Ancient art of the province of Chiriqui, Colombia: Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-1885, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 3-188Holmes, William Henry
History
Ancient art of the province of Chiriqui, Colombia: Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-1885, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 3-188
Holmes, William Henry
Chiriquí (Panama : Province) -- Antiquities; Indian pottery -- Panama; Indians of Central America -- Panama
In a small group of vases we have a radiate ornament within the arches
and in a few cases the arched lines are continued down around the base
of the vessel, forming vertical circles in which rosette-like designs
are formed by repeating the radiate figures in an inverted position
below the peripheral line. The elaboration in these circular inclosures
is very remarkable, as will be seen by reference to the three examples
given in Figs. 170, 171, and 172. In the first case the peripheral line
is a red band nearly one-half an inch wide and the rays appear in groups
above and below it. Within the four broader black rays (Fig. 170_a_),
which are the interspaces or remnants of the ground, groups of lines
have been drawn, in most cases curved at the inner ends like an opening
frond and accompanied in all cases by series of dots. An examination of
a number of vessels shows various degrees of convention. It is clear,
however, that these devices, showing curves, hooks, and dots, are not of
technical or mechanical origin, but that they refer to delineative
originals of which they are survivals; but we must remain in the dark as
to what the originals were or what was the precise nature of the idea
associated with them in the mind of the decorator. Another question
refers to the arrangement of the parts of the design in the five
preceding figures. The distribution of the designs is a matter of great
interest, and much may be learned from a close study of these specimens.
[Illustration: Fig. 171. Vase with rosette-like panels--½.]
[Illustration: Fig. 172. Vase with rosette-like panels--½.]
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