Reconstructed vessels catalog

This thin-walled, well made and finely decorated bowl has an elaborately decorated lip with a row of stamped circles (motif A417) and triangular cutouts alternating with dentate stamped lines (motif GS498). On the exterior, the decoration begins with motif A1, followed by zone marker RZ4D-4R-2, below which is the main motif, PK204, a variant of the “dumbbell” design family.

This is an unrestricted bowl with enough remaining of the base to indicate that it was attached to a pedestal base. The lime in-filled dentate stamping is very fine and well executed, and the vessel is somewhat unusual in having main motif bands on both the interior and the exterior surfaces. The lip has a notch running right around, decorated with a zone marker band and with two parallel lines of stamped circles (A417). On the interior, the decoration begins with a RZ4D-4R-1 zone marker, below which is a band of FOH60 stamped lozenge designs, followed by the main motif PK117. On the exterior, the very complex decoration begins with A385, followed by two rows of tightly packed zone markers RZ4D-4R-2, then a band of PK115, and another zone marker RZ4D-4R-1. There is then the main motif of PK116, a series of repeated, nested “dumbbell” type designs.

These three joining sherds make up almost all of an elaborate anthropomorphic face design, with the almond-shaped eyes made by dentate stamping with a stamped circle in the center. The nose and sides of the face are made using the zone marker technique; the sides of the face curve upwards and away from the face to become arms, with four digits (seemingly representing fingers) at the ends made by dentate stamping. Across the top of the flat head are triangular designs that may represent feathers of a headdress (this is seen in other face motifs). Of special note with this motif is the presence—to either side of the face—of finely executed zoomorphic figures each with two heads and four limbs sharing a single ovoid body. The bent limbs each terminates in three digits or toes. These zoomorphs may represent some kind of totemic animal, and may possibly also have been tattoo designs as they appear to be positioned on the cheeks of the face. Although they do not directly match, the sherds making up ECA-V-045 also seem to be from the same large carinated jar as ECA-V-115/-178, based on similarly of paste, surface finish, and nature of the dentate stamping.

This well-fired, plain jar has been decorated simply by indentations along the inside and outside of the lip, probably made with the fingernail.

The decoration on this carinated bowl is confined to the lip and area between the lip and carination. The lip is decorated with motif PK213, consisting of dentate stamped lines creating alternating triangular spaces filled with stamped circles. On the exterior below the rim is motif A1, followed by zone marker RZ4D-3R-2. Another zone marker of RZ4D-3R-2 runs along the top of the carination, and these two horizontal zone markers are joined by vertical zone marker RZ4D-2RV-2 to form rectangular spaces. Within one of these spaces is motif PK212, an almond-shaped eye motif with spirals emanating out of it. Another rectangular space is filled with an open rectangular “box” formed by zone marker stamping.

This finely made, well-fired unrestricted bowl displays a trace of the connection to a pedestal base. The interior is undecorated, while the lip is elaborately decorated first with a row of fine notches (motif M77-1-3) and then with motif PK207, consisting of a simplified variant of the double beaked-bird design highlighted by lime-filled cutout spaces. On the exterior the decoration begins with motif PK519 (a variant of the common A1 motif), followed by zone marker RZ4D-4R-2. Below this the main motif is PK218, a geometric design that is likely a highly stylized version of a face motif, in which the eyes have been replaced with vertical dentate stamped bars.

A large, thick-walled flat-bottom dish represented by several large rim sherds. The interior surface lacks decoration, while the lip is decorated with an inner row of stamped circles (A417) and an outer row of alternating, carved triangular notches interspersed with dentate stamping (motif GS540). On the exterior, the decoration begins with motif A1 followed by zone marker RZ4D-4R-2. There were two principal motifs, separated by a vertical zone marker. The first main motif is PK79, one of the zigzag family of motifs with a row of stamped diamonds each containing a stamped circle. The second main motif (TFG2318) is incompletely represented, but what remains consists of a curvilinear design, including an upraised “arm” defined by a curvilinear zone marker encapsulating a curved row of stamped circles. This may well have been part of an anthropomorphic face design. The dentate stamping is quite well executed, and was originally filled in with lime. An additional feature on this vessel is a carefully made perforation 4.5 mm in diameter and situated 14.5 mm below the lip; this may have been designed to allow a string to pass through the vessel in order to secure a lid.

This thick-walled, well-fired unrestricted bowl may originally have had a pedestal base. The interior is undecorated, while the lip is decorated with a groove running between the interior and exterior edges of the lip, along with closely spaced dentate stamped lines on either side of the groove (motif SC1418). On the exterior the decoration begins with motif M54-2 (a variant of A1), followed by zone marker RZ4D-7R-2. The main motif is PK145 of the zigzag family of designs. Although recorded as a separate vessel due to minor variation in decoration, this is probably part of the same vessel as ECA-V-122.

This well-fired unrestricted bowl with upturned rim might originally have been supported on a pedestal base. The lip has a simple stamped motif (A385) with traces of lime in-filling. The exterior decoration begins immediately below the lip with zone marker RZ4D-4R-1, followed by a simple geometric main motif (GS128) consisting of repeated, curved dentate-stamped lines.

This very low fired flat bottom dish with a thick base is characterized by very crude (one would have to say sloppily) executed incised decoration, in all respects reflecting a low level of ceramic and artistic skill. On the interior there is a lower zone marker RZ4I-2-1 with motif PK209 above (simple alternating triangles motif). On the exterior the main motif (PK210) has a very crude rendering of a face (eyes and nose) set within an arch that may indicate a mask or headdress. To the right of this is a second design, only partly intact, that may be a variant of a “house” motif, although this is not certain. This vessel seems to represent a very late continuation of the practice of decorating flat bottom dishes with anthropomorphic face motifs using incising rather than dentate stamping.