Part 13
I have already called attention to the fact that there is no such thing in Chiriquian ceramic art as a well modeled human figure and apparently no indication of an attempt to render the human physiognomy with accuracy. It is highly probable that the personages embodied in the mythology of the people took the forms of animals or were anthropomorphic and gave rise to the peculiar conceptions embodied in their arts. The strange objects herewith presented are rendered in a measure intelligible by the adoption of this hypothesis. These figurines are confined to the alligator group of ware and are quite numerous. They are small, carefully finished, and painted with care in red and black lines and figures. They are semihuman and appear to be arrayed in costume. The head of each is triangular in shape, having a sharp, projecting profile, with the mouth set back beneath the chin, reminding one of the face of a squirrel or some such rodent. The figures occupy a sitting posture. The legs are spread out horizontally, giving a firm support, and terminate in blunt cones, which are in some cases slightly bent up to represent feet. The hands rest upon the sides or thighs or clasp a small figure apparently intended for an infant, which, however, does not seem to have any human features. In one case this figure is placed upon the back of the figurine and appears to hold its place by means of four feet armed with claws (Fig. 226); in another it is held in front (Fig. 227). The neck is usually pierced to facilitate suspension, and the under side of the body--the sitting surface--is triply perforated, or punctured if solid, as if for the purpose of fixing the figure in an upright position to some movable support. The central perforation is round and the lateral ones, on the under side of the legs, are oblong. The largest specimen is six inches in height and the smallest about one and a half inches. They are rather elaborately painted with black and red devices which, by their peculiar geometric character, are undoubtedly intended to indicate the costume. The hair is represented by black stripes, which descend upon the neck, and the face is striped with red. They are found associated with other relics in the graves and were possibly only toys, but more probably were tutelary images or served some unknown religious purpose. The sex is usually feminine. Two additional examples showing side and back views are outlined in Figs. 228 and 229.
STOOLS.
I have given this name to a class of stone carvings presented in a previous section, and, for want of a better name, give it also to a series of similar objects modeled in clay. These are among the most elaborate products of Chiriquian art. In all cases they are of the yellowish unpainted pottery and indicate much freedom and skill in the handling of clay. They do not show any well defined evidences of use, and as they are too slight and fragile to be used as ordinary seats we are left to surmise that they may have served some purpose in the religious rites of the ancient races. They are uniform in construction and general conformation and consist of a circular tablet supported by upright circular walls or by figures which rest upon a strong, ring shaped base. The tablet or plate is somewhat concave above, is less than an inch in thickness, and has a diameter of ten and one-fourth inches in the largest piece, descending to seven and one-half in the smallest. The margin is rounded and usually embellished with a beaded ornament consisting of grotesque heads, generally reptilian. The variations exhibited in details of modeling are well shown by the illustrations. In the example given in Fig. 230 the upright portion is a hollow cylinder, having four vertical slits, alternating with which are oblique bands of ornament in incised lines and punctures. The projecting margin of the tablet is encircled by a row of grotesque, monkey-like heads, facing downward.
Fig. 231 illustrates a specimen in which three grotesque figures, with forbidding faces, alternate with as many flat columns embellished with rude figures of alligators. Eighteen grotesque, monkey-like heads occupy the lower margin of the seat plate in the spaces between the heads of the supporting figures. This specimen illustrates the favorite Chiriquian method of construction. The various parts were modeled separately in a rough way and then set into place in the order of their importance. When this was done and the insertions were neatly worked together with the fingers, a number of small instruments were employed in finishing: a sharp stylus for indicating parts of the costume, and blunt points and small tubular dies for adding intaglio details of anatomy, such as the navel, the pupils of the eyes, and the partings of the fingers and toes.
The discoidal plate of another specimen is supported by four absurdly grotesque monkeys, giving a general effect much like that of the last.
A very remarkable piece is shown in Fig. 232. The tablet is supported by six grotesque figures, somewhat human in appearance, whose limbs are intertwined with serpents, suggesting the famous group of the Laocoön. The work is roughly done and the details are not carried out in a very consistent manner, as the arms and legs of the figures become confused with the reptiles and are as likely to terminate in a snake's head as in a hand or foot. The rudely shaped bodies are covered with indented circlets or with short incised lines. The material, color, and finish are as usual. The height is four and one-half inches and the diameter of the tablet ten inches.
There are additional specimens in the National Museum. In one case, the largest specimen of the series, the tablet is supported by five upright female human figures and the margin is encircled by a cornice of forty-six neatly modeled reptilian heads. A small example differs considerably in general shape from those illustrated, the base being much smaller than the circular tablet. The supporting figures are two rudely modeled ocelots and two monkey-like figures, all of which are placed in an inverted position. Similar objects are obtained from the neighboring states of Central and South America.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Something is already known of the musical instruments of the ancient Chiriquians through fugitive specimens that have found their way into collections in all parts of Europe and America. The testimony of the earthen relics--for no others are preserved to us--goes to show that the art of music was, in its rude way, very assiduously practiced, and that it probably constituted with these, as with most primitive communities, a serious and important feature in the various ceremonial exercises. Clay is naturally limited to the production of a small percentage of the musical instruments of any people, the various forms of woody growths being better adapted to their manufacture. We have examples of both instruments of percussion and wind instruments, the former class embracing drums and rattles and the latter whistles and clarionette-like pipes.
_Rattles._--Besides the ordinary rattles attached to and forming parts of vessels, as already described, there are a number of small pieces that seem to have served exclusively as rattles, while some are rattle and whistle combined in one piece. In no case, however, would they seem to the unscientific observer to be more than mere toys, as they are of small size and the sounds emitted are too weak to be perceptible at any considerable distance. At the same time it is true that they may have had ceremonial offices of no little consequence to the primitive priesthood. The simple rattles are shaped like gourds, the body being globular and the neck or handle long and straight. Like the wares already described, they are finished and decorated, the majority belonging to the lost color group. The length varies from three to six or seven inches. A number of minute slit-like orifices or perforations for the emission of the sound occur about the upper part of the body (Fig. 233). A septum is placed in the lower part of the neck, so that the handle, which is hollow and open at the upper end, may serve as a whistle. In some cases the lower part of the neck is perforated for suspension at the point occupied by the septum, as imperfectly shown in the section (Fig. 234). The most interesting specimen in the collection is shown in Fig. 235; it is especially notable on account of its construction, which points clearly to the gourd as a prototype. The body is of the usual globular shape, slightly elongated above. The neck is represented as a separate piece lashed on with cords by means of perforations made for the purpose, just as are the handles of similar instruments constructed of gourds and reeds in Central American countries. The compartments of the handle and of the body are separate and the sound produced by the small oval pellets is emitted through slits of the usual form. The top of the handle is surmounted by a pair of grotesque human figures, male and female, placed back to back and united at the backs of the heads as seen in the cut. This object is gray in color and presents the roughened granular surface resulting from long exposure to the elements.
_Drums._--The drum was a favorite instrument with the native American musician. Early explorers found its use next to universal, and the "tambour" is even now a characteristic feature of the musical paraphernalia of the Spanish-Americans. The primitive instrument was made by stretching a thin sheet of animal tissue over the orifice of a large gourd vessel or a vessel of wood or clay. The use of clay was probably exceptional, as there are but three specimens in our Chiriquian collection. The shape is somewhat like that of an hour glass, the upper part, however, being considerably larger than the base or stand. In all cases the principal rim is finished with especial reference to the attachment of the vibrating head. The example presented in Fig. 236 has a deeply scarified belt an inch wide encircling the rim, and below it is a narrow ridge, intended perhaps to facilitate the lashing or cementing on of the head. Two raised bands, intended to imitate twisted cords, encircle the most constricted part of the body, a single band similarly marked encircling the base. The surface is gray in color and but rudely polished. The walls are about three-eighths of an inch thick, the height sixteen and one-half inches, and the greatest diameter seven and one-half inches.
The decorated specimen illustrated in Fig. 237 is imperfect, a few inches of the base having been lost. The shape is rather more elegant than that of the other specimen and the surface is neatly finished and polished. The ground color or slip is a warm yellow gray and the decoration is in red and black. The rim or upper margin is rather rudely finished and is painted red and on the exterior is made slightly concave and furnished with a raised band to facilitate the attachment of the head. The painted ornament encircles the body in four zones, two upon the upper portion and two upon the base. The designs occupying the body zones are unique and viewed in the light of their probable origin are extremely interesting. In another place further on in this paper I shall show that they are probably very highly conventionalized derivatives of the alligator radical, the meandered line representing the body of the creature and the scalloped hooks the extremities (Fig. 238). The two bands upon the base consist of geometric figures, the origin of which cannot be definitely determined, although they also probably refer to the alligator.
In the collection there is a minute toy drum of the same general shape, and the same form reappears in some of the whistles, in one of which (Fig. 247) the skin head and its fastenings are all carefully reproduced in miniature. The immediate original of this particular form of drum was probably made of wood. A drum, recently brought from Costa Rica was made by hollowing out a cylindrical piece of wood and stretching a piece of snakeskin across the top. The shape is nearly identical with that of these earthen specimens.
_Wind instruments._--Earthenware wind instruments are found in considerable numbers and are associated with other relics in the tombs. Nearly all are very simple in construction and are limited in musical power, receiving and perhaps generally deserving no better name than whistles or toys. A few pieces are more pretentious and yield a number of notes, and if operated by skilled performers or properly concerted are capable of producing pleasing melodies. It is not difficult to determine the powers of individual instruments, but we cannot say to what extent these powers were understood by the original owners, nor can we say whether or not they were intended to be played in unison in such a way as to give a certain desired succession of intervals. There are, however, in a large number of these instruments a uniformity in construction and a certain close correspondence in the number and degree of the sounds that indicate the existence of well established standards. It does not appear absolutely certain to me that the system of intervals was made to conform to that of any known scale; but a difficulty arises in attempting to determine this point, as most of the pieces are more or less mutilated. We find also that the note producible by any given stop is not fixed in pitch, but varies, with the force of the breath, two or even three full intervals. As a result of this a glide is possible to the skilled performer from note to note and any desired pitch can be taken.
In material, finish, and decoration these objects do not differ from the ordinary pottery. A majority belong to the alligator group. The size is generally small, the largest specimen being about eight inches in length. The shapes are wonderfully varied and indicate a lively imagination on the part of the potter. Animal forms prevail very decidedly, that of the bird being a great favorite. In many cases the animals copied can be identified, but in others they cannot--perhaps from our lack of knowledge of the fauna of the province, perhaps from carelessness on the part of the artist or from the tendency to model grotesque and complicated shapes. The following creatures can be recognized: men, pumas, ocelots, armadillos, eagles, owls, ducks, parrots, several varieties of small birds, alligators, crabs, and scorpions. Vegetal forms, excepting where in use as instruments or utensils, as reeds and gourds, were not copied. In the National Museum collection there are two tubular pipes, probably modeled after reeds, and another resembles a gourd in shape. The construction of the whistling apparatus is identical in all cases and corresponds to that of our flageolets (see sections, Figs. 240 and 242). Plain tubes were doubtless also used as whistles, and all utensils of small size, such as needlecases and toy vases, can be made to give forth a note more or less shrill, according to the size of the chamber. The simplest form of whistle produces two shrill notes identical in pitch. The shape is double, suggesting a primitive condition of the tibiæ pares of the Romans. The parts are pear or gourd shaped, are joined above and below, and have an opening between the necks. The two mouthpieces are so close together that both are necessarily blown at once. The note produced is pitched very high and is extremely penetrating, not to say ear splitting, making an excellent call for the jungles and forests of the tropics. A small specimen is presented full size in Fig. 239, and the section in Fig. 240 shows the relative positions of the mouthpieces, air passages, vent holes, and chambers.
[Music]
Reed shaped instruments are furnished with passages and orifices corresponding to the other forms. The chamber is tubular and the lower end is open, and the finger holes, when present, are on the upper side of the cylinder. One example without finger holes has two notes nearly an octave apart, which are produced, the higher with the tube open and the lower with it closed. Perhaps the most satisfactory instrument in the whole collection, so far as range is concerned, is shown in Fig. 241, and a section is given in Fig. 242. It is capable of yielding the notes indicated in the accompanying scale: First, a normal series of eight sounds, produced as shown in the diagram, and, second, a series produced by blowing with greater force, one note two octaves above its radical and the others three octaves above. These notes are difficult to produce and hold and were probably not utilized by the native performer.
[Music]
Two little instruments of remarkable form and unusual powers stand quite alone among their fellows. One only is entire. It is made of dark clay and represents a creature not referable to any known form, so completely is it conventionalized. A fair idea of its appearance can be gained from Figs. 243 and 244. The first gives the side view and the second the top view. The mouthpiece is in what appears to be the forehead of the creature. The vent hole is beneath the neck and there are four minute finger holes, one in the middle of each of four flattish nodes, which have the appearance of large protruding eyes. A suspension hole passes through a node upon the top of the head. The capacity of this instrument is five notes, clear in tone and high in pitch. It is notable that the pitch of each stop, when open alone, is identical, the holes being of exactly the same size. In playing it does not matter in what order the fingers are moved. The lower note is made with all the holes closed and the ascending scale is produced by opening successively one, two, three, and four holes. The fragmentary piece is much smaller and the holes are extremely small.
[Music]
Of a distinct type of form, although involving no new principle of construction, are two top-like or turnip shaped instruments, one of which is shown in Fig. 245. The form is symmetrical, the ornamentation tasteful, and the surface highly polished. The ware is of the alligator group and is decorated in red and black figures. A section is given in Fig. 246, _a_, and top and bottom views in _b_ and _c_. By reference to these a clear conception of the object can be formed. The companion piece is identical in size, shape, and conformation, and, strange to say, in musical notes also. The tones are not fixed, as each can be made to vary two or three degrees by changing the force of the breath. The tones produced by a breath of average force are indicated as nearly as may be in the accompanying scale. They will be found to occur nearer the lower than the upper limit of their ranges. It should be observed that the capacity for variation possessed by each of these notes enables the skilled performer to glide from one to the other without interruption. This instrument is, therefore, within its limited range, as capable of adjusting itself to any succession of intervals as is the trombone or the violin. I do not imagine, however, that the aboriginal performer made any systematic use of this power or that the instrument was purposely so constructed. It will be seen by reference to the scale that stopping the orifice in the end opposite the mouthpiece changes the notes half a tone, or perhaps, if accurately measured, a little less than that.
[Music]
Our collection contains several dozen three note whistles or pipes. Most of these represent animal forms, which are treated in a more or less realistic way, but with a decided tendency toward the grotesque. Nearly all are of small size, the largest, an alligator form, having a length of about eight inches. In the animal figures the air chamber is within the body, but does not conform closely to the exterior shape. The mouthpieces and the orifices are variously placed, to suit the fancy of the modeler, but the construction and the powers are pretty uniform throughout. There are two finger holes, placed in some cases at equal and in others at unequal distances from the mouthpiece, but they are always of equal size and produce identical notes. The capacity is therefore three notes. The lower is produced when all the orifices are open, the higher when all are closed, and the middle when one hole--no matter which--is closed.
Besides the animal forms there are a number of shapes copied from other musical instruments or from objects of art, such as vases. A very interesting specimen, illustrated in Fig. 247, modeled in imitation of a drum, has not only the general shape of that instrument, but the skin head, with its bands and cords of attachment, is truthfully represented. A curious conceit is here observed in the association of the bird--a favorite form for the whistles--with the drum. A small figure of a bird extends transversely across the body of the drum chamber, the back being turned from the observer in the cut. The tail serves for a mouthpiece, while the finger holes are placed in the breast of the bird, the position usually assigned to them in simple bird whistles; its three notes are indicated in the accompanying scale:
[Music]
One specimen is vase or pitcher shaped, with base prolonged for a mouthpiece and with a neat handle (Fig. 248). The ground color is a dull red, upon which are traces of painted figures. Its notes are as follows:
[Music]
A novel conceit is exhibited in the crab shaped instrument presented in Fig. 249, which gives a back view of the animal. On the opposite side are four small conical legs, upon which the object rests as does a vase upon its tripod. The mouthpiece is in the right arm, beneath which is the sound hole. The two finger holes are in the back behind the eyes of the creature and a suspension hole is seen in the left arm. The painted designs are in red and black lines upon a yellowish gray ground. The following scale indicates its capacity:
[Music]