,there
 are a number of duplicates of it in the
 ,museum4 ,the specimen illustrated is  
in the national collection1 and was     
obtained in ,arkansas4 ,it is a handsome

 vase1 symmetrical in form1 quite dark  
in color1 and highly polished4 ,the     
upper surface of the body is ornamented 
with a collar formed of a broad fillet  
of clay1 or rather of two fillets1 the  
pointed ends of which unite on opposite 
sides of the vase4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #dcd4--;,bottle3                 
,arkansas4--#a_/b4  ,national ,museum4  
,the handsome vase shown in ,fig4 #dcd  
is of a somewhat different type from the
 preceding4 ,it was obtained1 along with
 many other fine specimens1 from mounds 
near ,little ,rock1 ,arkansas4 ,it is of
 the dark polished ware with the usual  
fire mottlings4 ,the form is symmetrical
 and graceful4 ,the neck is ornamented  
with a band of incised chevrons and the 
sloping upper surface of the body1      
viewed from above1 has a cruciform      
arrangement of stepped figures engraved 
in the plastic clay4  ,one of the most  
striking of the bottle-shaped vases is  
shown in ,fig4 #dce4 ,it is symmetrical 
in shape1 well proportioned and well    

finished4 ,the color is now quite dark  
and the surface is roughened by a       
multitude of pits which have resulted   
from the decay of shell particles4 ,the 
paste crumbles into a brownish dust when
 struck or pressed forcibly4            
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dce4--;,engraved 
bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,national   
,museum4  ,by far the most remarkable   
feature of the piece is the broad1      
convex hood-like collar that encircles  
the neck and spreads out over the body  
like an inverted saucer4 ,this collar is
 curiously wrought in incised lines and 
low ridges by means of which two        
grotesque faces are produced4 ,the eyes 
are readily detected1 being indicated by
 low knobs with central pits surrounded 
each by three concentric circles4 ,they 
are arranged in pairs on opposite sides4
 ,between the eyes of each pair an      
incipient nose and mouth may be made    
out4 ,the face is outlined below by the 
lower edge of the collar and above1 by a
 low indented ridge crossing the collar 

tangent to the base of the neck4  ,the  
most expanded part of the body is       
encircled by an incised pattern         
consisting of five sets of partially    
interlocked scrolls--an ornament        
characteristic of the pottery of        
,arkansas4  ,modifications of the simple
 outlines of bottles exhibit many       
interesting peculiarities4 ,compound    
forms are not unusual and consist       
generally of imitations of two vessels1 
the one superimposed upon or set in the 
mouth of another4 ,a good example in the
 ordinary plain dark ware is given in   
,fig4 #dcf4 ,similar shapes are         
suggested by lobed forms of the gourd4  
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dcf4--;,bottle3  
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,other specimens may
 be seen in which there is only a gentle
 swelling of the neck1 but all          
gradations occur between this condition 
and that in which forms of two vessels  
distinctly appear4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #dcg4--;,bottle3 ,pecan ,point1  
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,a very usual form  

is illustrated in ,fig4 #dcg4 ,below the
 overhanging lip the neck contracts and 
then expands until quite full1 and at   
the base contracts again4 ,this feature 
corresponds to the upper vessel         
suggested in the preceding case4 ,four  
flattened handles are placed about the  
upper part of the neck and three rows of
 small conical pits encircle the most   
expanded portion4 ,the body is plain and
 much compressed vertically4 ,a low wide
 stand is attached to the base4 ,a      
number of good examples1 now in the     
,national ,museum1 were found in        
,arkansas4  ,the vase shown in ,fig4    
#dch has also the double body1 the      
vessels copied having been somewhat more
 elaborately modeled than in the        
preceding cases4 ,a bottle is set within
 the mouth of a pot4 ,the neck is high1 
wide1 and flaring and rests upon the    
back of a rudely modeled frog1 which    
lies extended upon the upper surface of 
the body4 ,the notched encircling ridge 
beneath the feet of the reptile         

represents the rim of the lower vessel1 
which is a pot with compressed globular 
body and short1 wide neck4 ,this vase is
 of the dark1 dead-surfaced ware and is 
quite plain4 ,four vertical ridges take 
the place of handles4 ,i have observed  
other examples in which two vessels1    
combined in this way1 served as models  
for the potter2 one1 a shell set within 
a cup1 is illustrated in the ,third     
,annual ,report of the ,bureau of       
,ethnology2 another is given in         
,contributions to the ,archology of     
,missouri4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4       
#dch4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4     
,fig4 #dci illustrates a rather graceful
 form of bottle4 ,it is furnished with a
 rather high perforated stand or foot1  
and the body is fluted vertically with  
narrow1 widely separated channels4 ,the 
neck is high and flaring and has a      
narrow notched collar at the base4      
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dci4--;,fluted   
bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4              
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ddj4--;,engraved 

bottle3 ,arkansas4787--#a_/c4  ,there   
are many good examples of engraved      
geometric designs upon bottle-shaped    
vessels4 ,one of the most elaborate is  
presented in ,fig4 #ddj4 ,this vessel   
has a full1 wide neck1 a heavy1         
flattened body1 and a broad rudimentary 
foot4 ,the color is quite dark1 and the 
surface well polished4 ,the engraved    
design consists of four elaborate1      
interlinked scrolls1 comprising a number
 of lines1 and bordered by wing-like1   
triangular figures1 filled in with      
reticulated lines4 ,this latter feature 
is often associated with native         
delineations of mythic reptiles1 and it 
is not impossible that this scroll work 
is a highly conventionalized form of    
some such conception4 ,the four volute  
centers are slightly concave4  ,three   
excellent examples of tripod bottles are
 illustrated in the accompanying        
figures4 ,the first1 ,fig4 #dda1 is a   
large-necked1 rather clumsy vessel of   
ordinary workmanship1 which rests upon  

three globular legs4 ,these are hollow  
and the cavities connect with that of   
the body of the vessel4 ,the whole      
surface is well polished and very dark4 
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dda4--,tripod    
bottle3 ,arkansas4787--#a_/c4  ,the     
vessel depicted in ,fig4 #ddb has a     
number of noteworthy features4 ,in      
shape1 it resembles the preceding with  
the exception of the legs1 which are    
flat and have stepped or terraced       
margins4 ,the whole surface of the      
vessel is decorated with characteristic 
designs in red and white upon a warm    
gray ground4 ,a stepped figure1         
resembling the ,pueblo emblematic rim of
 the sky1 encircles the neck1 and       
semicircular figures in white appear on 
opposite sides at the top and base4 ,the
 body is covered with scroll work in    
broad red lines1 the spaces being filled
 in with white in the form of a thick   
earthy paste4 ,each of the legs has     
one-half red and the other white4  ,the 
vessel illustrated in ,fig4 #ddc is of  

ordinary1 dark1 polished ware1 and is   
entirely plain4 ,it is peculiar in the  
shape of its extremities4 ,the neck     
resembles a long truncated cone1 and the
 legs are heavy and conical1 being not  
unlike those of a common iron pot4      
,eccentric forms4--,in this place ,i am 
able to give but one example of what ,i 
have denominated eccentric forms4       
,others have been indicated on preceding
 pages4 ,the vase given in ,fig4 #ddd   
has a flattish1 ovoidal body from the   
opposite ends of which springs a hollow 
arch--a sort of double neck4 ,this has  
been perforated at the highest point1   
and a low recurving rim1 which serves as
 the mouth of the vessel1 has been      
attached4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4        
#ddb4--,tripod bottle3                  
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #ddc4--,tripod bottle3           
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #ddd4--;,bottle of eccentric     
form3 ,pecan ,point1 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4 
,another example of this form has       

recently been received at the ,davenport
 ,museum4 ,it is in fragments1 but was  
originally nicely finished and painted4 
,illustrations of others may be seen in 
the ,third ,annual ,report of the       
,bureau of ,ethnology1 and in           
,contributions to the ,archology of     
,missouri4 ,the specimen illustrated was
 found at the foot of a skeleton in a   
grave at ,pecan ,point4  ,this shape is 
common to the art of many countries1 and
 was a great favorite in ancient ,peru4 
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dde4--,owl-shaped
 bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,life      
forms4--,in the introduction to this    
section1 ,i have indicated the many ways
 in which the human form is employed in 
the embellishment or the elaboration of 
bottles4 ,birds1 beasts1 fishes1 and    
reptiles are treated in a similar       
manner4  ,the owl was a favorite subject
 with the potter1 probably on account of
 the upright1 compact figure of the     
body1 or possibly because of some       
especial regard in which this bird was  

held4  ,a rather handsome specimen is   
shown in ,fig4 #dde4 ,the modeling is   
more than usually successful1 and the   
surface is carefully finished4 ,the     
wings are treated in a pleasing but     
highly conventional manner4 ,the plumage
 is indicated by alternate bands of     
pale-red and yellow-gray1 the latter    
being the ground color4 ,these bands are
 outlined by fine incised lines4 ,the   
remainder of the body is painted red4   
,the vessel rests upon the feet and     
tail--a natural tripod4 ,in many cases  
the head of the bird forms the top of   
the neck of the bottle--the body of the 
vessel itself being plain and globular4 
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ddf4--;,hale's   
,point1 ,tennessee4--#a_/c4             
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ddg4--;,arkansas 
7874--#a_/c4  ,the heads of animals are 
treated in the same manner1 as may be   
seen by reference to ,figs4 #ddf and    
#ddg4  ,the head shown in ,fig4 #ddf is 
clearly that of a bear4 ,the whole      
vessel is painted red4 ,fig4 #ddg       

illustrates a small dark bottle1        
surmounted by a head of nondescript     
character4 ,the aperture in these       
vessels is generally at the back of the 
head4  ,fish and reptiles appear        
somewhat more rarely in connection with 
high-necked bottles4 ,the ,davenport    
,museum has recently acquired a fine    
example1 painted in red and white1 which
 has the head and other features of a   
fish1 modeled in relief upon the sides  
and bottom of the body4 ,a small1 dark  
vessel of like character is illustrated 
in the ,third ,annual ,report of the    
,bureau of ,ethnology4  ,in the example 
given in ,figs4 #ddh and #ddi the upper 
part of the neck has been modified in   
such a way as to accommodate a curious1 
medallion-like relievo of the human     
face1 while in ,figs4 #dej and #dea the 
neck is replaced by grotesque heads1 the
 latter being intended apparently for an
 owl4  ,these potters dealt with the    
human figure in a very bold manner for  
savages4 ,they were evidently capable of

 representing many creatures with       
accuracy1 but preferred grotesque or    
conventional forms4 ,a man or a woman is
 generally modeled with a large body and
 a curious hunched back1 the vertebr    
appearing along the prominent ridge4    
,the shoulder blades are usually shown  
with anatomical distinctness1 if not    
with precision2 the arms are long and   
slender and the hands rest upon the     
knees or the sides4 ,the position       
assumed is mostly that of kneeling or   
squatting1 the feet being doubled up    
beneath and uniting with the bottom of  
the vessel4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4      
#ddh4--;,bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4     
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ddi4--;,bottle3  
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #dej4--;,bottle3                 
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,illustration3      
,,fig4 #dea4--;,bottle3                 
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,these effigy vases 
are numerous1 and greatly varied in size
 and color4 ,they are mostly of the dark
 ware1 but are found painted plain red  

or in red and white figures1 some of    
which represent parts of the costume1   
others1 emblematic devices4 ,the largest
 specimen with which ,i am acquainted is
 illustrated in ,fig4 #deb4 ,it is well 
modeled1 a good deal of attention having
 been given to the details of anatomy4  
,the back is very much humped1 and the  
vertebr are represented by a series of  
knobs4 ,the position of the feet beneath
 the body is1 perhaps1 worthy of notice4
 ,this is shown in ,fig4 #dec;b4 ,it    
will be seen that the knees1 calves1    
ankles1 and the various parts of the    
feet are indicated with an approach to  
accuracy4 ,the projecting back is seen  
below4 ,the bottom of the vessel is     
nearly flat1 and the legs are modeled in
 low relief upon it4 ,other positions   
are shown in ,fig4 #dec4  ,illustration3
 ,,fig4 #deb4--;,effigy bottle3         
,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,fig4 #ded          
illustrates a characteristic profile4   
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dec4--,positions 
of feet4  ,one of these vases has a     

cross painted upon the breast of the    
personage represented4 ,the kneeling    
position1 taken in connection with the  
cross1 leads to the thought that perhaps
 the potter lived in the period of the  
,french missionary1 and attempted to    
model him in clay4 ,there is1 however1  
no indication of costume1 and the       
painting1 with the exception of the     
cross1 is in a purely aboriginal style  
of design4 ,the ground color of the vase
 is1 as usual1 a moderately dark gray   
brown1 and the painted figures are laid 
on in thick1 blackish paint4 ,lines     
partially encircle the eyes1 and extend 
down over the cheek to the neck1 and a  
line passes around the mouth and extends
 down over the chin1 neck1 and chest to 
the base of the body4 ,the horizontal   
bar of the cross connects the nipples4  
,the shoulder blades and the hands are  
also painted black4 ,the back is very   
curiously modeled and painted4          
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ded4--;,effigy   
bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4              

,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dee4--;,effigy   
bottle3 ,arkansas4--#a_/c4  ,there are  
in the collection a number of specimens 
that do not come under either of the    
preceding heads4 ,of these ,i may       
mention three small figures from        
,paducah1 ,kentucky1 which represent a  
snake1 a man1 and a deer4 ,they are very
 rudely done1 and are possibly modern   
work4  ,attention should be called to   
some small specimens resembling         
toadstools or mushrooms in shape1 some  
of which may have been stoppers for     
bottles1 while others could have served 
as implements in some of the arts4 ,one 
of these pieces has a distinctly        
vitrified surface4 ,its age1 however1   
cannot be determined4  ,there are a few 
rude pipes of usual forms and of no     
special interest4  ,the comparative     
scarcity of these articles1 so plentiful
 in some of the mound districts1 is     
certainly worthy of the attention of    
archologists4   ,,upper ,,mississippi   
,,province3  ,i have already pointed out

 the fact that most of the pottery of   
the ,upper ,mississippi region belongs  
to a distinct family4 ,it has never been
 as abundant as the pottery of the more 
southern sections of the country and is 
not well represented in our museums4    
,there are only a few pieces in the     
,davenport collection and these are all 
in a more or less fragmentary state4 ,a 
majority are from a mound near the city 
of ,davenport1 but a limited number came
 from ,wisconsin4  ,at this time it is  
impossible to define1 with any degree of
 precision1 the geographical limits of  
this class of ware4 ,the tribes by whom 
it was manufactured have evidently1 at  
one time or another1 occupied the       
greater part of the ,mississippi basin  
north of the mouth of the ,missouri     
,river4 ,similarities of material1      
shape1 methods of manufacture1 and      
ornamentation1 tend to show that we must
 include the greater parts of the       
,states of ,iowa1 ,wisconsin1 ,michigan1
 ,illinois1 ,indiana1 and ,ohio1 in the 

area covered by this or closely related 
ceramic groups1 and indications of its  
presence are discovered far beyond these
 limits4 ,the mounds of ,manitoba have  
recently furnished examples of this     
class of ware1 and it has decided       
relationships with the ware of the      
,eastern and ,northeastern ,states4 ,it 
is not yet time to draw close           
distinctions1 as sufficiently detailed  
studies of the products of the various  
districts have not been made4  ,on the  
shelves of our museums the difference   
between the two great families of the   
middle and ,upper ,mississippi are      
strikingly manifest4 ,the ware of the   
former district1 as already shown1      
exhibits variously tinted pastes        
tempered with coarsely pulverized shells
 or potsherds2 the vases1 as a rule1    
having full bodies1 well rounded bases1 
and in very many cases1 narrow necks4   
,they exhibit great variety of          
decoration and no little care in finish4
 ,the northern family shows a dark paste

 tempered with sand1 often apparently   
granitic2 a rough fracture1 and         
generally a rude finish4 ,the shapes are
 comparatively simple1 often long1      
tapering below1 and flat bottomed4 ,the 
ornamentation is totally unlike that of 
the southern variety4 ,it consists of   
cord impressions1 incised lines1 and    
implement indentations arranged in      
figures peculiar to the district4 ,there
 are many other features that1 like the 
subtile characters of human physiognomy1
 cannot easily be described1 but which  
are of first importance as indices of   
relationship or the lack of it4  ,the   
best preserved of the ,davenport        
specimens was described and illustrated 
in the first volume of the proceedings  
of the ,davenport ,academy4 ,this       
vessel1 ,fig4 #def1 was found in a mound
 near ,davenport along with human       
remains1 and closely associated with    
other relics1 among which were several  
copper implements covered with coarse   
woven fabrics4 ,its height is eleven    

inches1 width of aperture seven and a   
half inches1 and diameter of base four  
inches4 ,it is estimated to contain a   
little over one gallon4  ,there is a    
broad1 shallow constriction at the neck4
 ,the walls are from one-fourth to      
three-eighths of an inch thick1 and the 
margin of the rim is squared off1       
showing the full thickness--a strong    
characteristic of the northern pottery4 
,the form is nearly symmetrical1 and the
 surface is hand-smoothed but not       
polished4 ,the paste is now dark and    
crumbling1 and shows a rough fracture4  
,a large percentage of sand was used in 
tempering4 ,the color is a dark         
gray-brown4 ,the entire surface1 with   
the exception of a narrow band about the
 base1 has been covered with            
ornamentation4 ,this is executed with   
considerable care1 and shows a great    
deal of ingenuity and some taste4 ,there
 is apparently no feature copied from   
nature or from ideographic art4 ,two or 
three distinct implements have been     

used4 ,a part of the neck ornament was  
made by rolling back and forth a        
circular tool1 a roulette1 the edge of  
which was notched4 ,a row of indented   
nodes has been produced upon the        
exterior surface of the neck by         
impressing upon the inside the end of a 
reed or hollow bone about one-fourth of 
an inch in diameter4 ,patterns of bold1 
rather carelessly drawn lines cover the 
body and seem to have been made by      
trailing1 under pretty strong pressure1 
the smooth point of a stylus--probably  
the bone or reed already suggested4     
,some of the larger indentations upon   
the lower part of the neck may have been
 made by the same implement held in an  
oblique position4 ,the use to which this
 vessel was applied can hardly be       
guessed4 ,it was found with the remains 
of its owner1 and probably contained    
food or drink4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4   
#def4--,vase3 ,davenport1 ,iowa4--#a_/c4
  ,another smaller vessel from the same 
locality and found under similar        

conditions shows the same               
characteristics of material1 form1 and  
ornament4 ,there are also a few other   
fragments of the same ware from this    
group of mounds4 ,one of these shows    
that decoration by the indentation of   
twisted cords was practiced here as     
elsewhere4 ,a similar vase tastefully   
decorated with indented lines about the 
neck1 and a band of decoration          
consisting of broad1 plain1 sinuous     
bands upon the body1 comes from a mound 
in ,scott ,county1 ,iowa4 ,height six   
inches1 diameter the same4 ,the rims of 
all these vessels are square on the     
edge1 showing the full thickness of the 
walls4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4           
#deg4--,vase3 ,wisconsin4--#a_/b4       
,national ,museum4  ,a very interesting 
vessel obtained by ,captain ,hall from a
 mound in ,wisconsin is represented by a
 number of large fragments1 probably    
comprising about one-half of the walls4 
,it must have been somewhat larger than 
the vase given in ,fig4 #def1 and in a  

general way resembles it closely4 ,it   
appears to be more pointed below than   
the other1 and has a slightly flaring   
rim4 ,the walls are one-fourth of an    
inch thick4 ,the paste is coarse and is 
tempered with sand1 as in the cases     
already described4 ,the lower part of   
the body is covered with nearly vertical
 cord marks4 ,the upper part was        
smoothed1 rather rudely1 for the        
reception of additional decoration1     
which consists of several bands of      
indented figures4 ,the principal        
implement used was apparently a stiff   
cord1 or a slender osier wrapped with   
fine thread1 which has been laid on and 
impressed with the fingers1 forming     
nearly continuous encircling lines4     
,bands of short oblique lines made in   
the same manner also occur4 ,just below 
the margin there is a line of annular   
indentations made from the exterior1    
leaving nodes on the inside--the reverse
 of the treatment noticed in the vessel 
already illustrated4 ,fragments of      

identically marked ware from the        
vicinity of ,prairie du ,chien may be   
seen in the ,national ,museum4  ,a large
 fragment from ,baraboo ,county1        
,wisconsin1 shows a full body and a     
slightly flaring rim4 ,the upper part is
 ornamented with horizontal lines of    
annular indentations1 and the body is   
covered with rather rude patterns made  
by rolling a notched wheel or roulette  
back and forth in zigzag lines4  ,two   
handsome pieces of this ware were       
recently obtained by the ,bureau of     
,ethnology from a mound in ,vernon      
,county1 ,wisconsin4 ,the finest of     
these1 which is shown in ,fig4 #deg1 is 
six and a half inches in height1 and in 
symmetry and finish rivals the best work
 of the south4 ,the paste is dark1      
compact1 and fine grained1 and tempered 
apparently with sand4 ,the color of the 
surface is a rich1 mottled brown4 ,the  
most striking feature of the decoration 
consists of a number of polished bands1 
extending in divers directions over the 

surface1 the interstices being filled in
 with indented figures4 ,the lip is     
smooth and the margin rounded4 ,the     
exterior surface of the narrow collar is
 ornamented with oblique lines made by a
 roulette1 and crossed at intervals with
 fine incised lines4 ,the neck is       
slightly constricted1 and is encircled  
by a polished zone one and one-fourth   
inches wide1 having a line of           
indentations along the upper edge4 ,the 
body is separated into four lobes by    
four vertical1 depressed1 polished bands
 about one inch wide4 ,two of these     
lobes are crossed obliquely by similar  
polished bands4 ,these bands were all   
finished with a polishing implement1 and
 are somewhat depressed1 probably the   
result of strong pressure with this     
tool4 ,they are bordered by wide incised
 lines4 ,the intervening spaces are     
indented with a roulette4               
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #deh4--,vase2     
,illinois4--#c_/d4  ,a handsome little  
vessel1 obtained from a mound at        

,albany1 ,whitesides ,county1 ,illinois1
 is illustrated in ,fig4 #deh4 ,it      
apparently belongs to the silicious ware
 of the north4 ,the shape and           
ornamentation are somewhat novel4 ,four 
large flattish lobes occur about the    
body1 on each of which a figure somewhat
 resembling a ,maltese cross has been   
made by incising or impressing broad1   
shallow lines4 ,the remainder of the    
body is covered with marks that resemble
 impressions of a coarse osier basket4  
,this specimen was collected by ,mr4 ,c4
 ,a4 ,dodge1 and a short description was
 published by ,prof4 ,w4 ,h4 ,pratt in  
the third volume of the proceedings of  
the ,davenport ,academy4   ,,gulf       
,,province4  ,our museums contain but   
few pieces of pottery from the ,lower   
,mississippi1 and in the ,davenport     
,academy collection there are probably  
not more than a dozen typical examples  
of the leading varieties of ware of the 
,gulf ,states4 ,louisiana and           
,mississippi have furnished some very   

fine specimens of the pottery of the    
middle province1 more refined1 perhaps1 
in form1 material1 and finish than the  
ware of ,arkansas and ,missouri1 but    
still differing decidedly from the      
typical pottery of ,alabama and         
,georgia4 ,not wishing at present to    
enter upon the detailed study of the    
latter class of ware1 ,i shall present  
only the few examples contained in the  
,davenport collection4 ,the southern    
ware is characterized by refinement of  
outline1 color1 finish and ornament1 and
 is distinguished from that of the      
,middle ,mississippi by its material1   
which is a fine-grained paste1 tempered 
with very fine silicious matter instead 
of pulverized shells4  ,illustration3   
,,fig4 #dei4--;,cup3 ,alabama4--#a_/c4  
,the little cup given in ,fig4 #dei is  
from ,mobile1 ,alabama4 ,it is pointed  
at opposite ends and was probably       
modeled after or within some basket or  
fruit shell1 the impressions from which 
are seen on the surface4 ,the paste     

contains no perceptible tempering       
material4  ,the largest and most        
pleasing vessel of this class is from   
,alabama1 and is shown in ,fig4 #dfj4   
,the aperture is ten and a half inches  
in diameter1 and the height nine and    
one-half inches4 ,the form is full above
 and somewhat conical below4 ,the walls 
are thin and even and the surface well  
polished4  ,the color is dark and shows 
the usual fire mottlings4 ,there is no  
admixture of shell material1 finely     
pulverized micaceous matter appearing in
 its place4 ,the ornamentation is       
simple1 but is applied in a way to      
greatly enhance the beauty of the       
vessel4 ,it consists of a single broad  
zone of incised figures4 ,three zigzag  
lines meander the middle of the band and
 the intervening triangles are filled in
 with groups of straight lines4 ,all the
 lines are well drawn and appear to have
 been cut with a sharp point in the dry 
clay4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4            
#dfj4--;,bowl3 ,alabama4--#a_/c4        

,bottle-shaped vases are not found to   
any great extent outside of the         
,mississippi ,valley1 and are quite rare
 in ,alabama1 ,georgia1 and ,florida4   
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dfa4--;,bottle3  
,mississippi4--#a_/c4  ,the piece       
illustrated in ,fig4 #dfa is from       
,mississippi1 and in most respects is   
identical with the ware of the ,gulf    
,province4 ,the paste is silicious1     
fine-grained1 and quite hard4 ,the color
 is slightly ferruginous and clouded    
with fire stains from the baking4 ,the  
body is ornamented with the engraved    
figure of a bird apparently intended for
 an eagle4 ,the head1 with its notched  
and strongly curved beak and            
conventionalized crest1 occupies one    
side4 ,the wings may be seen at the     
right and left1 while the tail appears  
on the side opposite the head4 ,the     
flattened base of the vessel occupies   
the place of the body4 ,the lines have  
been scratched with a sharp point in the
 hardened clay4 ,certain spaces in the  

plumes1 wings1 and tail are filled in   
with reticulated lines4  ,illustration3 
,,fig4 #dfb4--;,bottle3                 
,alabama4--#a_/c4  ,the bottle presented
 in ,fig4 #dfb is embellished with a    
rather remarkable design in color4 ,the 
material is fine grained and without    
admixture of shell4 ,the color of the   
paste is a pale1 salmon gray4 ,the      
surface is coated with a thick slip or  
enamel of whitish clay1 very fine       
grained and smooth2 upon this the design
 was painted1 not in the thick earthy   
color employed farther north1 but in    
what appears to be a dark purplish-gray 
stain4 ,the design upon the body is     
wholly unlike anything yet described4   
,it is developed in the light ground    
tint by filling in the interstices with 
the dark color4 ,the peculiar character 
of this design inclines me to the view  
that it probably had an ideographic     
origin1 although possibly treated here  
as pure decoration4 ,the open hand is   
sometimes seen1 in both the decorative  

and the symbolic work of the ,gulf coast
 tribes1 and is not unknown elsewhere4  
,the figures alternating with the hands 
are suggestive of a highly              
conventionalized face1 the eyes being   
indicated by the volutes and the mouth  
and teeth by the lower part of the      
figure1 as will be seen in the fully    
projected design1 ,fig4 #dfc4 ,the neck 
has two indistinct bands of triangular  
dentate figures apparently painted in   
the dark color4 ,the bottom is flattish 
and without the coating of light clay4  
,both paste and slip can be readily     
scratched with the finger nail4 ,this   
vase was found in ,franklin ,county1    
,alabama1 near the ,mississippi line4   
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dfb4--,painted   
design4   ,r,,sum4  ,attention has been 
called to the great numbers of pieces of
 earthenware recovered from the mounds  
and graves of the middle province of the
 ,mississippi ,valley4 ,in certain      
districts--as remarked by one of our    
collectors--we have but to dig to fill  

museums4 ,such districts must have been 
occupied for a long period by a numerous
 people who recognized the claims of the
 dead upon their worldly treasures4 ,the
 burial grounds of many other sections  
of the ,american continent are          
correspondingly rich in ceramic remains4
  ,the vessels were not to any extent   
cinerary1 and probably not even mortuary
 in the sense of having been constructed
 especially for inhumation with the     
dead4 ,they were receptacles for food1  
drink1 paint1 and the like1 placed in   
the grave along with other possessions  
of the departed in obedience to the     
demands of an almost universal custom4  
,the material employed in manufacture   
embraced clay in all grades of          
refinement1 from coarse loamy earths to 
the refined slips used in surface       
finish4 ,the tempering materials--used  
in greater or lesser quantity according 
to the character of the vessel to be    
made--consisted of shell1 sand1 and     
potsherds reduced to various degrees of 

pulverulence4  ,the stage of the art    
represented by this ware is one of hand 
building purely4 ,no lathe or other     
revolving device was known1 although    
varieties of improvised molds--baskets1 
gourds1 and the like1 such as are known 
to nearly all pottery-making            
peoples--were frequently employed4  ,the
 highest degree of finish known was     
attained by the application of a slip or
 wash of fine clay which was given a    
good degree of mechanical polish by     
means of a smooth implement held in the 
hand4 ,ornament was produced by both    
flat and plastic methods4 ,the colors   
used in painting were white1 black1 and 
red earths4 ,the plastic subjects were  
incised1 stamped1 relieved1 and modeled 
in the round4  ,the period was one of   
open-air baking1 a moderate degree of   
hardness being secured4 ,the texture was
 porous and the vessels were without    
resonance4 ,the paste exhibits two      
distinct varieties of color which may be
 described roughly as light and dark4 ,a

 certain range of dark hues--blacks1    
browns1 and grays--were probably        
produced by smother baking4 ,another set
 of colors embracing light reddish and  
yellowish grays resulted from changes in
 the clay produced by simple open air   
baking4  ,a feature worthy of especial  
note is the great diversity of          
form--indicating a long practice of the 
art1 a high specialization of uses1 and 
a considerable variety in the originals 
copied4 ,the manual skill exhibited is  
of no mean order4 ,symmetry of form     
combined with considerable grace of     
outline has been achieved without the   
wheel--a result attained in still       
greater perfection by other ,american   
races4 ,notwithstanding the great       
diversity of the forms of vessels1 the  
very primitive condition of the art is  
indicated by the absence of bricks1     
tiles1 whistles1 lamps1 spindle-whorls1 
toys1 and statuettes4 ,the models from  
which the vessels were copied must have 
been quite varied1 comprising shells of 

mollusks--marine and fresh-water--gourd 
shells of varying shapes1 and vessels of
 wicker1 bark1 horn1 and wood1 such as  
are in common use with our western and  
northern tribes4  ,the execution of the 
ornamental designs indicates a rather   
low grade of skill4 ,this is especially 
true of work in color1 which has the    
appearance of a newly acquired art4     
,intaglio and relief work evinces much  
greater skill--the incised forms        
especially giving evidence of long      
experience4  ,in subject-matter the     
ornament employed bespeaks nothing      
higher perhaps than could be expected of
 our historic tribes4 ,the great body of
 the devices are geometric1 and comprise
 such motives as could have developed   
within the art or that might have been  
borrowed from closely associated arts4  
,a small percentage of incised linear   
designs come1 apparently1 from          
mythologic sources1 and delineate1 in a 
rude way1 both men and animals4  ,the   
modeling of life forms in connection    

with earthen vessels constitutes a      
feature of considerable interest1 the   
highest known achievement being         
represented by a series of vases        
imitating human heads4 ,animal forms are
 generally rudely modeled1 the imitation
 of nature having been apparently a     
secondary consideration--the associated 
idea or the fancy for the grotesque     
being the stronger motive4 ,the animal  
forms are inferior to those carved in   
stone by some of the mound-building     
peoples4  ,that any of these images were
 idols in the ordinary acceptation of   
the term is an idea that cannot be      
entertained4 ,they are always associated
 directly with vessels1 and could not be
 more than representations of the       
tutelary deities supposed to be         
interested in the uses or ceremonies to 
which the vessels were assigned4  ,in   
form there are many suggestions of the  
characteristic utensils of the north1 in
 ornament there are occasional hints of 
the south--of ,caribbean and ,mexican   

art4  ,with the ,pueblo peoples1        
notwithstanding their proximity1 there  
is hardly a hint of relationship of any 
kind4 ,unlike the ,pueblos1 the ethnical
 environment of the ,mississippi ,valley
 races would seem to have been          
considerably diversified2 there was less
 isolation2 yet there are strong        
indications that the art is mainly of   
indigenous growth1 as there is unity and
 consistency in all its features4  ,in  
reference to the period of culture      
represented by this ware1 a few words   
may be added4 ,there is no feature in it
 that could not reasonably be expected  
of the more advanced historic tribes of 
the ,valley4 ,it indicates a culture    
differing in many ways from that of the 
,pueblos1 ancient and modern1 but on the
 whole rather inferior to it4 ,the work 
of ,mexico1 ,central and ,south ,america
 is decidedly superior in every         
essential feature4  ,there are many     
difficulties in the way of instituting a
 comparison of this work with that of   

the primitive work of the ,old ,world4  
,these ,i shall not stop to present in  
this place4 ,in the most general way1 ,i
 may say that the ceramic art of the    
,middle ,mississippi is apparently      
superior to that of the stone age in    
,europe1 but little can be inferred in  
regard to relative grades of culture4   
,in classic countries it is difficult to
 find its true equivalent4 ,to reach a  
stage of art correspondingly low we     
shall have to go behind the heroic      
age--to pass down through more than the 
five prehistoric cities of the hill of  
,hissarlik and descend into the lowest  
archologic substratum4 ,even this1      
unless it represent the first           
achievement of that grade of art upon   
the continent1 would afford uncertain   
data for comparative study4  ,a given   
grade of ceramic achievement runs so    
freely up and down the scale of culture 
that alone its evidence is of little    
value in determining culture status4    
,index    ,adams ,county1 ,ohio1        

,serpent earthwork in #djb   ,age of    
pottery in ,mississippi ,valley #cga    
,alabama1 ,pottery from #cie1 #cif1     
#dca1 #dcd   ,albany1 ,illinois1        
,pottery from #dcj   ,ancient pottery of
 the ,mississippi ,valley1 ,william ,h4 
,holmes #cfa-dcf   ,animal forms in     
pottery #chc-cib   ,arkansas1 ,pottery  
from #cgh-cib1 #cid-cih1 #cii-daj1      
#dac-dbf    ,baraboo ,county1           
,wisconsin1 ,pottery from #dcj   ,basket
 molds for pottery #cgb   ,bottles or   
jars1 ,wide-mouthed #cih-daa   ,burial  
grounds1 ,pottery in #dcd     mounds1   
,pottery in #cgj   ,burning pottery     
#dcd-dce    ,ceramic art groups #cfi    
,change of habitat modifies ideas #cgj  
,cherokee pottery #cga   ,color in      
,mississippi ,valley pottery #cgc1 #cgd 
,classification of form ,mississippi    
,valley pottery #cge   ,compound vessels
 #dab   ,contact of people modifies     
ideas #cgj   ,construction of pottery in
 ,mississippi ,valley #cgb              
,contributions to the ,archology of     

,missouri #cfg1 #dad1 #dah1 #dbb        
,culture represented in pottery #dcj    
,curved forms #cge    ,davenport1 ,iowa1
 ,pottery from vicinity of #dbg1 #dbh   
,differences in pottery of different    
regions #dbg1 #dca   ,dodge1 ,c4 ,a41   
collected pottery #dca   ,du ,pratz     
describes pottery #cga    ,evers1 ,dr4  
,edward1 ,publication by #cfg1 #dad     
,finish of ,mississippi ,valley pottery 
#cgc   ,form in ,mississippi ,valley    
pottery #cgc   ,franklin ,county1       
,alabama1 ,pottery in #dcd    ,gulf     
,province in pottery #dca    ,habitat   
modifies ideas1 ,change of #cgj   ,hall1
 ,captain1 ,pottery obtained by #cha1   
#dbi   ,holmes1 ,w4 ,h42 ,ancient       
pottery of the ,mississippi ,valley     
#cfa-dcf    ,ideas modified by certain  
influences #cgj   ,illinois1 ,pottery   
from #dcj   ,iowa1 ,pottery from #dbg1  
#dbh1 #dbi    ,jars1 ,wide-mouthed      
bottles or #cih-daa   ,jones1 ,dr4      
,joseph1 ,publication by #cfg           
,kentucky1 ,pottery from #dbf    ,little

 ,rock1 ,ark41 ,collection of pottery at
 7,see ,thibault74     ,pottery from    
mound near #dae   ,louisiana1 ,pottery  
from #cii1 #dca    ,madisonville1 ,ohio1
 ,mounds at #djf   ,mexican pottery head
 #dji1 #daa   ,middle ,mississippi      
province in pottery #cfi-dbf            
,mississippi1 ,pottery from #cii1 #djc1 
#dca1 #dcb     province in pottery1     
,middle #cfi-dbf     province in        
pottery1 ,upper #dbf-dca     ,valley1   
,ancient pottery of the 7,w4 ,h4        
,holmes7 #cfa-dcf   ,missouri1 ,pottery 
from #cie1 #cif   ,mobile1 ,pottery from
 #dca   ,modification of form in pottery
 #cgc   ,mound-builders #djf1 #dce      
,mounds1 ,pottery from #cgj1 #dae1 #dbi1
 #dca    ,natchez pottery #cga    ,ohio1
 ,mounds at ,madisonville #djf          
,serpent earthwork in ,adams ,county    
#djb    ,paducah1 ,pottery from #dbf    
,peabody ,museum collections #cfg       
,pecan ,point1 ,pottery from #cfi1 #cha1
 #cij1 #cia1 #cib1 #cif1 #cig1 #cih1    
#cii1 #djd1 #djh-dji1 #daj1 #dag1 #dbb  

,pot-shaped vessels #cib-cih   ,potter1 
,prof4 ,w4 ,b41 ,publication by #cfg    
,pottery buried with the dead #cgj1 #dcd
     from ,arkansas #cid-cih     of the 
,mississippi ,valley1 ,ancient #cfa-dcf 
,pratt1 ,prof4 ,w4 ,h41 ,aid of #cfh1   
#cha1 #dca   ,prairie du ,chien1        
,pottery from vicinity of #dcj          
,putnam1 ,mrs4 ,m4 ,l4 ,d41 ,aid of #cfh
    ,scott ,county1 ,iowa1 ,pottery     
from4 7,see ,davenport74   ,serpent in  
pottery #djb   ,shells as primitive     
vessels #chc     used in pottery #cgb   
,south ,american pottery #daa   ,storage
 vessels of pottery #cga    ,technique  
modifies ornament #djj-dfe   ,tennessee1
 ,pottery from #cha-chb1 #cie1 #cig1    
#dac1 #dbc   ,thibault1 ,j4 ,h41        
,pottery collection of #chb1 #daj       
,tripod bottles #dbj1 #dba    ,upper    
,mississippi province in pottery        
#dbf-dcj    ,vernon ,county1 ,wisconsin1
 ,pottery from #dcj    ,whitesides      
,county1 ,illinois1 ,pottery from #dcj  
,wisconsin1 ,pottery from #dbi1 #dcj    

99       99       99       99       99  
,transcriber's ,note   ,errata          
,missing and illegible_/damaged         
punctuation has been repaired4   ,page  
#cff3 '#dbj' corrected to '#dbb'3       
#dde4--,owl-shaped bottle3 ,arkansas4   
7,page7 #dbb  ,page #dcd3 'enployed'    
corrected to 'employed'3 known to nearly
 all pottery-making peoples--were       
frequently employed4  ,sundry page      
numbers in the ,index have also been    
corrected4