Fig. 143. Tripod vase of graceful shape and neat finish—⅓.
A representative specimen of the fish legged vessels is presented in Fig. 143. It is one of the most graceful forms in the series and is neatly finished and embellished, but is thoroughly blackened with soot. The handles are formed of twisted fillets or ropes of clay and a narrow, incised, rope-like band encircles the lower part of the neck. Set upon the neck and alternating with the handles are two scrolls neatly formed of small round ropes of clay. The fishes forming the legs are very simply treated. The mouth at the apex is formed by laying on an oblong loop of clay and the eyes are represented by two round pellets set into the soft clay of the head and indented with a slit that gives to them the exact effect of screwheads. A pair of fins—small incised or channeled cones—is placed at the sides of the head and another at the sides of the body. The cavity contains a single ball of clay and the slit is long and wide.
Fig. 144. Heavy tripod vase with widely spreading feet—⅓.
In other examples the fish form is much more elaborately modeled.
The wide mouth exhibits a row of teeth and the body is well supplied with fins. The head in Fig. 144 reminds one forcibly of the catfish. The snout is furnished with two horn-like appendages; tooth-like features are formed by setting in pellets of clay, and the gills are indicated by a punctured excrescence at the side of the mouth. In other cases a high, sharp cone is set upon the middle of the head (Fig. 145). It is channeled down the sides, as if meant for a fin.
Fig. 145. Neatly modeled vase embellished with life forms and devices in red—⅓.