Making ancient clay pottery in Tennessee

[Tnmountains]

We started with a bucket of clay off a non navigable water way where we found pottery sherds. Got 5 gallons of it and about 2 gallons of little mussels shells to mix in with it.
Got out some ancient mortars and pestles and ground up the shell.



We went from examples that Keberg and Lewis studies in Tennessee. We looked at the styles made and weaving and incising patterns.


There was 4 of us and we mixed the clay and shell together and added water and dumped it on a tarp and started trying to make some vessels and items. We found the coil method worked best then smooth them down with Popsicle sticks and drops of water. We wrapped a hemp cord on spoons and tried paddling it. Many items would fail. We incised some with sticks and rolled a dry corn cob on others to crate a pattern. Not the best in the world but here is what the looked like.



Here us a rough attempt at a pipe with a corn cob in the bowl and a stick in for the stem.



Let the pottery dry and took brush left over from the storms and made a little fire pit. Put the pottery in it and covered it with coals. Left it all night adding coals and keeping it red hot.





This is what we made. I can see that it took skill. I did not have that but they did ok. Our imaginations took over and we did not follow the designs perfectly but we had fun.It seems some people are more creative than others when it comes to pottery. I am sure this was true with ancient peoples. So here is new ancient pottery made the ancient way with what was available to them.Hope you enjoyed and Happy Hunting !

 

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[tncreeker]

That was facinating,,thank you for showing all the steps. It was enjoyed.

 

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[pippinwhitepaws]

Hhaha yeah thanks none of that would pass the test. I think what was interesting was the burn marks from firing. I see that on my real pots and thought it was burn marks from use. I am thinking it was from firing now. Maybe both. I need to cook something in one.

most pottery was not used for cooking, but storage...
uneven heat will split a pot fast...during application of heat, or during cooling..

neat experiment...I posted for shepherdess to show her what type of site formation exists in the western states...for identification...

 

[Tnmountains]

One of the reason for the invention of texture on the pot was because of grease build up and them becoming slippery In the south east they were used for cooking. Probably dropping hot stones in as needed. Not set in a coal bed. I know the large vessels were for storage as well as funerary purposes.

 

[rock]

Did they have big vessels to hold fresh water in for drinking?

 

[GatorBoy]

Did they have big vessels to hold fresh water in for drinking?

Now this is only a guess..but I would imagine holding liquid for long periods of time would not be effective with pottery unless it was sealed with something.
A stomach lining of a large animal,hollowed out gord or a section of bamboo where it was available seem more like possiblities to me.
Alot of the large round bottom pots are described as cooking vessels down here.
They have been analyzed and tested..showing evidence of rendered animal,mollusk and plant remains all in one pot..like a stew.
I can't see any other reason to make a large round bottom pot that otherwise couldn't stand on its own unless it was for partially burying and surrounding with coals to evenly heat at a slow controlled pace.
The firing process to make the pottery required pretty good heat control at a slow pace in order not to crack it.. they were likely good enough to safely use completed vessels.
Just my opinion... 2 cents...ahhh. 1 1/2

 

[Tnmountains]

I think that even on the rivers they usually had another source for water such as a spring. I am also sure that their intestinal tracts were a little more hardy than ours. You think about how the pottery we find that survived in the water for so many years. They did make clay water bottles,jugs and vessels. Bet it was not as good as a mason jar though.