The geometrical designs on Mimbres pottery are rectangular, curved, and
spiral, the first form being the most common. These units are arranged
in twos or fours, and although they consist often of zigzag or stepped
figures, the triangle and rectangle predominate. The geometrical
designs are rarely colored, but commonly filled in with hachures
and parallel lines. There are seldom decorations on the outside of
the Mimbres bowls, in which respect they differ from ancient Hopi
(Sikyatki) vessels elsewhere figured.[53] Conversely, that part of the
interior of the bowl which surrounds the central design, oftentimes
elaborately ornamented in Mimbres pottery, is very simply decorated in
Sikyatki pottery. Encircling lines on Mimbres pottery are continuous,
whereas at Sikyatki they are broken at one or more points by intervals
known as the “life gateways” or “lines of life.”[54] The geometrical
figures on the inside of every bowl sometimes surround a central region
on which no figures of animals or human beings are drawn, but which is
perforated.
The more strikingly characteristic forms of geometrical figures are
shown in designs on plate 8. Certain of the geometrical figures drawn
on the sides of animals as on the wolf (pl. 2, fig. 1), the antelope
(figs. 19 and 20), the mountain sheep (pl. 2, fig. 2), the unidentified
animal and bird (figs. 18 and 25), the reptile (fig. 28), also appear
without the animals and probably have the same significance[55] in both
instances.
[Illustration: FIG. 31.—Rabbit and geometrical designs.]
No geometrical figures were identified as representing sun, moon,
earth, or rain-clouds. A few crosses, circles, triangles, and
irregular quadrilateral designs combined with zigzag stepped figures
and interlocked spirals and highly interesting swastikas (fig. 31)
form the majority of the designs.[56] Several geometric designs, as
those on the bodies of figures 25 and 26, appear on Sikyatki pottery
(see 17th Ann. Rep. Bur. Amer. Ethnol., plate 121); others resemble
Pueblo symbols of wide distribution, but the majority are unique. The
geometric designs on the bodies of life-figures vary with the animal
depicted, but the same genus of animals does not always have the
geometric figure, although almost identical designs occur on the bodies
of different genera. It is recognized that a comparison of designs on
Southwestern pottery shows a general uniformity in geometrical pattern
which renders it very difficult to distinguish different local areas
of development, and may be the result of more extensive interchange of
ideas and a greater uniformity of cultural conditions. The pottery of
the Mimbres shares with the rest of the Southwest several well-known
geometrical designs which no doubt date back to an earlier epoch than
the evolution of animal figures, but it also has several decorations
of geometrical patterns (fig. 32) that are peculiar to it and which,
taken with the characteristic zoic figures, serve to differentiate it
from other local areas. Mimbres pottery as pointed out by others has
a general likeness to that from Casas Grandes Valley in Chihuahua,
a resemblance which no doubt increases as we follow the river to
Lakes Palomas and Guzman.[57] The resemblance is not close enough to
indicate identity, but we have enough material to support the belief
that the archeological area in which it occurs is Mexican, unlike that
of any other ceramic area in Arizona or New Mexico. Here a specialized
symbolism has been developed which is different from that of the Rio
Grande, or the Upper Gila-Salt area, and that characteristic of the
great Lower Gila in which lie the compounds like Casa Grande. The
Mimbres Valley archeologically is the northern extension of a culture
area which reached its highest development on Casas Grandes River.
[Illustration: FIG. 32.—Geometrical figure. (Osborn collection.)]