The exterior surface of almost every bowl from Sikyatki is decorated
with lines or geometrical designs. Many of these designs may represent
animals, probably birds highly conventionalized or so aberrant that
the avian form can be recognized only by comparative or morphological
studies. They are confined to one side of the bowl; there appears to
be little resemblance and no connection between them and the figure
depicted on the inside of the same bowls. Although linear in form, one
end is sometimes so crooked or bent at an angle, not curved, as to form a
head, while the other bears parallel lines, representations of the tail
feathers, terraces, or triangles.
[Illustration: FIG. 77.—Lateral view of bird hanging from sky-band.]
[Illustration: FIG. 78.—Lateral view of bird hanging from sky-band.]
In plate 80, _a_, we have a characteristic example of one of these
exterior decorations. The crooked end is supposed to represent a bird’s
head; to the other end, or tail, are appended six feathers like those
already considered. A row of five stars is strung along the band. A
likeness to a bird is very obscure in _b_, while _c_ shows several simple
triangles with stepped figures in the middle and triangles at the ends.
Design _d_ has a square form and two triangles appended to each opposite
angle. The appendages on the remaining opposite angles have four parallel
lines. Design _e_ consists of two highly conventionalized bird symbols,
united to a third which forms the interior design.
The design _f_ recalls the sky-band described in the preceding pages. The
extremities of this so-called band are enlarged into round spots from
which arise parallel lines and triangular designs. From it hang terraced
and crooked figures, while strung along one side at equal intervals are
five stars, a common accompaniment of sky symbols. The bird symbol comes
out clearly in _g_, where the crook design with terraces is repeated.
All crooked figures have a similarity in general form, some more
closely resembling birds than others, and it is taken for granted that
the intention of the artist was to represent a bird in plate 81, _a_,
notwithstanding the avian form is highly conventionalized. Design _b_
is composite, consisting of a rectangular figure, to the angles of
which are attached feathers. Terraced and triangular figures of unknown
significance, stars, and other designs cover the rectangle. Design _c_ is
made up of a triangle with notched borders and a central rectangle with
a dot characterizes this design; it has also two triangular extensions
that may represent feathers. Design _d_ resembles previous figures
identified as feathers and terraces hanging from a sky-band.
The most prominent part of the design _e_ is a crook and parallel lines.
In _f_ are variously combined triangles with appended feathers, crooks,
and terraced designs, so united as to make up a compound decoration of
geometric character.
The geometrical designs in the series, plate 82, _a-f_, may be
interpreted as representing birds in flight or with extended wings.
Considered in this way, it appears that we have in the figure on each
side a highly conventionalized wing forming triangles with extensions at
one angle, ending in terraces, crooks, or other designs. In these figures
we constantly have a line that may be likened to the sky-band, each end
generally terminating in a dot to which parallel lines are attached.
Design _a_ has two triangular bodies resembling the letter W, and the
line terminating in two dots has two crossbars, while in _b_ there is
a union of designs. Elongated triangles terminate in lines which are
enlarged into dots. These triangles are modified on one side into crooks
with smaller triangles.
From remote resemblances rather than similarity of form, _c_ is placed
near the preceding. Here a band is enlarged at the end representing the
knots with attached parallel lines or feathers. The triangular pendants
of _b_ and the line with terminal dots of _a_ are here represented. On
the middle vertical of this figure is a trapezoidal design with notched
edges.
The elements of _d_ form a compound in which triangles predominate. Two
W-shaped designs, _e_ and _f_, have a form quite unlike _a_, _b_, _c_,
and _d_. Of these, _f_ is the more complicated, but the similarity of the
two is apparent.
Plate 83, _a_, represents two triangles with serrate margins hanging to a
horizontal band, one end of which terminates in dots and lines, the other
with two parallel notched feathers.
Plate 84, _a-c_, have the W shape shown in plate 82, _e_, _f_; the
approach to the conventional bird form with extended wings and tail being
most marked in _a_. Design _d_ on plate 84 recalls plate 83, _f_, with
modifications that are apparent.
The above-mentioned geometrical figures from the exteriors of Sikyatki
food bowls show considerable variety of form but all can be reduced to
a few elemental designs throughout in which the curved line is absent.
The rectangular design is always dominant, but it will be seen from the
following plate that it is not omnipresent, especially on the interiors
of bowls.
[Illustration: