oe ‘THE ORDER OF THINGS: AY ANALYSIS OF THE CRRAKICS PROM SANTARIM, BRAZIL | By Raging lareizon Macdonald university of L1Laote Santaren pottery, perhaps the aost complex and berogue of South America, has stimulated veriovs studies of che Tepajo Indians whe settled fo the banks of the Tapajos and Anazon rivers. Ghronicies have been gleened For eluoe pertaining te these protohistorie pottere; sumeraue photographs have been amassed of the Known examples of the Santarem styles and many theories of che possible influences of thie types of pottery on other cultures in South Anerice, Central America, and Worth Amcrics have becn formilated, However, at ro tine in the mony publications concerning about Sentaren pottery has an {interpretation of the complex iconography beon ettenpted. Such an analysis fx the focal point of thie paper Ar this tine, 1€ may be useful Co sumurize the histories) and ethno srephle date pertaining to the Tapajo Iniians. Both Curt Mmendaju (Rove, ‘teang. and ed.:1952) and olen C. Palmatary (1960) have davestigeced the chon teenth century. On the basis of their research, s¢ appears that three men in cantly to our knowledge of the Tapajo: Padre Joao Botendorf, Mautteso de Hartaxte, and Fidee Jos Daniel. Padre Batondorf ke mat specific in regard to Tapajo religion, According to hie observations, mummy worship wae practiced. The dried body of a chief was place! fa 4 chest, funder the peak of house roof, and honored with dances and offerings. In ‘appeared 4 ¢ special enclosure, Me are aleo told that this denon's appearence earthquake, omen brought tbe maize and bear beverages to the plies to secon pany the dancing and singing in the celebration but after they arrived, he noted that they covered thefr ayer with eheis hands ao they could not ese (Rowe 1952:8). Movever, the major ae Tapase extensive chapter on the Frovice of the Tapajo's ie traneleted by John I. Rowe snd included as an appondix to tho Wimendaju article. Anong thote facts gleansé ding social orgentzetion: "These Indiens are governed by chieftatne, one in each rancho of ewenty or ehirty houses (cazsea), and all are governed by a high chiefcein over elt wie 4s given greathediance” (love 1952:17-18). ariaete else mentions tl The body ia placed in a hesmock with all the person's earthly poesessfons, and an ange of che Devil, ‘wrought with » needle Like 4 sock," Ss placed on the ca avers head (Rowe 1952:17). The body and the porseasions are thea moved to ont to ura burial, for after the flesh has rotted the booes are ground ap and then tives and others of the trite (Ibid.) ‘As for che Tapajo religion, Weriarte clains there were paiated idols and beverage provided for these occrsions; maize being sore Seportant 4 staple 4 clearing avey from town where the whole nation gathered. Trumpets and druas produced loud netecs which intensified the religious fervor. Apparently, these sounds were 20 raucous that they wore claieod to have produced a grsat earth ‘quake whieh seemed to "east down the trees and hille" and prepared che way for 2 (Bove 1982217) Padre Joao Daniel, who served as a atsefonsry fro 1751 to 1757, 4s help fal Sn providing addstional inesghte into the Tepajo religion: ". . . there vere seven mummies of ancestors kept in @ aceret house in the depths of the forest and known only to the elders (love 195217). In che sane house were found five stones" which wore Lfkawise objects of great veneration: "ALL the stones hed dedication and nine, vith sone representation which indicated what they ood for, One vas the one which presided over weddings... , another was prayed to for successful childbirth, and in this way the greater amber hed specteltice over which they presided and special cults in the worship of the fdolators . . ." (Rowe 1952:7-8) ‘hese written accounts, thon, represent ¢ good part of cur ‘otledge of ‘le soomrpife end arthropoorphie figures depleted on the Santeron-etyle cexen- foe can also lesd to a better understanding of the Tapaje. len C. Palnatary (1939, 1960) 42 to be exediced with the aost complete etyltetic analysts which tsciogusshor the epectee of annals found on the “ringed” bottles, caryaeid: vee sels, bovle, Jers, and sherde 45 che jacare (Caiman ager) of Amazon ‘he head may be found on the elabo- the entire body may be depicted on a vessel. Also prominently featured in theonca, Jegunrete (Felis ones), a lerge animal with distinctive rosettes. The lend turtle, or Jabot, 18 also found in the pastic arts of the Tepajo. In fone instance, this turtle 4 being devoured tail firet by the ones (Palmatary ‘Toads ere dominant in the Leonography as well. Palmacary suggests shat this batrachian form my be Bufo gariows, a4 it ie 4 compe epectoa i Brazil (1960:35). Relaforctog thie designation is the Lsk betwwon this toad fend 4 povesful arrow poison which the ‘apajo potsessed. Rudotph Thering states that the venon fren thie apecies 4# mote dessly then the bite of a cobra Ceatwacary 1960255) Of tho varied bird forms abundant {a the Anezon Basin, the Tapajo ost often depict 2 goneralized bird form. However, lonry Wesver attempted to pnpoint one of che prominent curved bask birds found in the ceranics to a speci ‘ie genos and species, thet of the Urubu-ret or Sarcorphanghue gape (19347320). Perhaps thio bird, or another in the bureard fenily, could be related to the ceramic representation. Rinuenda i, using # Linguistic basis, thought « pram nent {Sgure in the Tapajo religion waa 4 black headed buszerd, Gorasype atratu Bechet (love 1952:6). On the basis of Carib and Arawaksn mythology, these ceranic representations could portray the ever present toucen or woodpectar (Balaer:364) omrour monkey edomoe axe affixed to the elaborate winged botttes and se alto fashioned into effigy bottles where the tatl forms a thrae #ided support Dog-Itke figures are aso found in close proxinity to the cerefully foraed won keys. Tho cutie (aexprocta aguts) and the agut tantly) Sound on the rine of thellov vessels and on the caryatid ceramics. Soakes curl (4 rodent of ths Gadves © portrayed with @ frequent hand-to-nouth motif. Bate sre compoaly ‘on the body of the winged bottles and on the interiors of the shallow éishes. ‘he study of the soomerphtc decorations has convinced Palnstary that setoty and vivaelty exe genera] characteristics of the Tapaje seyle. on the asia of the archaedlogy, she would slzo suggest that the Tapalo hive « snes of humor, The 4s expectally evident in the porteayel of the cayman vere ‘hey ‘make fun of! chis eresture by Balancing « amber of dogs, makeys and birds fon ite nose. In addition, she states that the Tapajo had a relatconship with the Joquar besed on adnivation and fear, while their relationship with the toad was markod by superstitious belief (Palnatary 1960227). Palntary's historical notes and stylistic anelysis are éefiattely well researched and thorough, Such ¢ descriptive snalyeiz, however, is not the ter- minal posot of the present study. ven 1€ every antaal were catelogued and every aspect of Santaren ceranice were desceibed in detasl, no meening could be derived from the fconograply without 9 study which emphesises the relatiozshipe between ache various zoomephte decorations, I am guided Sa ehis pursutt by the etrae~ turet gethode established by Claude Levi-streuss, Where form is of prinsry fmportance, constievent units are Ssolated, and phesonena are anelyeed on the Tn an attempt to unrayel these Saeie structural relationships, three eleborate, complex, and charseteristic vascel types will be feoleced and dis- cussed: the winged bottles, che caryatid vessels and cho ones jars. The de- tated complexity of these vessels lende itself to 4 more fruttful avelysis, sa dtd the chotee of the gore elaborate Chevin teonography for Rave (1962:14). the winged bottle, « long necked and flanged globuler vessel, 1s thought to have a cerenonial function dus to ebe elaborate heade of the eay- nan or curved beak bird which aymmetrizally adorn either ete of he body (ef, figures 1 and 2). Sot all caysan winged bottles are alike. Sone feature caynen heeds with staple mouth designe; while othere beer cayman voaée vith necting the fp of the upper Jaw ¢0 the rolled tongue of the lover jaw. The abstraction and elaboration of this design elenent at tines beconss Lattice Like (Peinatazy 1960;Plates 32-b and 36-c).1 when one focuses on this par+ Clevier design in Tepajoan ceramics, the sintlarittes with ehe aotelted alligator yare of Coste Rice are striking (loeheop:Piate CHV). th all instances where the winged bottle har not been danaged or the photograph Se not blurry, there is a seall bird perched on the note of the cay rnin. ‘This bird conotinee facex inward towards the geck of the vertel and other tines faces outward, Forther down the cayman nose there ia efther # dog oF @ monkey figure, with che majority of examples being that of the dog. This dog 1s found So no one Fixed position for 4¢ may fece inverd, or outward, or one dog close relationshép between the dog and che bird. In Plate 36-b the bird is passing ¢ round chject to the dog's mouth while another bird pecks at the dog's hind foot, In Plate 36-c, the bird 10 seen tossing « snake-Liks sbject into the open mouth of the dog. In one veesel, there is a "bighly stylizei" dog who pofnes outward (Plate 35-4) linen the monkeys replace the dog figure on the cayman anost (3 instances ‘end 35-8). OF che monkey may be with cout of 12) che wonksy Se alone (Plates 32: ‘another noskey conpanton who pulls hs tal on one wing and on the other wing te depicted as eating a done with e quesi-hunan qusei-husan Figure closer to the jel below hia (Plate 33-c). In only one tastance dose the bird «2 |occupy the monkey oF dog position ax azen in Figure 27 (Barats:i952) ‘A constant feature of Santaxen fconogrepty is = four Leiged frog (toad) witch 2 placed on each eide of the veesel's neck at a 90° angle to either ving. Occasionally, what Palnatary terms 4 tadpole may 2¢ seen on the frog's back though the majority of the places have @ prominent center beck ‘bone with diagonal slashes covering the body. when the veseel is viewed with the wing heads im proftte, the head of the frog cometings Juxtazoses with face which e sncteod on the flange of the eck (Plate 35-c). this aoeging of the frog and face 4s not obvious im every Bottle, but 4 may be due to the angle {2 which the photograph 4s tekon. Though the face decora:ion predominates below the neck flange on the winged bottle, St te somtince replaced by 9 ser 180 45 found on the dase of the vessel. The face ix peculiar in one respsct; no ater which angle tt --esther £400 oF snake: Ae vieved from, it renaine « face In to other exanples, the other "wings" of the bottle are made up of Died heade (Plate 34, e, and Plate 36-8), whore one vessel sports the head fof @ curved beak bid and the other vessel dteplays # bird with w dedge-shaped beak, There may be sone doubt as to tho classification of the vessel of Mate 35-8 Moggors cells it bird head (aggere 1948:163) but Palnacary correctly ident fcomon to thar form. The bird head only supports # single bird figure in either body which omorges out of the globular vessel below the curved bird's beak on Plate 24-e and ¢, Unfortunately, the significance of this figure cemot be conterged upon for ooly one other photograph 4s taken from this angle and the sdded eodelled element sceas to have been broken off. The ouly other vessel nd unnoticed by Palaatary--is the small hi aldct of the so-called sereach ovl sotif. ‘ole dualistde bird-human intercomection 4s also promaent in the next voseel shape to be studied, the caryettd vessel (ef. figure 3), which follows sorm-patters and decorative tradition of » uadtally constricted annular base, caryatid support (vintch to tn genersi fenate) end 2 shalloy bow! with an applique band of adornos (Palnatary 196041). In three examples, bat ademoe are affixed snd Seach case scpersted by the figure of a anall-beaked bind with long bat-1ike legs which extend outward fom bia body (Plater 35-b, 36-4, 40d). hts sane cotraight beaked bird 42 also found combined with « Cuitefy bind on Plate 19-¢ ‘The ease Bird may also appear with wings replacing the bat legs and bas a pecul- «ray clever atylieetton the designer of these Little places hat made {© possible co seemingly convert them fron bird to near-hunen representations einply by to dseplay an adjoining face." ‘he other adorne found attached to the bovl of the caryettd vessels te a single-bodied to headed figure (one hunen and one bird). In Plate 36-c the haan hand extondes to the fnuman {4ce, but in Plate 38-4 the hand exceses 9 che the central figure (either bird of hunan) hat « handle protruding fron its body teed bird head to efther aide (Plate 37-2, 38-b, 40-b). Jonally, there ts an elaborate jotning of three cleninte where ‘The rim devign on the bovl of the caryatid vessel {x composed of ehree geometric patterns, Of these the three vertical Line pattern end ofposing three horteontal Line pattern de consistently autociated with the Bat. The other notife fare the sereech owl and the K wotif combined with punctures, A conctent goonstric from motif designated by Berets (2952:180) Another invariable aspect of the vestel {+ the caryetid support which ts eteher fenate of sexless. Mimendaju referred to Retandorf!e éhrodiéle in regeéd to one of the caryatid figures where che women are covering their eyes, exactly W8 note 4, p13) 4s they did for the coremoay at the Devil's Plaza (Rove 1952:8 Twever, the fonale's bend for, when nore stylized, do not seom to exist at all (Plate 72-4) ‘Though got a6 elaborate in soomephte or anchrowoxphic datetla, the Jore (cf, figure 4) vith chete cenrtfying graphic representation of the ary preferences are worthy of attention. Notable are theoe Jere here « hunan victio is held in the jaguat's pave coady to be eaten (Plate 47-b) for already partially devoured with the lover belf of the body stilt visible cn 12 46). On the other hand, man {2 also capable of aftting on the Jeguar's © 47-3) Now that the positional relationships have been deserthed in detail, an 1 Gate 26-4) in the stm manner as he "rides" the cayman in attempt should be made toderive some meaning from ehese various figures and thee observations of Tavi-Strauss who underlines the fruitful vse of aytts to L1le~ inate the obsoure plastic art We can no longer doube thar the kay ¢o 60 many heretofore incomprehensible motife is dizecely accessible in mythe and tales which are sell current, One would be mistaken to neglect those nese whfch enable us to gain access into “tabyrtath of aonstere and gods when, in the ah- sence of writing, the plastic documentstion oan- not teed ue further (lavi-Serauss:267) ‘Aso mesns of synthesis of the veried material in che preceding part of this study, I propose the analysie of « mych from tho Warrau yeople, « tribe unclassified Linguteticslly but who may be of Arevekin end Carib etock (Rircthof£:869). he choice of thie myth 48 not axbserary but, sastead, gov fered by previous atudiee whch Link the Tapajo with the fercely eonquering werriore of the Carib nation (one such atudy 12 thet undertaken by Donald M. Lathrap whe would divide Santeren pottery into two types. These {4 aa earlier type which 4s related to the Rarrancoid tradition due co foward facing rin Line ‘neteion, and efeple seroll aotife (latheep 1970:120). the Later proto- historic Santaren style {4 closely Linked sn stylistic and techaologicel fee san, widely epaced broad ‘sores with the Geesb expansion which war taking place at che Cine of the first Turopean contdet’. Technologically, Lathrap has identified cauct (e freat water sponge rich {n ailicsous epieules) teaper ae "etriking trait hich unifies rneny wide-spread cerenice in the Caetb tradition. le scinowledgee, though, that te voefulnece Se United due £0 certain ccologicel factors which confine the eponge to a certain nfche. Tn addition, the art style of Vo conbined with rectilineer deeigns may be Sdontified az 2 dfetinetive Corth teristicelly Garth 42 the application of thin rolls of wet clay which are Later mdelled into » plethora of zooaorphie figures, fe- cording to Latheep the wost fauous and elaborate of all the wodelled-incised ceramfce of this tradition is the Santeren style, (1970:168). TF che catechian ybich Fadse Hotandorf prepared for the Tapajo had sur~ vvived, assigning « Linqutette affiliation would be an easter cesh. With only theee words ourviving—that of che tribe, chat of the chief (orucura) and that fof the devi (he ), —the project 42 more arduous. A Tupi efftifation is partially denied by Mauoudaju'e observation that none of the three words my by interpreted én Tupi (Bove 1952:6). Ho further adds that the various place anes in the region belong to "non-Tupt languages, and among those are some hich have {ntenprecations én Cars languages" (Ibid). ‘mere 2 an additonal sotive for selecting the Wareau ayth, with che Makust and Gari variance, to explain the ceramics from Santaren. There {8 animplicit Link between che two due to the well defined vaginal depletion promt rent Sn the Tapajo ceramics. Although the Tapajo oecesionally fashion figurines vith ¢ elit-Line marking che vegioal opening (Plate 48-5), in other examples the e hole. Ti wulve te eleerly indicated by an obvious punched se especially ident Sn the figure of (Plate 65-h), where the velva 16 dooply inlented below 4 shallow navel. This sane deep puncture {2 found in other caryatid figures ae ell to clearly indicate the vulva (Plate 72-d, £, and b). The meming of eis puncture hole may be clarified when {© Sz remoabored that the bird fs the most loninaat figure of the cazyetid vessel, where the fenule caryatids also eppesr Te ie prectaely this close relationship which explains the exphasized punceure lof the female caryatide — for it may be assumed, e¢ vill be seen later in the mnatyeis of the ayth, that the Dird formed the fennle"s genitals with Ms sharp beak Fee, people (Roth 1908-1909:130-122). Tn addition to this ayth, two variants wilt teo be analyzed in an attempt to establish ehe "grammar" with uch we ean penetrate the TapaJo dconosceshy. that he te groving old and has no one fo care for hin. th solves As problen by ight of an old nan, Yohakobont, who realizes carving a daughter out of pluntres wood and chur managing to attract « son-to- fv who will accomplish werious marriage tasks ard care for hin a5 well 48 pro- ducing children wich his daughter. Thowgh numerous ouitors are atsracted £0 the pluntroe daughter, ££ is only Yar, the Sun hinself, who descends fon the sky fod succeeds in fapeessing the old man. In order to test Yar, the olé san ft. The ftret taska--to provide meet and later to provide being, Hebu, the buch opted vile at the sane tine eyabolieslly eetablishes hie sexuel pocentisiicy. The Significance of thie hinges on the acceptance of the "hunt" as being che sym hotic equivalent of "sexist intercourse," « baste patter anon primitive peoples estobont demands chet Yar bring hist sone fish. However, the corLal (cance) nich he provides 1s under the water and él€ffeult Co retrieve, Yar, though, fnanagos to blag 1¢ up st last. While searching for the bench which the olé man hee indicated, Yer te surprised to find an alligator (cayman) lurking 4 among, “6 | | |