ggestion afforded by the rude tray-molded parching-bowls,
particularly after it was discovered that if well burned they resisted
the effects of water as well as of heat, the ancient potter would
naturally attempt in time to reproduce the boiling-basket in clay. She
would find that to accomplish this she could not use as a mold the
inside of the boiling-basket, as she had the inside of the tray,
because its neck was smaller than its body. Nor could she form the
vase by plastering the clay outside of the vessel, not only for the
same reason, but also because the clay in drying would contract so
much that it would crack or scale off. Naturally, then, she pursued
the process she was accustomed to in the manufacture of the
basket-bottle. That is, she formed a thin rope of soft clay, which,
like the wisp of the basket, she coiled around and around a center to
form the bottom, then spirally upon itself, now widening the diameter
of each coil more and more, then contracting as she progressed upward
until the desired height and form were attained. As the clay was
adhesive, each coil was attached to the one already formed by
pinching or pressing together the connecting edges at short intervals
as the winding went on. This produced corrugations or indentations
marvelously resembling the stitches of basket-work. Hence accidentally
the vessel thus built up appeared so similar to the basket which had
served as its model that evidently it did not seem complete until this
feature had been heightened by art. At any rate, the majority of
specimens belonging to this type of pottery--especially those of the
older periods during which it was predominant--are distinguished by an
indented or incised decoration exactly reproducing the zigzags,
serrations, chevrons, terraces, and other characteristic devices of
water-tight basketry. (Compare Figs. 516, 517 with Figs. 507, 508.)
Evidently with a like intention two little cone-like projections were
attached to the neck near the rim of the vessel (see Fig. 518) which
may hence be regarded as survivals of the loops whereby it has been
seen the ends of the strap-handle were attached to the boiling-basket.
(See again Fig. 503, _a_.) Although varied in later times to form
scrolls, rosettes, and other ornate figures (see Fig. 519), they
continued ever after quite faithful features of the spiral type of
pot, and may even sometimes be seen on the cooking-vessels of modern
Zuni. To add yet another link to