A SMALL MOHAVE BOWL

About 1908 I was given or purchased as a souvenir a small bowl which is now Peabody Museum no. 54-41-10/34461. It is a typical bowl except for being smaller than any in the University collection.

It is 123 mm. in diameter, 64 in height; H/D ratio is therefore 52 per cent. The ridge is finished with a horizontally flat edge 4-5 mm. wide. I estimate the mean thickness of the ware as around 4 mm. The weight is 7 oz. There is a mesquite lashing below the rim with three knots in it.

The inner side is worn by use, and parts of the design are no longer plain. The basic element is the raccoon hand, of which there were originally 20 to 24 units. Each of these consists of a solid red triangle, isosceles or equilateral, with sides of 15-20 mm. From each triangle project four digits—bars 6-12 mm. long. The hands are scattered rather evenly over the field, but pointing in all directions: toward the center, toward the rim, or across the circle. Between the hand units there are red dots 2-3 mm. in diameter.

The under side carries 41 vertical (radiating) lines 1-2 mm. wide and 30-80 mm. long.