The little pottery objects of Lake Chapala, Mexico

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DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY
BULLETIN II

The Little Pottery Objects of
Lake Chapala, Mexico

By
FREDERICK STARR

CHICAGO

£be TUntvereitE of Cbtcago prees
1897

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DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY
BULLETIN II

The Little Pottery Objects of
Lake Chapala, Mexico

By
FREDERICK STARR

CHICAGO

Gbe TUnivereitg of Cbtcaao press
1897

f-

NOTE. — The illustrations are all of nat-
ural size, and are made from pen drawings,
from the originals, by M. K. Seralian.

^

THE LITTLE POTTERY OBJECTS OF
LAKE CHAPALA.

Lake Chapala is the largest body of fresh water in the Republic
of Mexico. It lies in the State of Jalisco, to the northwest from the
City of Mexico and at a distance of about two hundred and fifty
miles in a direct line. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, its
scenery presents a bold and Alpine character. A number of towns
lie along the margin of the lake, among which La Barca lies upon
the Mexican Central Railroad, and Chapala is a place of consider-
able resort. The country about the lake was, and to a certain extent
still is, Tarascan territory.

My attention was first called to the little potteries of Lake Cha-
pala by Francisco Fredenhagen of Guadalajara. Mr. Fredenhagen
showed me a string of little ladles and ollitas found at Chapala,
either in the lake or washed up on the shore. He suggested that
they might come from the site of some ancient town built over the
water, analogous to the well-known Swiss lake-dwellings. Since
then I have attempted, with no success, to find any signs of such
pile-structures. The fishermen of the neighborhood deny the
existence of any stumps of posts or piles in the lake, and at the
times of my visits the water has been too high for satisfactory exami-
nation. The question is not decided.

The occurrence of these little terra cotta objects— vessels, ladles,
sinkers, spindle-whorls, and figures — in the lake is curious. Archae-
ological objects abound in the district, and pottery vessels and
figures of characteristic types are common all around the lake. But
they are all large, and the vessels were serviceable for daily use.
These larger objects appear to be rare or quite absent from the
lake itself; on the other hand, the little objects which are about to
be described are so rare as to be practically unknown at all the land
localities with which I am acquainted.

3

There are several points in the western part of the lake where
these little objects are found. Chapala is by no means the best
locality, though the first I knew. They are found again about four
miles west from it. But the best of the known localities is Ocotepec.
At all these places the specimens may be found, though rarely,
along the shore, where they have been washed up by the waves.
Such specimens usually show signs of wavewear. The most numer-
ous and finest specimens are found when the water of the lake is at
its lowest level. They may then be taken out or dug from the lake
ottom at a spot where the water often stands from one to two
fathoms deep. Many of the specimens are coated with a lime
deposit or with slimy vegetable growth.

I divide the specimens in my own collection into five groups —
ollitas, ladles, sinkers, spindle-whorls, and figurines. Far the larger
number of them are of a dark gray — almost black — or grayish
ware, fairly fine-grained and pretty well baked, but easily broken.
The ollitas are the commonest of all the types. Out of a collection
of 261 specimens there are 181 ollitas, 15 sinkers, 48 whorls, n
ladles, 6 figurines. The ollitas are really more common propor-
tionally than this, for in collecting I have often rejected them, while
I have never refused specimens of the rest, if they were at all good.
Taking up each of these classes, I shall describe the types in detail :

Ollitas. — These are made with much care. They are too small
for use, and the mouths are frequently small out of proportion to

FIG. i.

the little vessels themselves. Very commonly there are two or three
projecting ears, pierced near their base for the passage of a cord.

4

Sometimes, however, the supports are real loops or crests or combs,
made after the vessel was shaped and then attached. At times
wart-like knobs, grooved across so as to resemble eyes or mouths,
occur. Any of these prominences or projections break off easily
and leave a nearly smooth spot where they separate. These ears,

FIG. 2.

looped handles, knobs, crests, etc., vary much in position : the
crests may be placed either horizontally or vertically. The most
frequent type is a small, neatly rounded body, the upper rim of

FIG. 3.

which is smooth and concave ; it usually has three ears at equal
intervals, placed near the top of the vessel. In size these ollitas
range from 14""° to 50°"" in diameter and from 13°"" to 48""" in height.
The series selected for illustration shows the diversity in type.

5

Fig. i represents a fair specimen of the commonest type. The
three knobs are about equidistant around the main body. As usual,
they are pierced transversely for cord suspension. This specimen is
somewhat above the medium in size.

Fig. 2 is a specimen of the same size, but with the knobs less

FIGS. 4 AND 5.

regularly spaced, and rounded at the tips.

These knobs may be developed into upward or downward point-
ing horns (Fig. 3). These are rarely sharp at the ends, usually hav-
ing rounded tips.

Occasionally the vessels are not so nearly globular ; in such we
have some approach toward jar-shaped ; the knobs in these are

usually badly formed (Fig. 4).
One of the prettiest types
has the projecting knobs neatly
developed into well-sharpened,
upturned horns ; the rim flares
and is finely concave finished.
This type is always carefully
made and in nearly black ware

FIG. 6.

Rarely, in place of knobs
there are little loop handles
fastened on the sides. In Fig. 6 is represented a specimen of this
kind with a plain surface and three symmetrically placed handles.
These handles are sometimes notched along the upper edge (as in
Fig. 7), thus adding a decorative feature.

Such furnish a transition to specimens with slit knobs and with

6

notched ridges or crests. These may be variously combined. Thus
in the specimen represented in two positions in Fig. 8 we have the

FIG. 9.

three projecting horns dividing the vessel into nearly equal parts;
on one of these is a knob slit across obliquely by an incised line ;

7

on the second is a vertical ridge, notched transversely by three lines
into a sort of crest ; the third space is plain. Fig. Q represents a
vessel but slightly different ; in it two out of the three spaces are
occupied with slit knobs. From one point of view this specimen
somewhat resembles — probably intentionally — a human face. The

FIG. 10.

FIG. ii.

two slit knobs resemble eyes ; one of the suspension knobs forms a
fairly good nose, while the other two are like ears ; the third space
is plain. A second specimen, very close to this, has a slit knob on
the third space and presents the rude semblance of a human face
from any one of three points of view (Fig. id).

8

An odd but pretty form, given in Fig. //, introduces us to a
new series characterized by transverse or horizontal crests. The
three ears are developed into down-turned blunt horns. Between
them and on the same level — near the top of the vessel — are three

FIG. 14.

little long hummocks, notched by transverse lines into crests with
five or six segments. Some specimens present a combination of
crest and slit knob. Thus Fig. 12 has one of the spaces between the
ears clear, the second is occupied by a thrice notched horizontal

FIG. 15.

crest, and the third by a knob with a nearly vertical slit. Here the
ears are of unusual breadth. In another (Fig. fj) the projecting
ears are more nearly the usual form, but not symmetrically placed ;
one interspace is vacant, but in the other two are a notched knob
and a crest almost like a bit of twisted rope. In one specimen,

10

FIG. 1 8.

where the ears are like down-turned, round-tipped horns, they are
united by two notched curved ridges ; these are so arranged with
reference to the intermediate ear (which is somewhat broken) as to
suggest the idea of eyebrows and nose — or an owl's face (fig. 14).

FIG. 19.

In this specimen there is an interspace vacant, but in another (Fig.
75), somewhat similar, there are three crests, filling thus all the
spaces; these crests are nearly horizontal. Sometimes, instead of

FIG. 20.

being near the upper edge of the vessel, the ears and crests may be
low down on the body (fig. 16). Far the handsomest of this three-
crested type in our series is the specimen represented in Fig. 17,

12

where the ears point upward and the crests are finely developed.
Rarely, both ears and crests may be at the very base of the ollita,
giving it an altogether peculiar appearance (Fig. 18).

Quite a distinct series occurs in which the crests run vertically
instead of horizontally. These may present one crest (Fig. IQ) or
more. They may have not only the crest, but also the slit knob
(Fig. 20). The form shown in Fig. 21 is curious. Here two ears
of the ollita are developed into narrow, but notably prominent ver-
tical crests, which are pierced for suspension ; between them appears
a knob, probably the stump of an ear of the usual type pierced for
cord passage. This specimen is unfortunately further broken, one

FIGS. 23, 24, AND 25.

of the crests having been injured. In one specimen (Fig. 22) are
two crests, opposite each other, both perforated, but differently set
— one being vertical, the other transverse. This ollita vaguely sug-
gests a bird ; cf. Fig. 55.

This last specimen leads us to a totally different series — those
with but two pierced ears projecting from the body. The simplest
and commonest type (Fig. 23) has the ears at the base, which is
more or less flat. The ears may be located higher as in Fig. 24.
Some are beautifully symmetrical, with daintily formed little ears,
turned upward and pointed at the top, located near the upper edge,
Fig.j — representing a three-eared specimen — gives an idea of this

14

style. Occasionally looped handles are luted on ; such are usually
situated near the base. fig. 25 represents such a specimen, which
may be compared with Fig. 6. Lastly, prettily crested forms occur,
such as that represented in Fig. 26, which is really a variant of the
idea expressed in Fig. 17. It may be objected that these two-eared

FIG. 26.

specimens are simpler than the three-eared and would precede them
in evolution. They are, however, far less common than the three-
eared forms, which appear to be the original type, and from which
these probably were really derived.

Entirely alone in this collection is a little jar of reddish ware
with gray clouding; it is fairly symmetrical
and has neither ears nor crests. The whole
surface is dotted with little pits. It is the
only specimen of ollita from the lake that is
unperforated. It measures 4imm in height and
31""" in greatest diameter (Fig. 27).

Occasionally little vessels of a totally dif-
ferent character are found. Two somewhat
similar types occur. In one the vessel is like
a cylindrical jar, contracted upward to a nar-
rower neck, with an expanding edge or rim
The other is cylindrical, with a flat base some-
what spread out beyond the cylindrical body ;
the under side of the base is somewhat concave. Both types have
a series of blunt, thorn-like prominences. One specimen of the first
type is shown in Fig. 28. It is composed of grey ware. But one
perforated, thorn-like ear is present, but there are traces of one—
perhaps of two — that have been broken off. Fig. 2Q represents a

15

FIG. 27.

specimen of the second type. Two views are given of it ; one shows
four projections at the sides (two on each side) and a central one
between them ; the other shows the same four lateral projections,

FIG. 28.

FIG. 29.

and three (one broken) knobs between the lower ones. The perfora-
tions in this specimen pierce the base of the vessel ; when suspended
the vessel apparently hung upside down. It is quite possible that

16

this specimen was intended to represent a human face. In Fig. 30
is presented a cylinder, which was probably a vessel of the same
character as the last, but from which the bottom has been broken
out. Placed upside down, it plainly represents a human face. The
eyeholes are pits ; the mouth is a dug-out slit ; from the sides pro-
ject four knobs. Four similar
knobs are placed symmetrically
with these at the rear of the cyl-
inder, but the space between,
corresponding to the human face
of the front, is plain.

Sinkers. — These present little
variation. They are usually of
reddish-brown, fairly baked ware;
they resemble little elliptical
pebbles about which a groove
has been cut. They are strik-
ingly like what Abbott and others
call pogamoggons, but are in
miniature and of pottery instead

of stone. They are quite like the beads described byThruston and
figured at p. 320 in his Antiquities of Tennessee, but are not per-
forated. The only important variation is in size : they range
from 10°"° to 27""° in length (See Figs. 31, 32, and

FIGS. 31, 32, AND 33.

Spindle- Whorls. — Spindle-whorls of pottery are found at almost
every archaeological locality in Mexico. They present wonderful
variation at different localities. Those from Lake Chapala are
unusually small and present two extreme types : (a) flat, straight-
edged disks, like checkers in shape ; they bear various patterns com-
posed of simple lines, corded lines, and dots ; (8) spheroidal or
quite spherical forms, with more or less complicated patterns of

17

FIGS. 34-41.

lines. Figs. 34, jj, 36 represent the former ; Figs. 44, 45, 46 the
latter. Intermediate types are represented in Figs. 37-43. Fig. jS
is a flat disk with grooved circumference ; Figs. 39-40 are plano-
convex ; Fig. 41 doubly convex, but flattened ; Figs. 42-43 doubly

FIGS. 42-46.

convex, with an equatorial belt of smaller curvature. No detailed
description of these forms is necessary, as the figures convey a clear
idea of them.

Ladles. — These are not infrequently made of a red or reddish-
brown ware ; they range from 50""° to 94""° in length and from forms
which are plainly ladles to forms which cannot be so considered.
They form, however, a single
series.

Fig. 47 is a simple shaft
bent up at the two ends, one
of which tapers to a point,

FIG. 47.

while the other is simply broadened and flattened a little. It is
perforated near the middle of the shaft by a small hole punched

19

through from one side. This is the plainest, smallest, least ladle-
like of the series.

Fig. 48 shows a specimen where the shaft is quite heavy and
thick ; at one end it is broadened and hollowed into a fair ladle-

bowl, while at the other end it splits into two claws, which are quite
abruptly bent upward. The specimen measures 84mm in length.
The perforation is near the end of the handle. In some specimens
this perforation is vertical instead of transverse.

FIG. 49.

Fig. 4Q. The shaft is much as in the last: the bowl is less well-
shaped ; the end of the handle is turned up into one point or claw ;
two legs or claws occur a little way down the shaft ; the perforation

20

lies a little beyond these. Fig. 50 shows a more clumsy specimen
than the preceding. It bears four leg-like projections, two at the
very end of the handle and two further down its shaft. The per-
foration is situated between the two pairs near the latter.

One imperfect specimen shows the end of the handle as a blunt

FIG. 50.

point, while two pairs of legs are situated along the shaft. In Fig.
j/ a rather slender, well-made specimen is shown. The end is bent
upward and notched into three little knobs or toes ; a pair of legs
project from the shaft; the perforation lies between these and the
end.

FIG. 51.

In almost all of these specimens the little projecting knobs sug-
gest the legs of animals. This idea was probably in the mind of the
ancient potter. In Fig. 52 is represented, not a ladle, but a curious
figurine; it belongs, however, plainly to the ladle series. It is of
coarse, reddish ware, darker within. The animal represented is like

21

a dog, with long, slender body ; his ears (one is gone) stick straight
up from the head ; the tongue hangs from his mouth ; the eyes are
made by impressions of a slender, hollow, cylindrical object ; the
legs are spread ; the tail is erect. From the middle of the back
rises a little column, at the top of which is a shallow bowl. The
length of this specimen is about ioomm, the height about 50""°.

This dog figure is in some respects notably like the extremely
curious little dog-bodied chariots found by Charnay at a height of
13,000 feet, on Popocatepetl. Curiously, too, these were also found
with miniature vessels, which Charnay considers children's toys. In
Ancient Cities of the New World he says :

" Next are toys and tiny terra cotta chariots ; some are broken, some
still preserve their four wheels ; they were, presumably, a fond mother's

FIG. 52.

memento who, ages gone by, buried them with her beloved child. These
chariots are shaped like a flattened cayote(a. kind of long-bodied fox), with
its straight ears and pointed face, and the wheels fit into four terra cotta
stumps ; on my renewing the wood axle-tree which had been destroyed
long since the chariots began to move."1 (P. 171.)

Also " baby tables, which, like the toy chariots, represented some
quadruped — resembling Greek toys." (P. 171.)

figurines. — From these ladles and the long-bodied dog figure
with the bowl atop it is but a step to true figurines. They are not
common. They are crudely shaped and of poor material.

1 Figures of two are given on p. 175.

22

Fig. jj represents perhaps the amphisboea or two-headed snake.
It is of a dark purple brown. It tapers and flattens vertically at
both ends. Two grooves encircle it near the ends : on the body
space between these, on each side and on the back, are lines of
three dots each. Each of the head-shaped ends has an eye spot on
either side and a mouth notch. The specimen may possibly be of
stone. The length is 53""°.

Fig, 54 much resembles the last, but is certainly of pottery. One
end is broken off, the other is bluntly rounded. One groove

FIGS. 53 AND 54.

remains, and traces of the other are visible at the point of fracture.
The ends were probably alike. The one which is still preserved has
a dot sunk in each side, but no mouth slit. A line of three dots
occurs along each side.

Fig. SS plainly represents a bird. Its head is raised, and the eye-
spots, the beak, and a little
crest are indicated. The
bird is represented as stalk-
ing, but curiously, probably
to facilitate the figure stand-
ing rather than for any
artistic purpose, the forward
leg is doubled. The tail is
broad, spread, and upraised:
notches indicate its division
into feathers ; from the
back of this little creature rises a short column, with a shallow bowl
atop. From tip of tail to tip of beak the specimen measures 54"™.
The perforation is at the base of the column.

Fig. j<5 represents a quadruped. The ware is almost black.
The head as represented in the figure is far to broad ; the front legs
are broken off ; the hind legs sprawl notably ; the tail is erect. The
perforation pierces the body behind the fore legs. Length 68mm.

23

FIG. 55.

Fig. 57 is a rudely modeled human figure, much broken and
apparently representing a woman. It will be noticed that the work-
manship in none of these figurines is as good as in the ollitas, but
in this specimen it is particularly bad. The piece is not perforated.

Fig. jS represents the largest of the figurines. It is incomplete ;
in its present state it measures 64""° in height. It represents a

FIG. 56.

human (?) figure seated. The head is gone; one leg is folded
upward, and the knee rests against the side of the chest or the upper
abdomen. The arm is curved about it, and the hand, rudely out-
lined by two incised lines, rests upon the chest, just below the neck.
A curious prominence along the back suggests an upturned tail ; it
is broken quite square across, just back of the perforation, which
pierces the back from side to side.

The most difficult specimen to compre-
hend and figure is represented, in three
aspects, in Fig. JQ. This has a flat base,
from which rises a clumsy body ; at the top
is a projection, somewhat resembling a
head. Two pieces have been broken from
this trunk, which from their position might
have been arms, or breasts. To the right
of the head an arm-like projection ends in
a shallow cup ; a series of similar projec-
tions, all no doubt once cupped at top, crown the head, while a tail
held upright rises behind the body and ends in a cup. Two eye-
like spots are on top of the head. A perforation runs through the
body, from side to side, under the armpits. This object was, no

24

FIG. 57.

doubt, at first bilaterally symmetrical, but many parts have been
broken off. It is of fairly fine, grayish-black ware and stands 50°"°
high.

Such is the description of the principal types in a collection
which was secured by several visits to the lake. Other types may
be found later, but these satisfactorily represent the character of these
little potteries. How are they to be explained? Were they toys for
children, miniatures of objects used by adults in daily life? That
is the most natural first suggestion ; but if so, why are they only in
the lake and not on the land? If the specimens came — as Freden-
hagen suggested — from a pile-dwelling village site, the theory of
their being toys gains in probability ;
but why are not larger objects found
more commonly with them?

That the perforation was of im-
portance seems certain. The sinkers
and amphisbcena (together with one
little jar and one human figure) are
the only specimens not perforated.
They are grooved. So all (with the
exception of two out of 261 speci-
mens) could have been easily attached
to a cord or string. That they were
not all simply sinkers for fish-lines is
plain enough from their forms.

So far as their presence in the
lake is concerned it '^possible that the
lake's level may have risen, covering
an original place of deposit on the
dry land. The spot is almost within sight of the active volcano of
Colima, and changes of level, through volcanic or other igneous
agency, in the waters of the lake are not improbable. The old
schoolmaster at Chapala insists that the town of Chapala has long
been slowly sinking, and that half of it has already been engulfed by
the lake. He also claims that the god formerly worshipped at
Chapala was a little god, a child god, and that the little vessels were
offerings to him. Mota Padilla in speaking of this town says :
" Chapala is at ten leagues' distance from Guadalajara, to the south-
east, and the lake is named from the pueblo, because it was perhaps
in its ancient days the most populous of those which surrounded it,

25

FIG. 58.

although today it is almost
destroyed by various in-
creases of the lake, especially
those of 1555 and 1577;"
further on, in the same pas-
sage, he states that Fr. Juan
de Almolon threw into the
lake idols of flint, green-
stones, and clay, which he
took from the natives.1

Taking all points into
consideration, with some
hesitancy, the following sug-
gestions are made : May not
these small objects be offer-
ings made to the lake itself
or some spirit resident there-
in? They may have been let
down carefully into the water
by means of cords, rather
than thrown in haphazard.
May not resin, or gum, have
been burned, or offerings
placed, in the little vessels
and ladles and in the cups
on such specimens as those
shown in figs. 52, 55, and
59? Their miniature size,
the forms, the location, the
fact of perforation, or groov-
ing, would all be thus ex-
plained. It is perfectly
realized that these hints
demonstrate nothing; fur-
ther explanation will be wel-
comed.3

Notwithstanding the em-
phasis laid upon the locality
of these and their mode of
occurrence, such vessels have been found elsewhere. The American

26

Museum of Natural History, in New York City, has a number from
Tillo, Oaxaca. Some have also been shown me that claimed to
come from near Palenque. Some in Dr. Sologuren's collection came
from "near Tehuantepec." I know nothing of the circumstances
under which any of these were found. They are all ollitas, mostly
of the ordinary, three-eared, plain type.

1 Mota Padilla : Historia de la Conguista de la Provincia de la Nueva Galicia,
written in 1742; Mexico, 1870; pp. IOI-I02. The passage runs as follows:
"Chapala est& a diez leguas de Guadalajara, entre Oriente y Sur, y de este pueblo
tomo la denominacion la laguna, quiza por haben sido en la antiguedad el mas
populoso de los que le circundaban, aunque hoy esta casi destruido por varies cre-
cimientos de la laguna, especialmente por los afios de 555 y 577."

1 Mrs. Nuttall, in her paper on the little terra cotta heads of Teotihuacan, quotes
Father Duran as follows : " Food was offered to each one (of these images;, and
the tamales they gave them were very small, in keeping with the images them-
selves, which were small. The food was placed in diminutive plates .... two
little cup-shaped gourd vessels were filled with pulque and put before them " (Book
II, chap. 35). Also: "This accursed beverage was a special offering to the gods,
and in several sacrifices and offerings I came across (besides eatables) feathers,
copal, and other childish things, such as toys of bone, and little dishes of terra
cotta, and also beads; I found very small jars of pulque as well " (Vol. II, p. 291).
To this Mrs. Nuttall adds : " Light is hereby thrown upon the probable reason for
the multitude of diminutive earthen vessels found in the ancient graves of Mexico,
They have generally been thought to be children's toys, and to mark the burial
place of children." — Nuttall : " Terra Cotta Heads of Teotihuacan," Am. Jour.
Arch., 1887, p. 327.

DAVID L. KIEHLE LIBRARY

STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE
ST. Cl.OUO. MINN.