Drawings representing side views of birds are usually highly
conventionalized, often taking the forms of simple geometric figures, as
shown in figures 43-45. The simplest representation of a bird viewed from
the side is a triangle, but another, slightly elaborated and a little
more complicated (fig. 43), consists of a triangular body with curved
lines representing a head and beak, extending from one of the angles,
and with two short lines indicating a feathered head crest. The head of
the bird shown in figure 44 resembles a section of a Greek fret, which
in figure 45 has become still further simplified. Figure 46 represents a
bird with triangular body and key-shaped head. Figure 47 shows a similar
design, except that the body is partly rectangular, with breast slightly
concave. The body in figure 48 is simply an outline of a terrace and the
tail is indicated by five parallel lines.
[Illustration: FIG. 43.—Triangular form of a bird.]
[Illustration: FIG. 44.—Triangular form of bird.]
[Illustration: FIG. 45.—Simple form of bird with terraced body.]
[Illustration: FIG. 46.—Lateral view of triangular bird with two tail
feathers.]
The bird design shown in profile in figure 49 is realistic, all the parts
being clearly recognizable. This figure is one of four, each attached to
a corner of a rectangle.
Another figure which may be a lateral view of a bird is represented
in figure 50, in which the part, representing the head is curved, the
body square, and two obliquely twisted feathers represent the tail.
This figure exhibits avian features more obscurely than those already
considered, but the head and the tail feathers are quite birdlike.
[Illustration: FIG. 47.—Lateral view of bird with three tail feathers.]
[Illustration: FIG. 48.—Problematical bird figure.]
[Illustration: FIG. 49.—Bird with two tail feathers.]
[Illustration: FIG. 50.—Highly conventionalized bird figure.]
In figure 51 is shown a lateral view of a bird, seemingly in flight,
the head and beak of which are birdlike. The wings, feet, head, and
body are not difficult to recognize. Two legs and one wing are shown,
and the well-drawn tail, terminating in white-tipped feathers, suggests
the turkey, which bird is regarded by the modern Hopi as so efficacious
in bringing rain that its feathers are employed in almost all rain
ceremonies. The author has seen a similar drawing on altar and other
ceremonial paraphernalia among the Hopi priests of the present day. The
white tips which characterize the tail feathers of the turkey originated,
according to a Hopi legend, at the time when this bird dragged the end of
its tail in the mud after a flood had subsided.
[Illustration: FIG. 51.—Lateral view of bird.]
The bird shown in figure 52 has a curved, elongated beak, a more or less
angular body, two legs, and two small wings. The tail consists of three
feathers[19] with characteristic projections.
[Illustration: FIG. 52.—Profile of bird.]
[Illustration: FIG. 53.—Lateral view of bird with outspread wing.]
One of the best bird pictures on Sikyatki pottery is shown in figure 53.
The body is somewhat triangular in shape and the wing is spread out,
here shown above the back; the tail is provided with three feathers
placed vertically instead of horizontally, and bent over at their ends
into triangles, evidently owing to the lack of available space. The beak
is characteristically curved; the single eye is provided with a pupil.
The long claws, single on each foot, suggest an eagle, hawk, or other
raptorial bird. The spiral appendage to the under rim of the tail is of
unknown meaning.
[Illustration: FIG. 54.—Lateral view of bird with twisted tail and wing
feathers.]
The design shown in figure 54 is one of the most complex bird drawings
found on Sikyatki pottery. The head is triangular, with an eye situated
in the center, and the beak continued into a very large, elaborate
fret. The body is rhomboidal in shape, the upper portion being occupied
by a patterned square. Rising above the body is a conventionalized
wing, while depending from its lowermost angle is a diminutive figure
resembling feathers. The tail consists of two elongate feathers, rounded
at their outer ends and fused at the point of union with the body.
Having seen how prone the ancient Hopi were to represent birds on their
pottery and the extent to which conventionalization of these figures
prevailed, one finds many designs so closely related to known bird
figures that the tendency is to include with them many the identification
of which is doubtful. Certain simple geometrical forms originally derived
from bird designs were copied by these early potters, presumably without
intending to represent birds, but rather merely as decorative motives.
Two of these problematic designs are shown in figures 55 and 56.
[Illustration: FIG. 55.—Lateral view of conventionalized bird.]
[Illustration: FIG. 56.—Lateral view of conventionalized bird.]