Pottery - Composition

[kansas]

Having found what I believe to be my first piece of pottery this weekend, I am curious to know how the pottery was made. I assume that clay was combined with ash, crushed shell and crushed bone and baked in the sun. Anyway, your thoughts would be greatly appreciated, as I am very curious to learn more about pottery and anxious to get back to the area that I found this piece this weekend. I have attached a photo of the shard that I had found. Thanks for your anticipated response.

Steve
Kansas

[comanche]

Kansas,, I too will be waiting on some response,,,Good question////c

[pleeo]

Here you go. Hope the link works. Paul

Making Cordmarked Pottery

[Patrico]

Nice link pleeo! I have found a tremendous amount of pottery chards in my local area but never a whole piece, my favorite is when they mixed fools gold in mix

[comanche]

Thanks Paul,,,,,A GOOD GENERAL IDEA////C

[Old Stones]

Thanks for the link. In my neck of the woods the tempering material is decayed granite. I find tons of pot shards and pieces of granite that I can crumble in my hands. Both in the same area.

[drdave514]

Great link Pleeo.

[cgode]

Great link and very interesting/educational, thanks pleeo

[Steve Valentine]

The Pottery we find in my area is either Grit Tempered, which is crushed stone and sand, or Shell Tempered, which is crushed Mussell Shell. The Grit Tempered is older and we find it on early to middle Woodland Adena and Hopewell sites. The Shell Tempered, like the one above, is found on Ft Ancient sites which date from around 950 to 1650 AD. Most of the Adena and Hopewell pieces we find are really small from being broken up for so many years, but we find some nice examples of the Ft Ancient pieces.

Here's a few pictures of some Shell Tempered Ft Ancient pieces.

[jimc]

Good read! Thanks for the link Paul!