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The Hong Kong Naturalist.
Vol. III, Nos. 3 and 4.
234
D. J. FINN, S.J.
diverging linked "heads"; fragment 16 which is also reproduced in Plate 33. figure 4 (its mirror image is figure 3), and fragment 17.
1.h.ii. The "double-F" is now the obvious pattern and shows its intimate relation to 1.h.i by a marked central groove; fragment 18, 25 and (same pot?) 38. Secondary groves which in 1.h.i appear on the raised ground as a sort of bevelling of the edge of the surface-face now associate with the groove-pattern as its edges.
เ
1.h.iii. Between the zones of pattern there appears a toothed branch acting as a horizontal division: fragment 18, 19, 22 (just visible at top).
1.h.iv. The " double-F's" fit into each other in dove-tail fashion: fragments 19, 22, 27, 28.
1.h.v. The
fragments 24, 26, 34-
double-F's" join hands or touch above and below:
1.h.vi. The "double-F" breaks up into two S curves that touch each other; each S has three contacts with its neighbours (its pair, its upper neigh bour and its left-hand neighbour): fragment 24 which should be compared with 25. Compare also 35 for a contact that almost coalesces.
1.h.vii. Fragment 19 seems to be peculiar in that the central feature in one part of the double-F" runs into the framing groove of another part. 1.h.viii. Ends of branches terminate in fang-like teeth; fragments 18, 21, 23, 25, 35, etc.
1.h.ix. Certain graceful little twig-like offshoots appear near middle branches; fragments 17, 20, 38.
1.h.x. The ends terminate in knobs: fragments 1, 22, 26, etc. 1.h.xi. This last is associated with the substitution of a central rib between two bounding grooves in place of the one central groove; fragments 1, 26, 27, 28, 29, etc.
1.h.xii. Half-stamps are used to vary the pattern; fragment 1 and 32 (upper half-stamp), fragments 21, 28, 30 (lower half-stamp). Prof. Shellshear has found a beautiful pattern suggesting a direct copy of bronze in which the complete pattern consisted of a lower half like that in 21 combined with the 1.h.iii division member.
tion.
1.h.xiii. Fragment 33 shows a peculiar inverted stamp in combina- 1.h.xiv. Overstamping that makes a very tangled interlacing e.g. fragments 35, 36.
1.h.xv. The central branches diverge from one central place so as almost to give the effect of a swastika cross. This will be best seen by com- paring fragments 23, 24, 25, 35 (swastika effect) with fragments 16, 17, 18, 21, 36 (the normal form, especially for the centrally ribbed motive).
Besides all this variety, it will be noticed that the angle of the F changes and that the design is also sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left, a change which postulates different stamps, not merely a reversal of the one stamp unless it were a piece of metal or wood that was cut from top to bottom in the same shape. In fragment 34 an almost rectangular net de-
coration was so obtained.
The Hong Kong Naturalist.
Plate 35.
Fragments 1, 2, and 4.
1.
2.
27