Pottery animal... indian?

cheese · Mar 5, 2011

I don't know where to begin with this one. It looks like a cat, or maybe a native effigy of a cat? The guy I got it from said he found it on a plantation near the Florida/Georgia border. He thinks it may be a Native American pottery finger puppet. If I had ever seen such a thing, I might agree, but the pottery doesn't look right and I have studied Native American culture in the S.E. states for decades, and have never seen one that I recall. What the heck is this thing?

Chug And Red · Mar 5, 2011

Good question, I have never seen anything like that before, I'll have to show Chug when he gets online!!!! Red :dontknow:

Breezie · Mar 5, 2011

I wonder if it is part of a smoking pipe. :dontknow:

I realize it doesn't have a hole at the other end, but I've got clay pipes that have decorative parts to them. Or it could be the beginnings of a pipe, and the maker changed their mind. Is it made of clay? Interesting find, Breezie

Chug And Red · Mar 5, 2011

It kind of looks like an owl to us, good question Breezie, we were wondering the same thing, if it is made of clay. Also, how heavy or light is it? Keep us posted, this is VERY interesting!!!!! :dontknow:

Red

d2 · Mar 6, 2011

First thing I thought of was a "tail rider" from a pot or bowl but I have never seen one that was hollow...d2

traderoftreasures · Mar 6, 2011

Whatever it is... that sunburn patina is at least 100 years old or older be my guess

diggummup · Mar 7, 2011

Chug and Red said:
It kind of looks like an owl to us, good question Breezie, we were wondering the same thing, if it is made of clay. Also, how heavy or light is it? Keep us posted, this is VERY interesting!!!!! Red

My first thought was an owl too. Rare find indeed.

Although yours is obviously not broken off at the bottom and has more wear on the "face", this vessel has a similar look to the face of your object. Not saying it's the same but similar.
http://www.griffingallery.net/items/720256/item720256store.html

Native American Terracotta Hooded Owl Effigy Vessel, Mississippian Period, 1200 - 1300 C.E., found on Tyler Mound, Fulton County Kentucky in 1930. Spherical body with protruding beak and well defined eyes. Small void on reverse for filling vessel with liquids. In excellent condition. 8 1/4" high. Ex: Archaeologist Bart Reid, Charlottesville, VA

cheese · Mar 9, 2011

Hooded owl effigy? It does look very similar, even with the crest on it's head. The only thing that throws me is the little notches that look like they are supposed to represent legs on it's belly. Maybe that's something else. Thanks for the input!

The guy seemed to have trouble remembering where he found this, he said it was on a plantation, then bounced back and forth as to whether it was in Georgia or Florida, and said it was one or the other, both places he mentioned are near the border. He said it wasn't buried. To me, this doesn't look like what we find in this area. The pottery we usually find here has a lot more grittiness to it usually, and is usually thicker, but then again, I've never found an effigy or complete item this small. Maybe smaller, more carefully made items were made using different clay or techniques. It might have been found elsewhere and lost on the plantation years ago. (kids playing, or maybe it was in one of the plantation houses and it burned or some similar situation).

Still searching for something similar. This looks like it served no purpose other than decoration or a finger puppet for a child.