Rubbing the dry surface with a smooth stone compressed the clay particles and created a light-reflecting polish on the surface. As containers dried, they were sometimes scraped with mussel shells or other sharp objects to make thinner walls and smooth surfaces, and decorations were then applied. Indians in eastern North America used neither pottery wheels nor molds. Handles, feet, and other elements were added as finishing touches. In other cases, clay slabs were apparently assembled along with coils. Some were assembled with clay coils that were compressed and shaped with smoothing stones and other tools. Temper apparently served to give pottery vessels the ability to withstand the heat from firing and subsequent daily use, although there may be other technological values of some tempers that are as yet unknown.Ĭontainers were shaped by hand in various ways. Potters dug clay from local deposits and then mixed it with a temper that consisted of small particles of sand, shell, animal bone, pulverized stone, ground potsherds, or some combination of these materials. Both dramatic and subtle differences in pottery shape and decoration also mark local family and village ceramic traditions. Potters developed regionally distinctive recipes for making and decorating containers that were followed in many cases for centuries. Southeastern Indian pottery-making began in the area of eastern Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida about 4,000 years ago and spread gradually from there to cultures across eastern North America. Complete pottery vessels display both sophisticated craftsmanship and the complex aesthetics of their makers. Broken pieces of Indian pottery, called sherds or potsherds, are among the most common artifacts remaining at abandoned settlements, and they provide a wide range of information today about the cultural traditions of the people who made them.
To get started or to ask questions, please contact us.Indians in Arkansas began making pottery containers about 2,500 years ago, during the Woodland Period, and they continued this craft until their handmade containers were replaced by industrial counterparts made in metal, glass, and clay in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. But if you can’t come to the store to peruse our authentic pottery collection, our personal shopper service can help you find just the right piece. The Native American Indian pottery available on the website is just a small sample of the huge collection at Palms Trading Company (our larger collection contains ceramic pieces as well). Earth clays, those used in traditional Native American Indian pottery, range from an off-white to a brown color (if uncoated with pine pitch or other finish). A milky white color is often characteristic of ceramic clays. The color of the vessel also tells us something about the pottery’s origin. But hand coiled vessels require human hands to shape the clay, and the prints inside are proof of the process. Artists are painstaking in their attention to detail to make the piece’s etched or painted design and finish perfect. One major clue as to a pottery piece’s origin-hand coiled or poured (ceramic)-is evidence of hand smoothing on the inside of the vessel. Whether we are buying Native American Indian pottery from an established or a promising artist, the knowledgeable staff at Palms Trading Company knows what to look for to determine a piece’s authenticity and value. Occasionally, we are also able to procure collectible pieces from past artists like Hopi Indian pottery artist Frogwoman.
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