An excellent example of the more elaborate figures is shown in Fig. 30. It is of reddish gold, slightly alloyed apparently with copper, and has in finishing received a very thin wash or plating of yellow gold, which is worn off in exposed parts. The central feature of the rather complicated structure is a grotesque human figure, much like the preceding, and having counterparts in both clay and stone. The figure is backed up and strengthened by two curved and flattened bars of gold, one above and the other below, as seen in the cut. The figure is decked with and almost hidden by a profusion of curious details, executed for the most part in wire and representing serpents and birds. Three vulture-like heads project from the crown and overhang the face. Two serpents, the bodies of which are formed of plaited wire, issue from the mouth of the figure and are held about the neck by the hands. The heads of the serpents are formed of wire folded in triangular form and are supplied with double coils of wire at the sides, as if for ears, and with little balls of gold for eyes. Similar heads project from the sides of the head and from the feet of the image.

 
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Fig. 30. Grotesque human figure in nearly pure gold.

The peculiarities of construction are seen to good advantage in this specimen. The figure is made up of a great number of separate pieces, united apparently by pressure or by hammering while the material was somewhat plastic. Upwards of eighty pieces can be counted. The larger pieces, forming the body and limbs, are hollow or concave behind. Nearly all the subordinate parts are constructed of wire.

The bird.—

Images of birds are numerous and vary greatly in size and elaboration. They are usually represented with expanded wings and tails, the under side of the body being finished for show. The back is left concave and rough, as when cast, and is supplied with a ring for suspension or attachment, as seen in the profile view (Fig. 31). The owl, the eagle, the parrot, and various other birds are recognized, although determinations of varieties are not possible, as in many cases the forms are rude or greatly obscured by extraneous details. The example shown in Fig. 31 is of the simplest type and the rudest workmanship, and is apparently intended for some rapacious species, possibly a vulture. The body, wings, and tail are hammered quite thin and are left frayed and uneven on the edges. The material appears to be nearly pure copper plated with yellow gold. Specimens of this class are very numerous. One, presented in a publication of the Society of Northern Antiquaries, and now in the museum at Copenhagen, is thought to be intended for a fish hawk, as it carries a fish in its mouth. De Zeltner mentions a statuette in gold of a paroquet, whose head is ornamented with two winged tufts. Such a specimen may be seen in the collection of Mr. Stearns.

Fig. 32 is reproduced from Bollaert. It represents a parrot and is very elaborately worked.

 
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Fig. 32. Image of a bird in gold, from Bollaert.

The puma.—

Representations of quadrupeds are common; a good example, copied from Bollaert, is given in Fig. 33. The animal intended is apparently a puma, a favorite subject with Chiriquian workers in clay and stone as well as in gold. The body is hollow and open beneath and the fore feet are finished with loops for suspension. A similar piece with head thrown back over the body is shown in Fig. 34. The metal in this case appears to be nearly pure copper.

Grotesque figure.—

Another piece collected by Mr. McNiel is outlined in Fig. 35. The metal is quite base and the surface has been coated with gold, which is now nearly all rubbed off. The shape is that of a quadruped. The face has a rather grotesque, not to say satanic, expression. The details are not unlike those of other examples previously given.

The fish.—

The fish was a favorite subject with the ancient nations of South America, and is modeled in clay, woven into fabrics, and worked in metals with remarkable freedom. It was in great favor in Chiriqui and must have been of importance in the mythology of the country. It occurs most frequently in pottery, where it is executed in color and modeled in the round. The very grotesque specimen in gold shown in Fig. 36 is copied from Harper’s Weekly of August 6, 1859, where it forms one of a number of illustrations of these curious ornaments. The paper is, I believe, by Dr. F. M. Otis, who had just returned from Panama. A very curious piece owned by Mrs. Philip Phillips, of Washington, represents a creature having some analogies with the fish figure of Otis. Issuing from the mouth is the same forked tongue, each part terminating in a serpent’s head. The body is about two inches long and the back has five triangular perforations. The tail is forked and the four leg-like members terminate in conventional serpents’ heads. The metal is pure or nearly pure gold.

 
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Fig. 36. Figure of a fish in gold. From Harper’s Weekly, 1859.

The frog.—

The frog appears in the plastic art of Chiriqui more frequently perhaps than any other reptile. Its form is reproduced with much spirit and in greatly varying sizes, degrees of elaboration, and styles of presentation. It is probable that a number of species are represented. In Fig. 37 we have a large, rather plain specimen, now in the National Museum. The body and limbs are concave beneath, the metal being about one-sixteenth of an inch thick. Teeth are suggested by a number of perforations encircling the jaws and the eyes are minute hawk bells containing pellets of metal. The legs are placed in characteristic positions, and the hind feet are broad plates without indications of toes, a characteristic of these golden frogs. The framework or foundation is of copper, apparently nearly pure, and the surface is plated with thin sheet gold, which tends to flake off as the copper foundation corrodes.

 
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Fig. 37. Large figure of a frog in base metal plated with gold.

The minute, delicately finished example given in Fig. 38 contrasts strongly with the preceding. It is also of base metal plated with pure gold and belongs to the collection of Mr. Stearns.

The alligator.—

The alligator, which appears so frequently in the pottery of Chiriqui, is only occasionally found in gold. A striking specimen, illustrated in Harper’s Weekly of August 6, 1859, is given in Fig. 39. A similar piece, formed of base metal, is in the collection of Mr. Stearns.

 
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Fig. 39. Figure of an alligator, in gold, published in Harper’s Weekly, 1859.

The crayfish (?).—

In Fig. 40 we have a fine specimen, intended apparently to represent a crayfish or some similar crustacean form. The head is supplied with complicated yet graceful antenna-like appendages, made of wire neatly coiled and welded together by pressure or hammering. The eyes are globular and are encircled by the ends of a double loop of wire which extends along the back and incloses a line of minute balls or nodes. The peculiar wings and tail will be best understood by referring to the illustration. The foundation metal is much corroded, being dark and rotten, and the plating of reddish gold seems to have been coated with a thin film of yellow gold. The profile view gives a good idea of the thickness of the metal and of the relief of the parts. Two rings or loops of doubled wire are attached to the extreme end of the nose and a heavy ring for suspending is fixed to the under side of the head.

Miscellaneous.—

Gold, pure and in the usual alloys, was also used in the manufacture of other articles, such as bells, beads, disks, balls, rings, whistles, thimble shaped objects, and amulets of varied shapes. Bells are more generally made of bronze, because, perhaps, of its greater degree of resonance. Thin plates, or rather circular sheets, of gold leaf are numerous. One mentioned by Bollaert was 7¼ inches in diameter. They are plain or crimped about the margins, indented in various ways, and sometimes perforated, apparently for suspension or attachment. Merritt mentions examples having holes which showed evidences of wear upon one side only, indicating attachment in a fixed position to some object or to some part of the costume. But one example is at hand, a thin sheet, three inches in diameter and crimped or indented neatly about the margin. Its thickness is about that of ordinary tinfoil.

BRONZE.

Bells.—

Bells seem to have been in pretty general use by the more cultured American races previous to the conquest. The form best known is the hawk bell, or common sleighbell of the North. The globular body is suspended by a loop at the top and is slit on the under side, so that the tinkling of the small free pellets of metal may be audible. Such bells are found in considerable numbers in the graves of Chiriqui, although I have no positive assurance that any of the examples in my possession were actually taken from graves which contained typical Chiriquian relics of other classes. The specimens now in the National Museum (Fig. 41) are in most cases, if not in all, of bronze, as determined by Mr. R. B. Riggs, of the chemical laboratory of the United States Geological Survey. All have been cast in molds. In most cases there are traces of a plating of gold. The largest is 1¼ inches in height and three-fourths of an inch in diameter. It is surmounted by the rude figure of an animal, through or beneath the body of which is an opening for the attachment of a cord. Others have simple loops at the top. The small perforated specimen belongs to Mr. Stearns. The additional piece given in Fig. 42 is unique in conception. It represents a human head, which takes an inverted position when the bell is suspended. The lower part of the bell forms a conical crown to the head and the ring of suspension is attached to the chin. Double coils of wire take the place of the ears, and the other features are formed by setting on bits of the material used in modeling. This specimen belongs to the collection of Mr. Stearns. Many examples of more elaborate workmanship have been recovered from the tombs and are now to be found in the collections of America and Europe.

A specimen found many years ago on the Rio Grande, near Panama, and figured in Harper’s Weekly, was of gold and showed specific variations from the Chiriquian pieces. It will be seen by reference to the outline given in Fig. 43 that three very neatly shaped and gracefully ornamented bells are mounted upon a circular plate to which a short handle is attached. It was evidently not intended for suspension, but rather to be held in the hand as a rattle.

 
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Fig. 43. Triple bell or rattle found on the Rio Grande.

A question as to the authenticity of these bells as aboriginal works very naturally arises, and it may be difficult to show to the satisfaction of the skeptical mind that any particular specimen is not of European origin or inspiration. At the same time we are not without strong evidences that such bells were in use by the Americans before the advent of the whites. Historical accounts are not wanting, but I shall only stop to point out some of the internal evidences of the native art. The strongest argument is to be found in the presence of analogous features in other branches of the art and in other arts. The eyes of the golden figures of reptiles are in many cases minute hawk bells, and in works of clay, the purely aboriginal character of which has not been called in question, similar features are discovered. The American origin of the bell, therefore, is not to be questioned. The form originated, no doubt, in the rattle, at first a nutshell or a gourd; later it was modeled in clay, and in time the same idea was worked out in the legs and the ornaments of vessels and in the heads and other parts of animal forms, which were made hollow and supplied with tinkling pellets. With the acknowledged skill of these people in the working of metals, there is no reason why the bells described should not have been manufactured independently of European aid and influence, provided the requisite metal was at hand.

It should be observed that if these early American bells were copied from or based upon Spanish originals they would not probably vary greatly in type with the various sections from which they are recovered, but it is observed that marked and persistent differences do occur. The well known Mexican bell, an example of which is outlined in Fig. 44, although of bronze, is generically distinct in form and construction.

In a brief review I may recall the more salient points regarding the use of metals in ancient Chiriqui. Gold, silver, copper, and apparently tin are represented.

Gold and copper were very plentifully distributed among the isthmian races, but we have little information as to the sources of supply. Free gold is found in the stream beds of many localities, and copper was probably found in its native state in some convenient locality; yet it is not impossible that these metals were transported from distant regions, as the inhabitants of Chiriqui must have had considerable intercourse with those of Central America on the north and with those of Granada on the south. Silver and tin are found in alloys with gold and copper, but not as independent metals. The silver gold alloy is probably a natural compound. In no case have I found silver to exceed 6 per cent. of the composite metal. Tin was artificially alloyed with copper, forming bronze. The latter metal resembles our ordinary bronze in color and hardness, but I am unable to secure more than a qualitative analysis on account of the scarcity of specimens available for the purpose. We have no information in regard to the origin of the tin. It is not found in a native state, and since it seems hardly probable that the Chiriquians understood smelting ores we are left in doubt as to whether it was obtained from more cultured nations to the north or to the south or from transoceanic countries.

The gold-copper alloys appear to range between pure gold and pure copper. If the bronze is of European origin, then we must conclude that all objects made of that metal are of post-Columbian manufacture. This question will probably be definitely settled in the near future.

The greater number of the objects were formed by casting in molds. Hammering was but little practiced, excepting, apparently, in the formation of sheet gold, which was probably an indigenous product. Repoussé work is not found, save as represented in the crimping and indenting of gold leaf. Engraving and carving were not practiced. It may be considered certain that gilding, or at least plating, was understood.

The objects are obtained from ancient graves of which no record or reliable tradition is preserved. They are all ornaments, no coin, weapon, tool, or utensil having come to my notice. The absence of utensils and of hammered objects of any kind strikes me as being rather extraordinary, since it is popularly supposed that, in the normal succession of events, hammering should precede casting and that utensils should be made before elaborate ornaments.

The work exhibits close analogies with that of the mainland of South America, but these analogies appear to be in material, treatment, and scope of employment rather than in the subject matter of the conceptions. The personages and zoömorphic characters represented are characteristically Chiriquian, and were derived no doubt from the mythology of the locality. These works affiliate with the various works in stone and clay, the art products of the province thus constituting a fairly homogeneous whole and being entirely free from traces of European influence.

Metals do not come into use early in the history of a race, as they are not found in shapes or conditions suitable for immediate use, nor are they sufficiently showy when found to be especially desirable for ornaments. A long period must have elapsed before the use of metals was discovered, and a longer period must have passed before they were worked; and, in the light of our knowledge of the ancient tribes of the United States, it would seem that a considerable degree of culture may be achieved before the casting of metals is understood; but in the ordinary course of progress the discovery of methods of alloying rare metals would be far separated from that of the simple fusing and casting of a single metal, such as gold. The Chiriquian peoples not only had a knowledge of the methods of alloying gold with copper, and, apparently, copper with tin, but, if our data are correct, they were able to plate the baser metals and alloys with sheet gold, and, what is far more wonderful, to wash them with gold, producing an effect identical with that of our galvanic processes.

The character of the conceptions embodied in the art unite with evidences of technical skill to prove to us that American culture, as represented by the metal ornaments of Chiriqui, was not the product of a day, but of long periods of experiment and progress.

POTTERY.

Preliminary.—

The importance of the potter’s art to archæology has often been pointed out. Baked clay is one of the most enduring materials utilized in art, and its employment by the races of men has fallen but little short of universal. The creations of that noblest of arts, architecture, and the antecedent forms of house building are necessarily left where erected, to be fed upon by the remorseless elements of nature, but the less pretentious utensil of clay accompanies its owner to the tomb, where it remains practically unchanged for ages.

Many glimpses of the early history of the American races and of the progress of art in pre-Columbian times are obtained through these exhumed relics, and in no case have we a view more clear and comprehensive than that furnished in the series here presented. The graves of Chiriqui have yielded to a single explorer upwards of 10,000 pieces of pottery, and this chiefly from an area perhaps not more than fifty miles square. These vessels constitute at least 90 per cent. of the known art of the ancient occupants of the province, and, although not so eloquent of the past as are the inscribed tablets of Assyria or the pictured vases of Greece, they tell a story of art and of peoples that without their aid would remain untold to the end of time.

A careful study of the earthenware of this province leads to the conclusion that for America it represents a very high stage of development, and its history is therefore full of interest to the student of art. Its advanced development as compared with other American fictile products is shown in the perfection of its technique, in the high specialization of form, and in its conventional use of a wide range of decorative motives. There is no family of American ware that bears evidence of higher skill in the manipulation of clay or that indicates a more subtile appreciation of beauty of form, and no other that presents so many marked analogies to the classic forms of the Mediterranean. Strangely enough, too, notwithstanding the well established fact that only primitive methods of manufacture were known, there is a parallelism with wheel made ware that cannot but strike the student with amazement.

In speaking thus of the whole body of ceramic products, I would not convey the impression that there is perfect homogeneity throughout, as if all were the work of a single people developed from within, and therefore free from the eccentricities that come from exotic influence. On the contrary, there is strong evidence of mixed conditions of races and of arts, the analysis of which, with our present imperfect data, will be extremely difficult. These evidences of mixed conditions are found in the marked diversity and individuality of character of the various groups of ware.

It is impossible, without the aid of careful observations in the field, to arrive at any conclusion as to the relative age of the different varieties of ware. Appearances of age are deceptive; the newer looking varieties may be the older and those executed in the most primitive style may belong to the later period, for grades in culture are not chronologic.

With reference to the principal groups of relics, we cannot do better than accept the statements of collectors that all are buried in like ways and in similar tombs, different varieties in many cases occurring in the same tomb. There are, however, in a few minor groups such marked distinctions in workmanship and style that we are compelled to attribute them to different periods or to distinct communities. The groups separated most completely from others are the scarified pottery presented first in the series of painted wares, the maroon group, which follows, and other varieties represented by fugitive pieces. The latter may have reached Chiriqui from neighboring provinces. There are certain pieces that speak decidedly of Costa Rican influence and others that find their counterparts in the Colombian states to the south.

In art in clay in most countries the vessel is the leading idea, the center about which nearly the entire ceramic art is gathered. This is true in a marked degree in Chiriqui, and vessels are therefore given the first place in this paper. The less usual forms include drums, whistles, rattles, stools, spindle whorls, needlecases, and toy-like images, all of which present features of peculiar interest. These classes of objects are discussed in separate sections.

There are few indications of an ambition to model natural forms or mythologic figures independently of utensils and useful objects, and, strange to say, no pieces are found that portray the human face and figure with even a fair degree of approach to nature.

How found.—

In describing the graves and tombs in a previous section, I alluded to the manner in which the pottery was deposited. It appears to have been buried with the dead or thrown into the grave with the earth and stones with which the pit was filled. There was little regularity in the place or position of the vessels and many were broken when found. The precise use of the vessels, the character of the contents, or the relation of particular pieces to the remains of the dead cannot be determined. Although the human remains have almost entirely disappeared and there are no traces left of utensils of wood, bone, horn, or shell, the paste, slip, and colors are wonderfully well preserved and the surface is not even discolored by contact with the earth. When found, every crevice and cavity is completely filled with earth, and the paste is often so tender that the vessels have to be dried with great care before they can be handled with freedom. The number of pieces found in a grave sometimes reaches twenty, but the average is perhaps not above three or four.

Material.—

The material used in the manufacture of this ware is remarkably uniform throughout the whole province, varying slightly with the locality, with the group, and with the character of the vessel constructed. Generally the paste consists of a matrix of fine clay tempered with finely pulverized sand, in which may be detected grains of quartz, feldspar, hornblende, augite, particles of iron oxide, &c. Argillaceous matter has been sparingly used, the sand in many cases comprising at least 75 per cent. of the mass. Many of the unpainted specimens, from which the polished slip has been removed, give off showers of fine sand when rubbed by the hand, and it is difficult to detect the presence of any finely comminuted matrix whatever. The thin slip employed in surface finish is more highly argillaceous than the paste. The clay used was probably mostly light in color, as the paste is now quite uniformly so. The baking was effected apparently without a very high degree of temperature and by methods that left few marks or discolorations upon the vessels. In hardness and durability the paste corresponds pretty closely with that of our red porous earthenware. The softer pieces can be scratched or even carved with a knife. Water will penetrate any of these vessels in a few minutes, but decay has probably tended to make the walls more porous.

Manufacture.—

There is no piece of this ware that does not bear evidence of a high degree of skill on the part of the potter; and yet, owing to the thorough manner in which the work is finished, the precise methods of manipulation are not easily detected. So great is the symmetry and so graceful are the shapes that one is led to suspect the employment of mechanical devices of a high order. The casual observer would at once arrive at the conclusion that the wheel or molds had been used, but it is impossible to detect the use of any such appliances. We observe that irregular and complex forms, in the production of which mechanical appliances could not be used to advantage, are modeled with as much grace of contour and perfection of surface as are the simpler shapes that could be turned upon a wheel, and we conclude that with this remarkable people the hand and the eye were so highly educated that mechanical aids were not indispensable. I find no evidence that coil building was systematically practiced, but it is clear that parts of complex forms were modeled separately and afterwards united. The various ornaments in relief (the heads and other parts of animals) and the handles, legs, and bases of vessels were constructed separately and then luted on, and with such skill that the thinnest walls and the most complex and delicate forms were not injured in the process. The contact irregularities were then worked down, and every part of the surface, including the more important ornaments, were rendered smooth, preparatory to the application of the thin surface wash or slip. After the slip was applied and the clay became somewhat indurated, the surface was polished with smooth pebbles, the marks of which can be seen on the less accessible parts of the vessel. On the exposed surfaces of certain groups of ware the polish is in many cases so perfect that casual observers and inexperienced persons take it for a glaze. Incised figures and painted decorations were generally executed after the polishing was complete. Details of processes will be given as the various classes of ware pass under review.

The methods of baking were apparently of a higher order than those practiced in many parts of America. One rarely discovers traces of the dark discolorations that result from primitive methods of baking, yet there are none of the contact marks that arise from the furnace firing of Spanish-American potters.

Color.—

The colors of the ware and of the surface applications vary decidedly with the different groups. The prevailing colors of the paste may be defined as ranging from very light yellow grays to a variety of ochery yellows and very pale terra cotta reds. In one or two groups there is an approach to salmon and orange hues, and in another the color is black or dark brown. The color within the mass is in some cases darker than upon the surface, an effect produced in baking, and not through the use of different clays. The slip is usually lighter than the surface of the paste.

The colors used in finishing and decorating are confined to reds, blacks, and purple grays. In one large group of ware the appearance of the delineations is such as to lead to the conclusion that the principal pigment or fluid employed in delineation has totally disappeared, carrying with it all underlying colors not of unusual permanence or not worked down with the polishing implement. The Aztec and other races of tropical America used an argillaceous, white pigment in decorating their wares, which has in many cases partially or wholly disappeared, carrying away considerable portions of the colors over which it was laid, while in other cases, and also in this Chiriqui ware, there is no trace of color remaining and we are left to surmise that the brush used probably contained merely a “taking out” medium. Red was profusely used and varies from a light vermilion to a deep maroon. In certain classes of vessels it was hastily daubed on, covering prominent parts of the surface or forming irregular spots, streaks, and rude figures. In two groups of ware it was used as the chief delineating color. In some cases it was employed as a wash or slip and was worked down with the polishing stone, and in this condition it was treated as a ground upon which to execute designs in other colors. It is always a fast color and is probably of mineral character.

The blacks are of two kinds, which are used in distinct groups of ware: one, probably a mineral pigment, somewhat pasty when applied and quite permanent, is always used in delineating the ornamental figures; the other, possibly a vegetable tint, is always used as a ground upon which to execute designs in other mediums. It is confined to a single group of ware. It has in many cases disappeared entirely, and where remaining can be removed with ease by rubbing.

A light purple tint is tastefully and sparingly employed in one group of ware. Browns and other hues occur but rarely and in all cases result from alterations of other colors produced in firing. The color effects of this pottery, although evidently much modified by age, are sufficiently rich to be highly pleasing to the eye.

Use.—

The uses to which most classes of earthen products were applied are easily determined. Whistles, drums, rattles, and spindle whorls have definite duties to perform, and vessels, as to general scope of function, answer for themselves: but when we come to inquire into the particular uses of the various groups of vessels we are often at a loss. The majority of the pieces show no abrasion by handling or discoloration by fire or by contents, and I am inclined to believe that a large portion were taken directly from the furnace and deposited in the tombs. This implies manufacture for purely mortuary purposes.

Two important groups, the high tripods and the two handled cups or pots, are generally discolored by use over fire, but we cannot say with confidence whether that use was a domestic one or whether it was ceremonial. The small size and the elaborate modeling of a majority of the pieces make it appear improbable that they were intended for use in ordinary cooking or even in the preparation of beverages. A few large plain caldrons are found, and these were probably domestic receptacles. All things considered, it would seem highly probable that the greater portion of the vessels exhumed from the graves were intended to be used for religious and mortuary purposes.

The preceding paragraphs refer, for the most part, to the whole body of earthenware products, but throughout the rest of this section I shall treat of vessels only, except in the matter of decoration, which refers equally to all classes of objects.

Forms of vessels.—

Divesting the utensil of extraneous features, such as rims, handles, and legs, we have the following series of shapes, which shows a pretty full graduation of outline from extreme to extreme. Beginning with the simplest fundamental form, the shallow cup (Fig. 45, a), we ascend gradually to more complex outlines, such as are seen in the hemispherical bowl (b), the deep basin with slightly incurved rim (c), the globular form (d), and the elongated form  (e). Occasionally we see an eccentric variation, such as is shown in f. Flat bottoms are unusual; a conical base is the rule. Outlines do not always exhibit these even, convex curves, but many are straight or concave in profile, as shown in Fig. 46. Complex forms are shown in Fig. 47, a and b, and compound forms in Fig. 48, a and b. Examples of these classes are numerous and important. The compound shapes result from the union of two or more simple forms. Eccentric forms are numerous and result in a majority of cases from the employment of some animal as a model. Thus, if an alligator or almost any quadruped is embodied in the vessel, the form tends to become elongated; if a crab or a fish is imitated, there is a tendency to flatness &c. The base is almost universally more or less conical, is rarely flat, and never concave, excepting as the result of the addition of an annular foot or stand. The radical shapes do not undergo any considerable change when rims, necks, handles, legs, and other appendages are added. The rim or lip is in many cases incurved, but as a rule it is turned outward. The margin is plain, symmetrical, and often considerably thickened. In a few instances the outline is rectangular or scalloped, as shown in Fig. 49, and the attachment of handles often leads to peculiar outlines, as will be seen further on.

The neck in its simplest form is a narrow upright band surrounding the orifice (Fig. 50, a) and is not differentiated from the rim. Variations in size and shape are shown in the remaining figures of the series. In b it is a narrow constricted band beneath an overhanging rim, in c it is upright and considerably elongated, and in d it expands, giving a funnel shaped mouth. The exterior surface is very generally decorated with relieved or painted devices. High necked bottles and pitcher shaped vessels are unknown.

Handles constitute a very interesting feature of this pottery and are much varied in shape and arrangement. In a few cases the handle is a single arch springing over the orifice, as seen in Fig. 51, a. Again, the handle is attached to one side, as in b, but as a rule handles occur in twos upon the shoulder, one on either side of the aperture. They are horizontally attached, as in c, or vertically placed, as in d, connecting the rim with the shoulder, or they occur low on the body, as in e. In rare cases there are four handles, which are arranged as seen in f or are set on in pairs. In the elaboration of handles, the use made of animal forms is perhaps the most notable feature. Grotesque figures are made to take the place of handles or are attached to or placed near them. The treatment is so varied that I shall have to refer the student to the subsequent series of illustrations.

Annular bases or feet were not in very general use in Chiriqui, although in some cases they are modeled with a great deal of grace. The shape varies from a simple ring, barely deep enough to give a firm support to the vessel when placed upon a level surface, to a long, attenuated column with flaring base. The latter is perhaps one of the nearest approaches which America has furnished to the slender foot characteristic of the wheel made ware of Mediterranean countries.

The vessel shown in Fig. 52, a, has a somewhat rudimentary foot; another, b, a firm, wide base, which is perforated to give lightness; an hourglass-like piece is shown in c, and a long, bell shaped foot is seen in d. In no part of the world do earthen vessels exhibit such a remarkable development of legs as in Southern Central America. The tripod is the favorite support, and in Chiriqui the forms are more graceful than in the neighboring provinces. In a few cases, where the body was modeled in close imitation of animal forms, four legs were used, but three were generally preferred, even for vessels of rectangular or irregular shapes. In the simplest form they are small conical knobs, placed rather close together about the base of the vessel (Fig. 53, a), but from these the dimensions increase until the size is out of all reasonable proportion. The maximum development in point of expansion is seen in b and the greatest height in c. They are frequently modeled after life forms. In a few cases rings or loops are employed, as shown in d. The larger forms, and especially those imitating animals, are hollow and contain round pellets of clay that rattle when the vessel is moved. The manner in which the legs are attached to the body of the vessel leads me to observe that the vessel is independently a perfect utensil, and that in all probability the tripod was a feature acquired late in the progress of Chiriquian culture, as a result of some change in the surroundings of the people or in the uses to which the vessel was devoted. Annular bases and tripods would be of little use until level floors of unyielding material came into vogue.

Decoration.—

In decoration the pottery of this province exhibits many remarkable features. The work resembles somewhat closely, in a number of its features, that of certain districts lying to the north and to the south, but at the same time it is possessed of very decided individuality. From an examination of the designs I conclude that they represent a period of culture considerably inferior to that of some more northern sections, although the ware itself is nowhere surpassed in grace of form and delicacy of finish.

The ornamentation is pretty evenly divided between plastic and flat forms. The former include relieved features and intaglio features, which are executed in the plastic clay, and the latter comprise figures in color, penciled or painted upon the surface. Each style of work embodies its own peculiar class of conceptions. Relief work is generally realistic or grotesque; incised work is almost exclusively geometric, and embraces combinations of lines usually recognized as archaic. An occasional example is easily recognized as imitative. Painted figures are both geometric and imitative, the two forms blending imperceptibly.

The more important plastic decorations consist of animal forms modeled in the round. Vegetable forms have not been employed. Fillets of clay imitating twisted cords are sparingly used in the decoration of necks and handles, and rows and groups of small nodes are similarly employed. The human figure is always treated in a conventional and usually in a grotesque manner. The animals imitated include a very large number of species. Crocodiles, pumas, armadillos, monkeys, crabs, lizards, scorpions, frogs, and fish appear very frequently. Many of the animals, owing to conventional treatment or to carelessness on the part of the modeler, are difficult of identification. These plastic forms occur in nearly all the groups of ware, and similar forms are found to a limited extent in gold, copper, and stone, as will be seen by reference to the illustrations already given. Their study will, I believe, give some insight into the mental characteristics of the Chiriquians. That their art, so far as these figures are concerned, was not serious is indicated by the sketchy, unsystematic nature of the work, and more especially by the grotesque and occasionally amusing representation of men and animals.

The figures are usually placed upon the shoulder of the vessel or are attached to the legs and handles or form part of them. The favorite subjects are doleful little figures, human or partly so, fixed upon the vessel in a sitting posture, with legs and arms doubled up, and with expressions which appear to indicate a variety of exaggerated emotions (Figs. 54, 55, 56).

 
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Fig. 62. Figure of monkey—terra cotta group

The exuberance of fancy often found vent in the production of monstrosities, such as are seen in Figs. 57 and 58, in which the arms and legs of the figures are writhing serpents, the faces expressing great agony; in other cases the figures are double; and again two bodies united at the waist have but one pair of legs. An unusually grotesque creature is seen in Figs. 59 and 60, and another is given in Fig. 61. Similar figures are worked in gold, one of which is now worn as a charm by Mr. J. B. Stearns. Figures of monkeys are shown in Figs. 62, 63, and 64. One creature, represented as having a long, trunk-like snout, recurs frequently. Such a form discovered in the earlier days of archæologic investigation would probably have given rise to many surmises as to the contemporaneous existence of man and the elephant in Chiriqui. In reality the original was probably some unassuming little inhabitant of the isthmian jungles. This creature is shown in profile in Fig. 65, a, and front views are given in b and c. Innumerable examples, embracing most of the more important animals of Chiriqui, could be given, but in a majority of cases identification is difficult or impossible, as there has been little or no effort to reproduce nature with fidelity. But the chief interest surrounding these figures is not found in the variety of creatures shown or in the character of the delineation, but in the manner of their employment in the embellishment of ceramic forms. The ancient potter must have possessed a keen sense of grace of form and of the proper adjustment of parts. The most cultured taste could hardly improve upon the lines of the vases presented in Figs. 66 and 67, which employ the frog, and in Figs. 68 and 69, in which other creatures are used. Many equally pleasing examples are illustrated further on. The question very naturally arises as to whether these little figures had any meaning or performed any function aside from that of simple decoration. I feel inclined to take the view that in their present condition they are survivals of ideographic originals; that if their past could be unveiled we would find that in the primitive ages they were not exclusively employed for ornament. The animals made use of originally were the embodiment of mythologic conceptions, and their images were revered or served as fetiches or charms, and because of this they came to have a permanent place in art. They were applied to the vessel because its office had reference to them or because they were thought to have a beneficial effect upon its functions. It is evident that their employment was governed by well established rules and that they occupied places and occurred in numbers and relations not wholly dependent upon the judgment of the individual potter. We may suppose that they occur in twos because the handles with which they were associated occurred in twos; or, if they serve to take the place of the extremities of the animal forms in the semblance of which the vases were originally modeled, their positions may be related to the original positions of the heads and tails of those forms. It is not improbable that the conventional incised and relieved ornaments, the meanders, nodes, and varied marks refer also to the creatures or the markings of the creatures with which the vessel was associated.

It will be seen, from the above remarks, that we cannot fully determine to what extent these ancient decorators followed the traditional pathways of early ideographic usage or how much they were governed by those powers of esthetic discrimination known to us as taste.

UNPAINTED WARE.

For convenience of description I separate the pottery of Chiriqui into two grand divisions: the unpainted ware and the painted ware. Two important groups come under the first head. The first of these, the terra cotta or biscuit ware, comprises a larger number of pieces than any other group and is readily distinguished by its colors, which include only the pale grayish yellow and reddish tints of the burned clay. The second is limited to a small number of pieces and is black or very dark upon the surface and dark within the mass.

The terra cotta group.—

This biscuit-like pottery is not in any way inferior to the painted varieties. It bears evidence of great freedom in handling, and serves, perhaps better than any other class of products, to illustrate the masterly skill and the refined taste of the ancient potter. It is said to occur in the same cemeteries and in the same graves with the more important varieties of painted ware. The function of these handsome vessels cannot be determined. It can hardly have been of a domestic nature, as they show no evidences of discoloration or wear, and we are left to speculate upon the possibility of a purely ceremonial use. The paste is moderately fine, but contains an extremely large share of gritty sand; the slip is thin and has received but a slight degree of polish, so that the surface has a dead, somewhat granular effect. As a rule the vases are of small size and are very thin walled. The forms are symmetrical and exceptionally graceful. The ornamentation includes incised figures (mostly geometric), raised decoration (of similar character), and animal forms in the round. The following illustrations are intended to epitomize the multitude of forms, as anything like a complete representation is out of the question.

 
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Fig. 70. Series of bowls and cups of unpainted ware.

Bowls, which form a leading feature of the pottery of most primitive peoples, are here rarely seen, excepting as mounted upon tripods or annular bases. There are in the collection a number of small cups of hemispherical shape that may have served as spoons, ladles, or drinking vessels. A few of these are outlined in Fig. 70. Two have minute projections resembling handles affixed to the rim. In rare cases these are so prolonged as to be of service in handling the cup; but in no instance is there an approach to the long cylindrical handles seen in the earthenware of other districts.

 
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Fig. 71. Vase of graceful form—½.

 
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Fig. 72. Vase of graceful form—½.

 
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Fig. 73. Vase of fine form, ornamented with grotesque heads—½.

In following the form scale upward from these simple shapes we find the orifice becoming more constricted and the neck more pronounced. The margins are upright, incurved, or flaring, and give variety and grace to the outlines. A tendency toward elaboration of ornament accompanies the development of form. Bands of incised or relieved figures are carried around the neck, shoulder, and handles and are added in such a way as greatly to enhance the beauty of the vessel. The forms of these vessels are so graceful and the finish is so perfect that one is tempted to present an extended series, but it will be necessary to confine the illustrations to a limited number of type specimens. Fig. 71 shows a somewhat shallow form of great simplicity and grace. That in Fig. 72 is deeper, with a narrow neck and a more decidedly conical shape. Two minute grotesque figures are perched upon the shoulder. Fig. 73 represents a larger vessel of good form, which has a neat incised pattern encircling the slightly incurved neck. Grotesque heads are set upon the shoulder. A form somewhat more refined is shown in Fig. 74. The neck is furnished with a relieved ornament, consisting of a meandered and indented fillet, accompanied by two rows of minute indented nodes. The heads are probably intended to represent the armadillo. They are hollow and contain movable pellets. The fillet ornaments are always tastefully treated, and in many cases represent twisted and plaited cords. Some are marked in herring bone fashion and others have transverse indentations. Small pellets of clay were much used and to excellent advantage. They were set on lightly with the fingers and firmly pressed down with minute pointed or edged tools and hollow straws or reeds (Figs. 75 and 76). Some of these nodes are finished to represent the heads of animals. This is done with an ease and a simplicity that call forth our admiration (Fig. 77).

 
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Fig. 74. Vase of fine form, ornamented with grotesque heads—½.

 
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Fig. 75. Vase with ornaments of applied nodes and fillets—½.

 
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Fig. 76. Vase with mantle covered with incised figures—½.

 
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Fig. 77. Vase with frieze of grotesque heads—½.

Fig. 78 illustrates a series of vases having flaring rims, the treatment otherwise being uniform with the preceding. We notice in these vessels a decided tendency towards complexity of outline. Three examples, shown in Fig. 79, have a two storied character, the upper part possibly being the outgrowth of the collar ornament seen in so many cases. The large specimen in the center is a handsome piece with square offset at the shoulder and a decidedly conical base. A chaste ornament in relief encircles the neck and two grotesque figures are seated upon opposite sides of the shoulder. The vase at the left has two orifices, set wide apart. The body is oblong and slightly flattened above. There are a number of vessels of this conformation in the collection, some of which have the mouths so close together that the margins or lips coalesce in part. A superb specimen of this class is illustrated in Fig. 80. The shape is thoroughly satisfactory to the eye, having a refinement of line rarely attained in native American work. Its symmetry suggests the use of the wheel, but the closest examination fails to detect a trace of mechanical appliance, save that left by the polishing stone. The decoration is simple and effective, consisting of minute nodes with annular indentations about the necks and of two grotesque figures, placed with consummate taste in the angles formed by the contact of the two necks.

 
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Fig. 78. Vases with flaring rims and varied ornament—⅕.

 
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Fig. 79. Vases with complex outlines and varied ornament—⅓.

 
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Fig. 80. Large vase with two mouths and neatly decorated necks—½.

A very small percentage of these vessels possess true handles, but these, in some of the examples, are worthy of high admiration. The specimen presented in Fig. 81 attracts attention at once on account of its resemblance to well known classic forms. It is evident, from a study of this piece, that only a step more was necessary to place these potters alongside of the highest masters of the art. The sharp high elbow and the broadening of the handles at their junction with the lip are notable features. The latter is shown more satisfactorily in Fig. 82, which is a top view of a companion piece. I wish to call attention here to a peculiar feature of these handles and one repeated in vessels of other classes. At the elbow of each handle we find a device in relief marked with herring bone indentations that would seem to represent a kind of textile attachment, as if, at some previous time and perhaps in an antecedent form of vessel, the upright and horizontal parts of the handles had been stitched or tied together at this point. Yet it is by no means certain that this feature is not the survival of some feature of an animal form into the semblance of which, as seen in other examples, this feature has a tendency to graduate.

 
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Fig. 81. Large vase with high handles—⅓.

 
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Fig. 82. Top view of high handled vase—⅓.

These vessels are not numerous, but acquire importance from their large size, the larger being upwards of eight inches in height. A few pieces of nearly identical shape, but of small size, are found among the painted wares. Additional shapes are given in Figs. 83, 84, and 85, and serve to illustrate the extent of variation exhibited in this group of vases. The small shallow piece is exceptionally fine and the handles are furnished with animal features of a highly conventional type. An expansion of the handles somewhat similar to this is frequently seen in vessels of other classes, especially in those of the handled group.

Single handles of like character occur in a number of cases upon minute cups, an example of which is given in Fig. 86. It would seem that possibly in such cases the rim had been expanded and prolonged for the purpose of giving support to the animal figures with which the shoulders were embellished. The expansion is probably the outgrowth of the use of animal figures in connection with simple handles.

We have a number of vessels of this group the bodies of which imitate animal forms, but they are in nearly all cases furnished with legs. Rarely we meet with compound or eccentric forms. An interesting specimen of the latter class is seen in Fig. 88. Such shapes are common in Peru and are occasionally met with in Central America. The two strong handles are decorated with minute images of birds and the bottom is concave, an exceptional character in Chiriquian work.

 
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Fig. 88. Vase of eccentric form—½.

The illustration of this group of vessels would not be complete without a series of tripod vases. In shape of body these vases differ but little from the legless forms already given, excepting where the use of life forms has led to eccentric modifications. Very great interest attaches to the modeling of the tripod supports, upon which the potters have expended much time and ingenuity.