Pottery, maybe??

[Sum585]

Our property is located in SC Piedmont region where Catawba indians once inhabited the area. Our home is on a hill above a rocky creek. There is also a smaller seasonal creek that forks with the larger creek nearby. I'm pretty sure we live on what was once a Native American campsite. The location is prime and I have found two large mortar stones (the first stone is what got me hooked on looking for artifacts) and one small arrow. Rain washed out the topsoil in our backyard where these [possible] pottery sherds have been exposed. I've done research online and I check out all of the finds on here, but I'm no expert (although I'm trying to learn as much as I can) and I would appreciate any input on what these may be.* Thank you!! -SL

 

[arrow86]

To me it doesn’t look like pottery

 

[gilmerman]

I agree with arrow86, do you have pictures of any other pottery sherds? Indian pottery is usually much thinner.

 

[Tdog]

It looks like topo crust to me.

 

[Sum585]

Thanks for taking a look! I had my doubts, but I had to be sure since it looked so different from other rocks around it with the gritty texture. I haven't found any pieces that are obvious pottery sherds and I have a feeling most pieces I pick up are just thin rocks. I'll keep looking, though. I know there's got to be more stuff around here!

 

[Older The Better]

Not gospel but pottery usually has a bit of a curve to it and is somewhat consistent thickness

 

[dirstscratcher]

Looks like old stucco or plaster to me

 

[Lone Star]

Can't see enough of the flat ones to tell about them. Usually you can see marked differences from the side. The inner, center, and outer layers will be different colors if it was fired in the ground. Mind you that's the way it was here in Texas. May be different on the other coasts.
The bottom pics look to be worn brick with a bit of mortar still on them.

 

[NCPeaches]

I think it's stucco or cement from maybe some old cinder blocks and the reason I say it is I find it in my creek too. All the tips about pottery are true, look for curves but sometimes they're not, depends on how big the pot was but all have some kind of temper usually crushed quartz or soapstone. The Catawba people most the time fired their pottery over open fire pits and it blackens the inside of the pot. In my area the Catawba also lived and the pottery shards I find are almost always black on the inside. Now they also fired them other ways because I have found plenty that weren't blackened inside. If I were you I would focus my hunt in the creeks especially sandbars, pottery acts similar to glass and where you find glass pieces you have a good chance of finding pottery if it's there. How deep are the banks of the creek, do you have to climb down to it and is the water low? I have to climb down to mine and it's shallow, usually after a good flooding rain it runs high and washes things out of the banks. I have 3 acres of flat land that's bordered by this creek and have planted gardens all over the place and have never found an artifact in them but always do in the creek. Good luck in your searches, post more of what you find, can't wait to see if they look like what I find!

 

[Sum585]

Thank you all so much for sharing your knowledge with me!!! NCPeaches, unfortunately the creek is not on our land, but I did get permission from one neighbor to look around on her stretch of it. The creek has big washed out sides on some of it, some areas have huge boulder size rocks. I'm in the piedmont, but when you're down in this creek it looks like you're in the mountains. The water level has been very low lately, but it can get full when there's plenty of rain. Ive looked several times and haven't found a thing. I'll post what I have found on our property. Some of it I know is the real deal, some Im not so sure. Thank you again for all your help and Lone Star I appreciate your pictures! I love getting out and searching, even though I usually come up empty handed