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  ANCIENT ART

  of the

  PROVINCE OF CHIRIQUI, COLOMBIA.

  by

  WILLIAM H. HOLMES.




CONTENTS.

                                                        Page.
  Introduction                                            13
      Geography                                           13
      Literature                                          14
      Peoples                                             15
      The cemeteries                                      16
      The graves                                          17
      Human remains                                       20
      Placing of relics                                   21
  Objects of art                                          21
      Stone                                               21
          Pictured rocks                                  21
          Columns                                         22
          Images                                          23
          Mealing stones                                  25
          Stools                                          27
          Celts &c.                                       29
          Spearheads                                      34
          Arrowpoints                                     34
          Ornaments                                       34
      Metal                                               35
        Gold and copper                                   35
        Bronze                                            49
      Clay: Pottery                                       53
          Preliminary                                     53
          How found                                       55
          Material                                        55
          Manufacture                                     56
          Color                                           57
          Use                                             57
          Forms of vessels                                58
          Decoration                                      62
        Unpainted ware                                    66
          Terra cotta group                               67
          Black incised group                             80
        Painted ware                                      84
          Scarified group                                 87
          Handled group                                   90
          Tripod group                                    97
          Maroon group                                   107
          Red line group                                 109
          White line group                               111
          Lost color group                               113
          Alligator group                                130
          Polychrome group                               140
          Unclassified                                   147
      Clay: Miscellaneous objects                        149
          Spindle whorls                                 149
          Needlecases                                    150
          Figurines                                      151
          Stools                                         154
          Musical instruments                            156
              Rattles                                    156
              Drums                                      157
              Wind instruments                           160
      Life forms in vase painting                        171
  Resume                                                 186
  [Index]




ILLUSTRATIONS.

                                                                Page.
PLATE I. Map of Chiriqui                                          13

Fig.  1. Section of oval grave                                    17
      2. Section of a quadrangular grave                          18
      3. Grave with pillars                                       18
      4. Compound cist                                            19
      5. Southwest face of the pictured stone                     22
      6. A goddess of the ancient Chiriquians                     23
      7. A god of the ancient Chiriquians                         24
      8. Fragmentary human figure in gray basaltic rock           25
      9. Mealing stone with large tablet ornamented with
           animal heads                                           26
     10. Puma shaped metate                                       27
     11. Stool shaped object                                      28
     12. Stool with columnar base                                 28
     13. Stool with perforated base                               29
     14. Large partially polished celt                            30
     15. Celt of hexagonal section                                31
     16. Small wide bladed celt                                   31
     17. Celt with heavy shaft                                    31
     18. Celt or ax with constriction near the top                31
     19. Flaked and partially polished celt                       32
     20. Well polished celt                                       32
     21. Narrow pointed celt                                      32
     22. Narrow pointed celt                                      32
     23. Cylindrical celt with narrow point                       33
     24. Leaf shaped objects suggesting spearpoints               34
     25. Arrowpoints                                              34
     26. Human figure, formed of copper-gold alloy                41
     27. Grotesque human figure in gold                           42
     28. Rudely shaped human figure in gold                       42
     29. Grotesque human figure in nearly pure copper             43
     30. Grotesque human figure in nearly pure gold               43
     31. Rudely executed image of a bird in gold                  44
     32. Image of a bird in gold                                  45
     33. Puma shaped figure in gold                               45
     34. Puma shaped figure in base metal                         45
     35. Quadruped with grotesque face in base metal              46
     36. Figure of a fish in gold                                 46
     37. Large figure of a frog, in base metal plated
           with gold                                              47
     38. Small figure of a frog, in base metal plated
           with gold                                              47
     39. Figure of an alligator in gold                           48
     40. Animal figure, in base metal plated with gold            48
     41. Bronze bells plated or washed with gold                  50
     42. Bronze bell with human features                          50
     43. Triple bell or rattle found on the Rio Grande            51
     44. Ancient Mexican bell                                     51
     45. Fundamental forms of vases--convex outlines              58
     46. Fundamental forms of vases--angular outlines             59
     47. Vases of complex outlines--exceptional forms             59
     48. Vases of compound forms                                  59
     49. Square lipped vessel                                     59
     50. Variations in the forms of necks and rims                60
     51. Arrangement of handles                                   60
     52. Types of annular bases or feet                           61
     53. Forms of legs                                            61
     54. Grotesque figure forming the handle of
           a small vase                                           63
     55. Grotesque figure forming the handle of
           a small vase                                           63
     56. Grotesque figure forming the handle of
           a small vase                                           63
     57. Monstrous figure with serpent shaped extremities         63
     58. Monstrous figure with serpent shaped extremities         63
     59. Grotesque figure                                         64
     60. Grotesque figure                                         64
     61. Grotesque figure                                         64
     62. Figure of a monkey                                       64
     63. Figure of a monkey                                       64
     64. Figure of a monkey                                       64
     65. Animal forms exhibiting long proboscis                   65
     66. Vase illustrating ornamental use of animal figures       65
     67. Vase illustrating ornamental use of animal figures       65
     68. Vase illustrating ornamental use of animal figures       66
     69. Vase illustrating ornamental use of animal figures       66
     70. Series of bowls and cups of unpainted ware               67
     71. Vase of graceful form                                    68
     72. Vase of graceful form                                    68
     73. Vase of fine form, ornamented with grotesque heads       68
     74. Vase of fine form, ornamented with grotesque heads       69
     75. Vase with ornament of applied nodes and fillets          69
     76. Vase with mantle covered with incised figures            70
     77. Vase with frieze of grotesque heads                      70
     78. Vases with flaring rims and varied ornament              71
     79. Vases with complex outlines and varied ornament          71
     80. Large vase with two mouths and neatly
           decorated necks                                        72
     81. Large vase with high handles                             72
     82. Top view of high handled vase                            73
     83. Handled vase                                             73
     84. Handled vase                                             73
     85. Handled vase                                             73
     86. Small cup with single handle, ornamented with
           grotesque figure                                       74
     87. Small cup with single handle, ornamented with
           grotesque figure                                       74
     88. Vase of eccentric form                                   74
     89. Vessel illustrating forms of legs                        75
     90. Vessel illustrating forms of legs                        75
     91. Vessel with large legs, decorated with stellar
           punctures                                              75
     92. Vases of varied form with plain and animal
           shaped legs                                            75
     93. Large vase of striking shape                             76
     94. Cup with legs imitating animal forms                     76
     95. Cup with legs imitating a grotesque animal form          77
     96. Cup with legs imitating the armadillo                    77
     97. Cup with legs imitating the armadillo                    77
     98. Cup with frog shaped legs                                77
     99. Cup with legs imitating an animal and its young          77
    100. Cups supported by grotesque heads                        77
    101. Large cup supported by two grotesque figures             78
    102. Cup with two animal heads attached to the sides          78
    103. Cup with two animal heads attached to the sides          78
    104. Vase shaped to imitate an animal form                    79
    105. Vase shaped to imitate an animal form                    79
    106. Vase shaped to imitate an animal form                    79
    107. Fish shaped vessel                                       79
    108. Top view of a fish shaped vessel                         80
    109. Cup with grotesque head attached to the rim              80
    110. Black cup with incised reptilian figures                 81
    111. Black cup with incised reptilian figures                 81
    112. Black vase with conventional incised pattern             81
    113. Small cup with conventional incised pattern              82
    114. Small tripod cup with upright walls                      82
    115. Vase with flaring rim and legs imitating
           animal heads                                           82
    116. Vase modeled to represent the head of an animal          83
    117. Pattern upon the back of the vase                        83
    118. Tripod bowl of red scarified ware                        87
    119. Tripod bowl of red scarified ware                        87
    120. Oblong basin with scarified design                       88
    121. Large scarified bowl with handles imitating
           animal heads                                           88
    122. Jar with flat bottom and vertical bands
           of incised ornament                                    89
    123. Vase with stand and vertical incised bands               89
    124. Vase with handles, legs, and vertical ribs               89
    125. Tripod with owl-like heads at insertion of legs          90
    126. Tripod with legs rudely suggesting animal forms          90
    127. Heavy red vase with four mouths                          90
    128. Vase with horizontally placed handles and
           rude designs in red                                    91
    129. Unpolished vase with heavy handles and coated
           with soot                                              92
    130. Round bodied vase with unique handles and incised
           ornament                                               92
    131. Vase with grotesque figures attached to the handles      93
    132. Vase with upright handles and winged lip                 93
    133. Top view of vase with winged lip                         94
    134. Vase with grotesque animal shaped handles                94
    135. Vase with handles representing strange animals           95
    136. Vase with handles representing grotesque figures         95
    137. Vase with handles representing animal heads              96
    138. Vase with arched handles embellished with life forms
           in high relief                                         96
    139. Vase with arched handles embellished with life forms
           in high relief                                         97
    140. Tripod vase with shallow basin and eccentric handles     99
    141. Tripod vase with shallow basin and eccentric handles     99
    142. Tripod vase with shallow basin and eccentric handles     99
    143. Tripod vase of graceful shape and neat finish           100
    144. Heavy tripod vase with widely spreading feet            100
    145. Neatly modeled vase embellished with life forms and
           devices in red                                        101
    146. High tripod vase with incised designs and
           rude figures in red                                   101
    147. Handsome tripod vase with scroll ornament               102
    148. Vase with lizard shaped legs                            102
    149. Vase with scroll ornament                               103
    150. Large vase with flaring rim and widespreading legs      103
    151. Fragment of a tripod vase embellished with figure
           of an alligator                                       104
    152. Vase supported by grotesque human figures               105
    153. Round bodied vase embellished with figures
           of monsters                                           106
    154. Cup with incurved rim and life form ornamentation       107
    155. Cup with widely expanded rim and constricted neck       107
    156. Small tripod cup with animal features in high relief    108
    157. Handsome vase supported by three grotesque figures      108
    158. Vase decorated with figures of frogs and devices
           in red                                                110
    159. Vase of unique shape and life form ornamentation        110
    160. Two-handled vase with life form and linear
           decoration                                            110
    161. Small tripod vase with animal figures in white          111
    162. Shapely vase with designs in white paint                112
    163. Small red bottle with horizontal bands of ornament      115
    164. Small red bottle with encircling geometric devices      115
    165. Bottle with zone occupied by geometric devices          116
    166. Bottle with broad zone containing geometric figures     116
    167. Bottle with decoration of meandered lines               117
    168. Bottle with arched panels and geometric devices         117
    169. Bottle with arched panels and elaborate devices         118
    170. Vase with rosette-like panels                           118
    170a. Ornament from preceding vase                           118
    171. Vase with rosette-like panels                           119
    172. Vase with rosette-like panels                           119
    173. Theoretical origin of the arched panels                 120
    174. Theoretical origin of the arched panels                 120
    175. Theoretical origin of the arched panels                 120
    176. Vase decorated with conventional figures
           of alligators                                         120
    177. Portion of decorated zone illustrating treatment
           of life forms                                         121
    178. Portion of decorated zone illustrating treatment
           of life forms                                         121
    179. Vase decorated with highly conventional life forms      121
    179a. Design from preceding vase                             122
    180. Vase decorated with highly conventional life forms      122
    181. Vase decorated with highly conventional life forms      123
    182. Decorated panel with devices resembling
           vegetal growths                                       124
    183. Vase of unusual shape                                   124
    184. Vase of unusual shape                                   124
    185. Vase of unusual shape                                   124
    186. Double vessel with high arched handle                   125
    187. Double vessel with arched handle                        125
    188. Vase embellished with life forms in color
           and in relief                                         126
    189. Vase modeled to represent a peccary                     127
    190. Under surface of peccary vase                           127
    191. Small vessel with human figures in high relief          127
    192. Tripod cup with figures of the alligator                128
    193. Large shallow tripod vase with geometric decoration     129
    194. Large bottle shaped vase with high tripod
           and alligator design                                  130
    195. Large bottle with narrow zone containing figures
           of the alligator                                      132
    196. Vase with decorated zone containing four
           arched panels                                         133
    197. Vase with four round nodes upon which are painted
           animal devices                                        133
    198. Vases of varied form and decoration                     134
    199. Alligator vase with conventional markings               135
    200. Alligator vase with figures of the alligator painted
           on the sides                                          135
    201. Vase with serpent ornamentation                         136
    202. Vase representing a puma with alligator figures
           painted on sides                                      137
    203. Shallow vase with reptilian features in relief
           and in color                                          137
    204. Vase with funnel shaped mouth                           138
    205. Top view of vase in Fig. 204                            139
    206. End view of vase in Fig. 204                            139
    207. Large vase with decorations in red and black            140
    208.