Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

262 / Appendix D.
volcanic rock, so abundant in many parts of the island, is mixed with the clay
in large proportions. Only occasionally do any of the fragments effervesce with
acid, showing that few free calcareous particles are present. The vessels were no
doubt baked in a fire; but there is no appearance of fusion of the materials.
Ornamentation. The ornamentation of the vessels is mostly of a simple character,
in none is there any attempt at any pattern of curved lines. In many
merely indented lines or dots, or combinations of the two, were made upon the
surface by some stylus, while the clay was in a soft condition; often the lines are
deeply hatched. In others there is a projecting rim or fillet where the upper part
of the vessel becomes turned in. This is strongly indented, becoming crenate in
the basin represented in Figure 6, Plate V. A flattened fillet may form a zigzag
or chevron pattern. The handles exhibit the furthest attempt at ornamentation.
Some of the best of these are among the material from the Norbrook and the
Cranbrook kitchen- middens. See Plate III, opposite, and Figure X.
The general characters of the Jamaican aboriginal vessels may be briefly
summed up as follows: Circular or oval in outline; generally shallow, with an
inturned upper part; nearly always rounded at the base; margin often thickened
by an additional fillet of clay; handles either luted on or formed as a prolongation
of the ends, generally simple in character, but with gradations leading up
to more ornamental types; occasionally perforated at the handles for suspension;
ornamentation, with exception of the handles, limited to dots, straight
indented lines, and fillets; surface unglazed, blackish, dirty red or yellow in colour,
often with construction or smoothing marks upon it; clay varying in fineness,
and generally mixed with pulverized siliceous minerals.
A few representative examples of the Jamaican pottery, along with other objects,
were sent to Prof. O. T. Mason for his valuable opinion, and for comparison
with the large American and West Indian collections under his charge
at the Smithsonian Institution. He has kindly replied as follows: “I have today
examined with great care the specimens you sent me and give you the benefit of
the study. The fragments of pottery lie [39 is Plate III] [40] between the Porto
Rican and that of Florida to Carolina. The angular margin (such as is shown
in Figures 1 and 3 in Plate V) is found in Porto Rico and Florida; in Porto Rico
there is more elaboration of design culminating in the labyrinth.
The Jamaican heads are possibly of parrots, with outspread wings; the Porto
Rico handles are of monkeys and men, very boldly executed. No such handles
are now in the Florida collection. On the whole Jamaica seems to be a connecting
link between Porto Rico and Florida.”
Uses. The uses to which the Jamaican pottery was put were no doubt mainly
in connection with the preparation of food and other domestic functions, much
of it showing the blackening produced by fire. The fragments obtained from
the kitchen- middens must be regarded as discarded broken examples, no longer
of any service.