Pottery from Southwest Florida

[H.P.]

This Weeden Island vessel was recovered in 1972 in Clearwater, pinellas co. Florida, its 14” high, 1/4” thin, and depicts woodpeckers ( a Southern death cult motif ) around the top, and most likely wading birds around the midsection...this was probably made farther north and shipped south.

 

[JKicker]

HP, are the motifs painted? The vivid color makes it look painted.

P.S. my in-laws live in Brandon, very near the Alafia river. I wish I had explored the area more when I was younger.

 

[newnan man]

Very nice vessel, why do you think it was made farther north? How much farther? That thing is incredible!

 

[sandchip]

What a great piece of art. Wow.

 

[kentucky Quinn]

Master of the craft, thanks for sharing, beautiful

 

[H.P.]

HP, are the motifs painted? The vivid color makes it look painted.

P.S. my in-laws live in Brandon, very near the Alafia river. I wish I had explored the area more when I was younger.

Watercolor inlay for photo purposes, Tampa boys worked the Alafia.good stuff in that river..

 

[H.P.]

Very nice vessel, why do you think it was made farther north? How much farther? That thing is incredible!

It’s pretty well documented that these ceremonial types were made at a more central location..by master potters of the Southern death cult folks...Spiders, woodpeckers, rattlesnake, etc, all cult symbols..

 

[H.P.]

What a great piece of art. Wow.

True, there are very few in museums, I’m happy you appreciate it for the artwork, I’m a retired artist, I love points, but I’m more drawn to pottery.thanks for lookin.

 

[uniface]

An interesting & excellent overview of the bigger picture :

symbolism in ancient america

 

[H.P.]

My all time go to book is, Sun Circles And Human Hands... Saw a few interesting comments in, symbolism in ancient America.thanks..

 

[uniface]

Another from-a-wider-perspective one (link to part one in text if of interest)

https://mythospherejourney.wordpress.com/tag/southeastern-ceremonial-complex/

 

[villagenut]

FPAN have been doing a good share of digging around there at Weeden....have you shared this very nice find with them for the Master Files? just wondering....

 

[H.P.]

FPAN have been doing a good share of digging around there at Weeden....have you shared this very nice find with them for the Master Files? just wondering....

No I haven’t , Most fla. state archeologists express a sincere desire to not have anything to do with amateurs or the stuff they find..
This piece was from a site clear across the county from Weeden Island...Who has been digging around the Weeden Island?....Peninsular Archeological Society excavated this site in 72 with the owner’s permission.

 

[tomclark]

Sunset Point??

 

[villagenut]

Yes I have had a few bad experiences with local archies, but on the other hand, I have a few good contacts that do care and want to know what has been found.. If you look up FPAN and click on the West Central region you may find some Info about Weeden. Anyways, I was just curious....A nice vessel like that should be recorded if possible, but like you said, folks like us are easily discredited and scolded by the scholarly.

 

[H.P.]

Sunset Point??

Of course you would know, you, no doubt, have been there.

 

[H.P.]

Sunset Point??

I know you’ve been there,lol, reckon we just about covered the whole county...I used to hunt south of the skyway in the Ellington shell mounds, but never found anything good, I think someone always beat me to it, too far to drive..

 

[H.P.]

Sunset Point??

Yupp, good call, I know you been there, probably only a few places in the county we haven’t been at one time or another...

 

[antmike915]

Super nice example H.P.