Can anyone tell me anything about this effigy pot?

[blkbrd666]

Can anyone tell me anything about this piece? It’s about 6in in diameter, red clay, shell tempered, has same design on opposite sides, but one is slightly larger. I’ve seen similar facial designs in the past and this piece was very familiar when I first spotted it, but I can’t remember when or where I saw similar items.

I acquired this pot at an old antique store in Columbus, GA. Owner recently died and liquidators are cleaning out the 3 buildings for an estate sale. There were many nice points stored away in there, but they were put in an auction. This pot was found partially glued back together(amateur job) and wrapped in newspaper pages from a Maine Antique Digest. A few other points were found that I can definitely identify as local to this area...this pot, no idea whatsoever? I gave $4 for it just to research it and maybe restore it. I have one pot in my collection that is the same type and color clay, but has no crushed shell visible...it came from the AR/TN area. This info is probably no help at all, but it’s all I have on it.

Adding 3 small quartz points found in same store. The larger point is known local from the area.

 

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[old digger]

Welcome to tnet! It would greatly help others here on tnet if you would explain a little history as to where it was found.

 

[joshuaream]

There are some red flags... It looks styled after a Mississippian head pot.

 

[dognose]

You don't mention where you came across this headpot.

Dr. James F. Cherry of Fayetteville, AR is one of the most well known extremely knowledgeable collector of headpots in the USA.

A good book to read more about headpots is
"The Headpots of Northeast Arkansas and Southern Pemiscot County, Missouri." Copyright 2009 by The University of Arkansas Press

Dr. James F. Cherry is the author of this book.

 

[newnan man]

Don't know much about head pots. Here in Florida there are a lot of pot heads!

 

[dognose]

Also authentic head pots are not common.

From the October 2012 Central States Archaeological Societies Journal This headpot was one of the favorite artifacts of Dr. H.M. Whelpley.


From the caption:
This headpot measures 7 ¼ inches in height and width and is 7 ½ inches deep. There are three previous collectors/owners of the artifact written on the bottom of the vessel. These are: McGirk Mitchell, H.M.Braun and H.M. Whelpley, all whom lived in the St.Louis area. It was found in Mississippi County, Arkansas, and in all probability from a site eroding into the river known as Barfield Landing, which is close to Blytheville. This headpot is one of five in the Whelpley collection. One of those is presently lost, being at one time loaned to another institution and some confusion arose regarding ownership. It is possibly thought to have been included in an auction in 1962-1963, and where it is today remains a mystery. Photo credit: Jim Cherry. This is Headpot #34 - Figure 72 (page 60) from The Headpots of Northeast Arkansas and Southern Pemiscot County, Missouri. Copyright 2009 by The University of Arkansas Press. Reproduced with the permission of the University of Arkansas Press

I have posted a few relics in my collection which had been in Dr. H.M. Whelpley's.

 

[blkbrd666]

Speaking of Florida...

Don't know much about head pots. Here in Florida there are a lot of pot heads!

I have found one artifact from Florida, as a kid over 40 years ago, in the sand under the Fontainbleu, in PCB. Appears to be knapped from shell

I’ve never heard of anyone collecting pot heads!

 

[blkbrd666]

I’ll have to get that book, since I do have some pottery from the IL and AR area. All my books are focused mostly on N. AL/Tennessee River area...that’s where I grew up. Spent a lot of time in my own little bluff shelter just a few miles from... Google: Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter. If it weren’t for Mr. Worley and the museum he had when I was a kid, I would probably have never gotten so interested Native American history and artifacts.

 

[ghp95134]

Welcome to tnet! It would greatly help others here on tnet if you would explain a little history as to where it was found.

He said he found it in an antique store in Columbus GA (my birth place .... well, actually that was Ft. Benning ... I also went to "Benning's School for Boys").

-- Guy

 

[monsterrack]

The 1st one comes Pemiscot co Mo. The 2nd one comes from Cross co.Ar. there is a FB site called Mississippian pottery artifacts post it on there , those guys know a lot.

 

[Neanderthal]

It appears to be a contemporary recreation of a headpot (incorrect facial features, neck, form, etc), but still well worth what you gave for it.

 

[newnan man]

View attachment 1774168
I have found one artifact from Florida, as a kid over 40 years ago, in the sand under the Fontainbleu, in PCB. Appears to be knapped from shell
That is a worn out Abbey point most likely. A lot of Florida material gets chalky and soft with age but I've never seen a point made of shell. Lots of tools were however made of shell. Scrapers, chisels, gouges, hammers and the like. I've found quite a few over this way in Brevard County.

 

[georgia flatlander]

The style looks similar, but the finishing/firing looks incorrect to me. Most pottery from that area is stratified, and doesn't have such a demarcation when it is chipped or worn. Even recent chips will still bear the age since glazing wasn't common in the Missisippian era.