The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-14
PORTRAITS ON CLAY VASES
Delineati0ns of Human Features
Cast Hundreds of Years Ago.
Probably Death Masks OF Races he
fore the Indian Was Lord of the
American Forests-Discoxerfe of
Smithsonian Institution Experts

American Fore-t--DfscOte of
Smithsonian Institution Experts.
What are. In all probability. veritable
portraits of the race which inhabited the
northern portion OF this continent many
years before the Indian occupation. have
been received at the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition They are in the shape OF clay
vessels having wrought upon their sur
faces representations Of human features
so perfectly lHeiikc or rather deathiike
are the best of these strange works as to
lead some to the belief that they are in
reality. death masks OF the aboriginal
people The potte ries. eight IN number
were discovered by the agents Of the Blu
reau of Ethnology in mounds in the vi
cinity of Pecan Point. Ark. Like other
earthenware vessels which have been dis
covered in a similar manner they were
associated with human remains In graves
or mounds. and the attempts at portrait
ure they evince were evidently intended
for the persons with whom they were
buried In not all cases have the bones of
the dead been found with them. but this
Is held TO Indicate that the bones have
crumbled to powder The question as to
whether or not these vases were made ex-
clusively for sepulchral purposes must.
say the Smithsonian experts. remain un-
answered, as there can be found no source
Of information upon the subject. Such a
purpose is. however, suggested by the
-sembIance of death given 70 the faces
which do not present a single feature
characteristic Of Indian physiognomy- In
stead. is seen the round forehead and pro-
jecting mouth OF the African.
The nose. however. is small and the nos
triis are narrow. \ description of the
best specimen may be taken as typical
The face would seem to be that of a
youngish person. perhaps female The
features are well modelled. and are so de-
cidedly individual in character that the
artist must have had in his mind a pretty
definite conception Of the face to be pro-
duced as wen as of the expression ap-
propriate to it before beginning his work.
tt viii be impossible. however. to prove
that the portrait of a particular person
age was intended. The closed eyes. the
rather sunken nose. and the parted lips
were evidently intended to give the effect
of death. The ears are large. correctly
placed. and well modelled; they are per
fOrated all along the margin. thus re-
vealiug a practice Of the people TO whom
the work of art is to be attributed The
septum of the nose appears 20 have been
pierced, and the horizontal depression
across the upper lip may indicate the for
mer presence of a suspended ornament
one of the most unique and striking
features OF this extraordinary portrait
(for such it is pretty certainly pronounced
10 be-, is the pattern Of incised lines that
covers the greater part of the face. These
lines are deeply engraved and somewhat
scratchy' in appearance. and were ap-
parentIy executed i'm the hardened clay.
In size the head is five inches in height
and five inches wide from ear TO ear. The
aperture of the vase is in the crown, and
is surmounted by low upright rim.
slightly recurveG. tn cavity is roughly
finished, and follows pretty close
" the contour of the
iectiag features such as the ears. lips.
and nose. The walls are generally from
one-eIghth to one-fourth of an inch in
thickness. the base being about three
eighths. The bottom is fat, and takes the
level Of the chin and jaws
The material does not differ from thai OF
other vessels of the same description. but
not emDeIHShed with portraits. There Is
q large percentage OF she'll in the compost
ton, some PARTICLES of which are quite
large. The paste Is yeilowish grey in color
and rather coarse in texture. The vase
was modelled in the plain clay and permit
ted to harden before the devices traced
on the surface were engraved. After this
q thick film OF fine yellOWiSh-grey CLAW
the engraved lines. The remainder Of the
surface. including the lips. received a
thick coat of dark red paint. The entire
surface was then highly polished
The left side of the face is plain with
the exception of a figure somewhat re-
a graphing hook in outline.
which partially surrounds the eye. The
right side is covered with a cOmb-like pat
tern. placed vertically. with the teeth up
ward. The middle of the forehead has q
series OF vertical lines and a few short
al fhn he gaf he
nose. There are also three curved lines
near the corner OF the mouth. The sig
Of these markings can only be
SurmiSsd in the most general way. Their
function i probably the same as that OF
the tattoOed and painted figures upon the
faces of living races. Upon the forehead
knob or loop. Similar appendangss may
be seen upon a Mexican terra-cotta head
now in the Museum of Mexico.
The hedddreSs is worthy OF note II ap-
pears 20 have been modelled after cloth
or skin cap 1t extends over the fore
head. falls back over the back Of the
head. and terminates in points behind.
Two layers of the material are represent
ed, the one broad the other narrow and
pointed, both being raised little above
the surface upon which they rest. This
vase head is somewhat smaller than the
average human head
These prehistoric portraits offer fasci-
mating fields for conjecture regarding the
racial characteristics presented Nothing
more than conjecture is. indeed, possible
To them are the figures OF some
Egyptian nummies, not especially well
preserved, indeed, but still presenting in
heir blackened and partially decayed fea-
lures some OF their distinctive character
sites. \ comparison of these ancient hui
man remains from the far-On land OF the
Pharsohs with the masks or portraits
from Arkansas of the prehistoric people
IF this country disCloses a truly striking
and wonderful resemblance.
THE JEWS IN GREECE.