TYPES OF MACHU PICCHU POTTERY¹

By HIRAM BINGHAM

ALL the pottery found at Machu Picchu appears to have been hand-made, with the exception of two or three fragments of very recent pottery evidently belonging to the present Indian inhabitants. It seems likely, however, that what may be described as a primitive form of wheel was used in the manufacture of a large part of the ancient pottery. The method may have been such as is at present used in some of the outlying districts (fig. 41).

FIG. 41.—Indian potters' huts near the foot of Coropuna. Photograph by H. L. Tucker.

We observed at the base of Mt. Coropuna in 1911 some Indian potters working at an elevation of about 14,000 feet, who used rough clay plates on which to build up the pot they were making, and on which the pots were allowed to dry in the sun before being baked. The pottery was made by women, who revolved the clay plate with the left hand while building up the pot with strips of wet clay with the right hand. The pottery was baked in a shallow depression in the ground, covered and surrounded by llama dung, this being ignited by bundles of dried grass laid on top of the whole (pl. xviii).

¹Read before the American Anthropological Association at Philadelphia.

found in this well-preserved and relatively unexplored ruin, the most recent part of which is undoubtedly Inca, however ancient the megalithic structure may be; and second, to offer suggestions toward the adoption of certain definite descriptive terms which may be used in the future in describing pottery from the Cuzco or Inca region.

So much of the Inca pottery bears a striking resemblance to the
pottery of Greece, Mycenae, and Troy, that with the generous aid
and assistance of Professor
Baur of Yale University, I
have felt justified in borrowing
and adapting a number of
terms from classical arche-
ology. It seems to me that it
would be distinctly to our
advantage in American arche-
ology if we use, wherever pos-
sible, terms already adopted
and understood by students
of classical archeology. In
taking a step of this kind no

2C

FIG. 44.—Type 2.—Beaker-shaped olla.

than I how many mistakes are liable to occur and how many chances
there are for improvement.

I have given a number to each of the main types, for example
the arybállus I have called Type 1; the beaker-shaped olla, Type 2;
the pot cover, Type 3; and so on. I have given a letter to each of
the styles of each type; thus the first style treated of the arybállus
is called Type 1A, enabling frequent reference to be made to this
type and style, while less frequent and more intelligible reference
oúe realizes better may be made by using the term with the style
letter, as for example, Arybállus, Style A.

The different types and the styles of each, as presented in the
Machu Picchu pottery, are as follows:—

Type IA.—Arybállus. Style A. Mouth flaring. Two *pierced* earlike nubbins attached to the rim; a single incised conventionalized animal

4C.—*Two-handled dish*. Style C. Band-shaped handles attached horizontally at the rim. Height: 6 cm.; width: 20 cm.

A rare form.

4D.—*Two-handled dish*. Style D. Band-shaped handles attached horizontally below the rim; bottom slightly convex, instead of being flat as in the other styles of this type. Height: 3 cm.; width: 12½ cm.

Painted inside on a white slip that covers the entire dish.
4E.—*Two-handled dish*. Style E. Handles in the form of fierce-looking animals, attached vertically, and connecting the rim and body, the animal heads rising above the level of the rim and tails turned to the right. Fragments of a number of these dishes were found, but it has been impossible to reconstruct a complete specimen. We have been able to assemble nearly one-half of one dish, which measures 12 cm. in height and approximately 23 in width.

A fairly common type, occurring only in the excavations, and not in any of the graves. A fine specimen resembling this type is in the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and is figured in color opposite page 294 of Professor Bandelier's *Islands of Titicaca and Koati*.

5A.—*Two-handled bowl*. Style A. Handles band-shaped, curving slightly upwards above the mouth, and attached vertically, connecting rim and body. Height: 9 cm.; width: 17 cm. Rare.

6A.—*Pélike-shaped jug*. Style A. Ribbon-like handles connecting rim and shoulders. Base flat. Height: 49 cm.; width 27 cm. Fairly common.

6B.—*Pélike-shaped jug*. Style B. Short, rounded handles, connecting rim and shoulders; lip flaring. Height: 17 cm.; width: 16 cm.

6C.—*Pélike-shaped jug*. Style C. Handles band-shaped; attached vertically slightly below the upper rim; base flat. Height: 23 cm.; width: 18 cm.

6D.—*Pélike-shaped jug*. Style D. Bowl markedly larger than mouth. Height: 19 cm.; width 21 cm. Very uncommon.

7A.—*Diota-shaped olla*. Style A. Handles band-shaped, connecting rim and shoulder; base pointed; very much fire-blackened. Height: 27 cm.; width: 19 cm. Rare.

8A.—*Pithos*. Style A. Handles broad, band-shaped and set vertically. Bottom probably flat. Height: 42 cm.; width: 34 cm. Rare.

9A.—*Hydria-shaped olla*. Style A. Two broad, short, band-shaped handles, attached horizontally just below shoulder; third handle attached vertically connecting rim and shoulder. Base pointed. Very much fire-blackened. Height: 15 cm.; width: 14½ cm.

Rare.

chamber with provision for blowing if desired, the openings being properly located for this purpose."

17A.—Spherical Bottle. Style A. Neck stirrup-shaped; conventionalized animal attached to one side of neck. Height: 23 cm.; width: 13 cm. Only one found.

## CONCLUSION

The common types of pottery at Machu Picchu are:

(1) *The arybállus*, that most characteristic Inca form. It is found in great variety at Machu Picchu, varying from 13 to 90 centimeters in height, the latter size being not at all uncommon.

(2) *The beaker-shaped olla* or cooking-pot, of which many specimens were found in the more recent graves, and which vary in size from 9 to 43 centimeters in height, and from 10 to 29 centimeters in width.

(3) *Pot-covers*, evidently intended for use with the beaker-shaped ollas, and varying in size from 2 to 4 centimeters in height, and from 10 to 18 centimeters in width, corresponding to the various sized openings of the beaker-shaped ollas.

(4) *Two-handled dishes*, usually found in the same grave with the beaker-shaped ollas, and varying in height from 5 to 15 centimeters, and in width from 7 to 24 centimeters.

(5) *Pélike-shaped jugs*. Although very rare, almost unknown in other parts of South America, this form was common at Machu Picchu. The specimens vary in height from 27 to 49 centimeters, and from 11 to 14 in width, and occur in the more recent graves.

(6) *Deep ladles, or plates with a handle on one side*, and a double nubbin opposite, somewhat resembling the Greek *patera* in form,—the handle sometimes being a broad loop, but more often a conventionalized animal or bird head. They differ but little in size, the average being about 3½ centimeters in height and 16 in width.

(7) *Jugs*, with loop-handles, and varying in size from 7 to 23 centimeters in height and from 6 to 18 centimeters in width.

BINGHAM]

TYPES OF MACHU PICHU POTTERY

These are all well known Cuzco-style types, and occur most often
in later graves containing the best skeletal material.

In conclusion, one may say the evidence of the pottery found
at Machu Picchu tends to point to two distinct periods, an early
period, represented by forms rarely found in collections of Inca
material, and a later period, the period when the more recent burials
were made, represented by well known types of the so-called Cuzco
style or pure Inca.

Finally, with regard to the use of terms: The word *arybállus*
has been for some time adopted without question as a descriptive
term applying to the well known Inca bottle-shaped vase with ears,
low handles, and a pointed base. The new terms submitted here-
with are: *beaker-shaped olla; diota-shaped pot; pithos; pélike-shaped*
*jug; hydria-shaped olla; and lebes-shaped kettle.*

YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

BY HIRAM BINGHAM

Peruvian Expedition 1914-15
Official Circular
Special Individual Series
No. 3
Collecting Mammals

It is important to remember that specimens for scientific purposes differ from commercial skins in that they should be (a) complete, with feet and tails left on, (b) that all stretching must be avoided, (c) that each skin should be accompanied by the skull of the animal, carefully labelled so that no question can ever arise as to which skull belongs with which skin, and (d) that condition of coat is of no importance beyond the fact that we wish if possible to have both summer and prime conditions represented among the skins of each species. Skulls unaccompanied by skins are always valuable if their exact locality is known. Skins or skulls obtained from natives or in markets are to be avoided unless their exact history as to origin can be obtained.

The best way to treat all skins of mammals the size of a large rat and larger is to make flat skins and salt them. Skulls should have as much flesh as possible dried on them, as the dried flesh makes the best possible protection for the more delicate parts of the skull. In animals larger than a rat the tongue, eyes, brain and part of the larger muscle masses should be removed, care being taken not to injure any part of the skull. The brain can be washed out through the natural opening at back of skull. Animals caught in steel traps should be killed, when possible, by pressure on the chest, not by shooting or clubbing -- methods that are likely to result in damage to the skull.

(See also the printed directions for preparing specimens of large animals in the field,

2

pegs, one driven at the top of the shoulder, the other at the soles or
hoofs of the forefeet, the legs being straightened and held in the posi-
tion natural to the animal when standing in life, with the bottoms of
both forefeet on the same plane, and against the stake. A tape—pref-
erably a steel one—should be used for all measurements. The weight
of large animals should be recorded whenever possible.

THE OPENING CUTS.

Make a single straight slit down the middle of the belly, extending
from the front end of the breastbone to the base of the tail. In large
animals (such as deer) this cut should be carried forward to the throat
and backward to the tip of the tail; and in skunks and other fat animals
the tail should be slit on the underside. In all large mammals four
additional cuts should be made, one extend-
ing down each leg. Begin at the foot (be-
tween the hoofs in the case of a hoofed ani-
mal; at the base of the toes in a clawed
animal) and carry the cut along the back
or inner side of each foot, and up the hind
side of each leg, to join the main cut (fig. 5).

In humid regions, especially in the tropics,
it is often necessary to treat mammals the size of a skunk in the same
manner, and to slit the tail for its entire length, on the underside. If
the legs and tail are not opened the hair is likely to slip and the skin
to rot instead of drying. In the case of all soft-footed mammals, the
sole of the foot must be slit open to the toes in order to remove as much
flesh and fat as possible and to allow direct application of the preserva-
tive. The cut should be made along the inner side of the footpads.

REMOVING THE SKIN.

After making the cuts, work the skin back until the 'knee' joint can
be pushed up and unjointed, leaving the lower bones attached to the
foot. Skin the legs and feet (down to the toes if possible) and cut the
meat away from the bones, leaving the leg turned inside
out. In small mammals and those up to the size of a
coyote the bones of the lower part of the legs should be
left attached to the skin; in large mammals the leg bones
should be cut off at the ankle joint. Work the skin over
the rump to base of tail, and, after cutting all clear ex-
cept the tail bone, make a short slit or two on the skin
of the underside to assist curing, and draw out the bone.
If this can not be done easily, use two sticks (or a split stick) and draw
the bone through to get it out of the skin. If this fails, slit the under-
side for its entire length and skin out the tail bone. After skinning the
legs and body, continue working the skin over the neck and head, cut
the cartilage of the bases of the ears where they are attached to the skull,
and skin over the eyes, nose, and lips. Special care is necessary in
order to avoid cutting the eyelids. The skin is now free from the car-
cass. Before anything further is done, unjoint the skull, taking great
care not to cut the bone. Then tie a numbered tag to the skull so that
the skin to which it belongs may be certainly identified.

When the skin is off, clean it of adhering bits of fat and flesh, and

finish work on the feet, making sure that the skin is separated from the
bones as far down as possible. The skin of the head requires special

Fig. 4.