[Illustration: Fig. 289. POTTERY VESSEL. Four-armed volute, ogee Swastika
(tetraskelion). Arkansas. 1/3 natural size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 290. POTTERY VESSEL. Four volutes resembling Swastika.
Pecan Point, Ark. 1/3 natural size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 291. POTTERY VESSEL MADE IN THE FORM OF AN ANIMAL.
Spiral volutes, nine arms. Pecan Point, Ark. 1/3 natural size.]
Spiral-volute designs resembling the Swastika in general effect are found
on aboriginal mound pottery from the Mississippi Valley. The Fourth Annual
Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, 1882-83,[276] shows many of these. Fig.
289 represents a teapot-shaped vessel from Arkansas, on the side of which,
in incised lines, is shown the small circle which we saw on the shell
disks, and springing from the four opposite sides are three incised lines,
twisting spirally to the right, forming the four volutes of the Swastika
(tetraskelion) and covering the entire side of the vessel. The same spiral
form of the Swastika is given in fig. 290, a vessel of eccentric shape
from Pecan Point, Ark. The decoration is in the form of two lines crossing
each other and each arm then twisting to the right, forming volutes, the
incised lines of which, though drawn close together and at equal
distances, gradually expand until the ornament covers the entire side of
the vase. It is questionable whether this or any of its kindred were ever
intended to represent either the Swastika or any other specific form of
the cross. One evidence of this is that these ornaments shade off
indefinitely until they arrive at a form which was surely not intended to
represent any form of the cross, whether Swastika or not. The line of
separation is not now suggested by the author. An elaboration of the
preceding forms, both of the vessel and its ornamentation, is shown by the
vessel represented in fig. 291, which is fashioned to represent some
grotesque beast with horns, expanding nostrils, and grinning mouth, yet
which might serve as a teapot as well as the former two vessels. The
decoration upon its side has six incised lines crossing each other in the
center and expanding in volutes until they cover the entire side of the
vessel, as in the other specimens. Fig. 292 shows a pot from Arkansas. Its
body is decorated with incised lines arranged in much the same form as
fig. 291, except that the lines make no attempt to form a cross. There are
nine arms which spring from the central point and twist spirally about as
volutes until they cover the field, which is one-third the body of the
bowl. Two other designs of the same kind complete the circuit of the pot
and form the decoration all around. Fig. 293[277] represents these volutes
in incised lines of considerable fineness, close together, and in great
numbers, forming a decoration on each of the sides of the vase, separated
by three nearly perpendicular lines.
[Illustration: Fig. 292. POTTERY BOWL ORNAMENTED WITH MANY-ARMED VOLUTES.
Arkansas. 1/3 natural size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 293. POTTERY VASE ORNAMENTED WITH VOLUTES. Arkansas.]
[Illustration: Fig. 294. TRIPOD POTTERY VASE. Four-armed volutes making
spiral Swastika. Arkansas. 1/3 natural size.]
The spiral Swastika form appears painted upon the pottery from Arkansas.
The specimen shown in fig. 294[278] is a tripod bottle. The decoration
upon the side of the body consists of two lines forming the cross, and the
four arms expand in volutes until the ornament covers one-third of the
vessel, which, with the other two similar ornaments, extend around the
circumference. This decoration is painted in red and white colors on a
gray or yellowish ground. Fig. 295 shows a bowl from mound No. 2, Thorn's
farm, Taylor Shanty group, Mark Tree, Poinsett County, Ark. It is ten
inches wide and six inches high. The clay of which it is made forms the
body color--light gray. It has been painted red or maroon on the outside
without any decoration, while on the inside is painted with the same color
a five-armed cross, spirally arranged in volutes turning to the right. The
center of the cross is at the bottom of the bowl, and the painted spiral
lines extend over the bottom and up the sides to the rim of the bowl, the
interior being entirely covered with the design. Another example of the
same style of decoration is seen on the upper surface of an ancient vase
from the province of Cibola.[279]
[Illustration: Fig. 295. POTTERY BOWL WITH FIVE-ARMED SPIRAL SWASTIKA ON
THE BOTTOM. Poinsett County, Ark. Cat. No. 114035, U. S. N. M.]
The specimen shown in fig. 296 is from the mound at Arkansas Post, in the
county and State of Arkansas.[280] It represents a vase of black ware,
painted a yellowish ground, with a red spiral scroll. Its diameter is
5-1/2 inches. These spiral figures are not uncommon in the localities
heretofore indicated as showing the normal Swastika. Figs. 297 and
298[281] show parallel incised lines of the same style as those forming
the square in the bird gorgets already noted (figs. 263-267). Fig. 297
shows a bowl nine inches in diameter; its rim is ornamented with the heart
and tail of a conventional bird, which probably served as handles. On the
outside, just below the rim, are the four incised parallel lines
mentioned. In the center of the side is represented a rolling under or
twisting of the lines, as though it represented a ribbon. There are three
on each quarter of the bowl, that next the head being plain. Fig. 298
represents a bottle 6-1/2 inches in diameter, with parallel incised lines,
three in number, with the same twisting or folding of the ribbon-like
decoration. This twists to the left, while that of fig. 297 twists in the
opposite direction. Both specimens are from the vicinity of Charleston,
Mo.
[Illustration: Fig. 296. VESSEL OF BLACK WARE. Spiral scroll. Arkansas.]
[Illustration: Fig. 297. BIRD-SHAPED POTTERY BOWL. Three parallel incised
lines with ribbon fold. Charleston, Mo.]