Calling All Pottery Experts.

rock · Apr 25, 2013

I have 3 pieces of pottery found now in a couple of weeks. All found in the same field. Found in NW Ga. I would like to know the names of the pottery so I can get a date of the production of it. The one on the left is thicker than the other 2 with prints. Front, back and side views. Thanks, rock

GatorBoy · Apr 26, 2013

Looks like a couple swiftcreek complicated stamped pieces...very worn and a cord marked piece.
Sand and Mabey crushed limestone tempered for the swiftcreek and possibly crushed limestone and fiber mix for the cord marked... a little older. The cord marked probably woodland...and the stamped Mississippian.
Lets see what the experts say.

rock · Apr 29, 2013

Sounds like a good I.D. to me. I looked up Swift Creek and it dates around 1000- 1720 A.D.
So in the field so far I have found Archaic and Woodland. Maybe next time I can find a Woodland point.
Thanks GB

GatorBoy · Apr 29, 2013

Your welcome rock.
The woodland period in Georgia ended about 900 AD.
What you have with the swiftcreek pottery is Mississippian through post contact. The Mississippian period in GA. Ended about 1500 AD.

Tnmountains · Apr 30, 2013

Another simple rule of thumb is plain old pottery tends to be older in most cases then you have stamped/incised and later fancy patterns as people became more settled and artistic. Does that make any sense? Good explanation on temper Gator. I used to misjudge limestone for shell. Limestone is better we have limestone kilns here for making concrete. I visited a kiln site not long ago.

GatorBoy · Apr 30, 2013

Hey TN. Good info.
I went with crushed limestone on his because that's what the archaeological reports from his area show to be most common during that time period.
Of course that changes by region and local available material.
Rock.. the oldest pottery was fiber tempered here in the U.S. then it progressed into a variety of different materials.. I've seen.. fiber..like Spanish moss and palm fibers to.. crushed oysters,limestone and even crushed pottery.
The sand seems like the best constructed and durable.
Here is a piece of some of the oldest pottery in my state.(fiber tempered)
Pottery in the southeast U.S. seems to have originated around the Savannah river area separate and older than the rest of the continental U.S. that followed a pattern of progression from South America.
The pottery in the Savannah river area dates back to 4,500 BP.
It reached a Site called MT. Elizibeth close to my home around 4,000 BP.

GatorBoy · Apr 30, 2013

MT. Elizibeth is a 40 foot tall ceremonial mound/ midden.
On the Indian river in Martin county Florida ..and is the southernmost point fiber tempered pottery shows up in the state.
Alot of people don't realize its common to have Archaic points and pottery together in the southeast.
Most all pottery to the west of the Mississippi and north of the southeast coastal area is a couple thousand years closer to present.
That says alot about the differences in culture and tradition and migration in my eyes.
The southeast U.S. is very different than western tribes and cultures.
Like I've said before ..there was never any Teepee's down here.
Personally I belive there were two seperate migrations into North America.
Its amazing what a little broken pottery can tell you. More than a point.