[ Black incised group.—]

This pottery, although closely related to the other varieties in its leading features, presents differences of a pronounced character. The number of specimens recovered is rather small. The largest piece has a capacity of perhaps a quart. Some of the forms are identical with those of other groups, but a few are peculiar to this ware. The color is black, brown, or dark gray, and in most cases the entire mass is quite dark. The decoration is executed in two somewhat distinct styles: in one the lines were scratched or engraved subsequently to the hardening of the clay; in the other

they were deeply engraved with a sharp point while the clay was still moist. The lines are usually very deep and are filled with a white substance which renders the pattern distinctly visible upon the surface. It seems probable that the lines were engraved deeply with the intention of producing this effect. Type specimens are shown in Figs. 110 and 111. They are small globular bottles, with short necks and wide apertures and with handles placed at opposite sides of the lip, which is prolonged to meet them. The design covers a large part of the body and is separated into two parts by the handles and the undecorated panels that descend from them. The figures appear to be very highly conventionalized animal forms, probably serpents. The coiled ends of the ribbon-like dotted bands are evidently meant to suggest the heads of reptiles. The figures assume a variety of shapes and grade by degrees from the recognizable life forms into purely geometric patterns. Examples of the latter style are given in Figs. 112 and

113. The motives employed, although so conventionally treated, are pretty certainly identical in origin with the preceding.




Fig. 110.


Fig. 111.
Black cups with incised reptilian figures—½.

Fig. 112. Black vase with conventional incised pattern—½.
Fig. 113. Small cup with conventional incised patterns—½. Fig. 114. Small tripod cup with upright walls and legs imitating animal heads—½.

There are a number of tripods in this group, some of which have the deeply incised ornaments and others the shallow ones. The shapes vary greatly, a few examples being decidedly Costa Rican in type. Pieces with round bodies have conical legs, like much of the Chiriquian ware, but those with shallow basins and angular, incurved, upright, or flaring rims have the Costa Rican tripod. Figs. 114 and 115 may serve to illustrate this variety. The first is a cup, with upright sides and thick rim, having an incised geometric pattern. The second is much more striking in appearance. The surface color is brownish gray in hue and the simple geometric design was scratched through into the lighter color beneath after the clay hardened. The legs represent the heads of animals conventionally treated and are hollow, containing movable pellets. This specimen is from latitude 8° 42´ north, longitude 82° 52´ west. Others of this class come from different parts of the province.