What was the puropse of this "skirted" pottery shard...?

[curious kat]

Only one like this we found so far....it's got a half inch skirt...lol...must have been a large jar ?

 

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[TJE]

Neat find ck, did they use leather straps/animal hide to wrap and carry / hang their pots / jugs possibly?..just a guess.

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of tool was used to make the indentations running along it.
It doesn't look like anything I've seen before.

 

[TJE]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of tool was used to make the indentations running along it.
It doesn't look like anything I've seen before.

Hey GB, does it look like those 'ribs' may have been 'pressed/finger pinched' on separately from the matrix at a later date?...just another guess from pics....I'm totally green/new to pottery artifacts.

 

[GatorBoy]

We're in the same boat with this one your observation was a good one as far as I'm concerned... It does sort of look like that.... But to me if that's the case there would be finger marks visible somewhere up and down those things.

 

[GatorBoy]

What does the other side look like?
That's a large piece of pottery I've found some large pieces but the material just seems to be a lot different over here on a piece that size there would be definite tool marks visible in a lot of different places... If it were here

 

[curious kat]

Hi TJE & Gator Boy.... That's a good idea TJE about a maybe "strap" being used, it would explain the "skirt/ridge" thing. You know Gator Boy, I have this shard in hand now & looking at it, it looks like the grooves were made by a stick rather then fingers. While the ridge thing is finely made, the grooves look crudely done. From the curvature of it, looks like it was large, maybe used for carrying water or something. Thanks guys!

 

[curious kat]

...think we're posting at the same time Gator Boy...lol I haven't cleaned the back yet, it looks dark with this white coating that comes off, will have to clean to see.

 

[GatorBoy]

That coating could be a natural patina and a good sign of age that might be something you don't want to remove its up to you but sometimes it's kind of like shining up an antique it loses something in the process

 

[TJE]

Hi TJE & Gator Boy.... That's a good idea TJE about a maybe "strap" being used, it would explain the "skirt/ridge" thing. You know Gator Boy, I have this shard in hand now & looking at it, it looks like the grooves were made by a stick rather then fingers. While the ridge thing is finely made, the grooves look crudely done. From the curvature of it, looks like it was large, maybe used for carrying water or something. Thanks guys!

Oh..your welcome, no problem ck!..Now I'll go back to my day job..a brain surgeon!! heh

 

[curious kat]

...that's true about the coating...wonder why it's not on the textured side also? Once we had a bowl that came out of the ground & was dark, kept it for a year until finding out there was a "picture" inside...hum...some things need cleaning..lol

 

[TJE]

...that's true about the coating...wonder why it's not on the textured side also? Once we had a bowl that came out of the ground & was dark, kept it for a year until finding out there was a "picture" inside...hum...some things need cleaning..lol

Maybe it held for many years..medical/cerimonial concoctions etc., or even just water/animal fat and milk?

 

[curious kat]

...Dr.TJE...I see you're also posting at the same time Gator Boys pottery pic looks so nice & neat compared to my shard, do you guys think the kind we have out here are "older"?

 

[TJE]

...Dr.TJE...I see you're also posting at the same time Gator Boys pottery pic looks so nice & neat compared to my shard, do you guys think the kind we have out here are "older"?

Sure 'looks' it. From where you are...makes me wonder if tribes alot farther south of you travelled/traded to their north?....and yes, 'same time posting' is easy cause my Night job..is a psychic!! heh heh.

 

[GatorBoy]

I don't know about older some of the sites by me produce fiber tempered pottery into the late archaic.
Georgia has some of the oldest pottery North America...
But if there were links to South America that could be a whole nother story in your area.
I think it has more to do with the material itself.. And the climate that it's been in.

 

[GatorBoy]

If I'm not mistaken in some areas clay was harvested in it its dried hardened state and pulverized into a powder then reconstituted and made into vessels.. The clay here was harvested wet right from the beginning... That could have something to do with the consistency.

 

[curious kat]

...TJE I'm pretty sure that a lot of trading went on between here and down Mexico way. The Mimbres, Hohokam & Anasazi tribes were in this area as well as others we probably don't know of yet....so lots went on way back when here. Yes Gator Boy, I believe you about Georgia having very old pottery for sure! And the "clay" question, we have a lot of natural wet clay here to, the light red kind. So...TJE you have a "hotline" to the other side?

 

[TJE]

Yes, even up here they travelled major distances to trade for goods/material their far away locations didn't have. "hotline"!! Yup, I can even see the future right now!...a bedtime snack!

 

[rock]

I believe it was a handle put on in the making of it to help carry the pot. Neat find

 

[Red Earth]

Who knows. All I gotta say is that you find some really great artifacts CAT. MEOW!!

I'm jealous