AET. 32 INDIAlSr VILLAGE SITE IN MISSISSIPPI COLLINS 17 



relatively smooth, because polished, even though the paste and tem- 

 pering material was coarse. Here the reverse is true, for the surface 

 appears rough through lack of polishing, even though the paste and 

 tempering is mostly of fine texture. 



The sherds of this type are small and few in number, so that noth- 

 ing can be learned of the vessel shapes aside from the vase shown on 

 Plate 1. 



Punctate decoration: — In paste, tempering material, and color this 

 ■ware is identical with that just described. 



Most of the punctations are arranged in bands, outlined by deeply 

 incised lines. (PL 6.) The indentations are round, conical, or elon- 

 gate, depending on the shape of the point used. 



Roulette or stam'ped decoration. — Only two sherds of this type 

 were found in addition to the one small example from the numbered 

 surface collection. 



The paste is smooth, gray in color, and is shell tempered. 



The decoration consists of very finely stamped or rouletted areas 

 in bands, inclosed by deeply incised broad lines. (PI. 5, n.) 



Effigy head. — No eflSgy heads were found in addition to the one 

 from the surface collection. This was a crudely modeled head of 

 an animal which had been applied to the rim of a vessel. 



Rim knohs and handles. — On Plate 7 are shown examples of the 

 handles and lugs that were attached to some of the vessels. These 

 appear to have* been restricted to vessels in which the paste was 

 either somewhat porous or coarse and shell tempered. The surface 

 lacks a polish and the decoration consists of incised lines (of the 

 second variety described above) or of punctations. 



Distribution of the pottery types. — The most important immediate 

 problem of Southeastern archeology is to establish a basis for a 

 chronology of prehistoric sites. From the fragmentary nature of 

 the evidence this will have to be for the most part a disjointed and 

 patchwork chronology, far less perfect and comprehensive than that 

 which has been worked out in other areas, notably in the Southwest, 

 where ruins of all periods are well preserved and where at times 

 even such perishable materials as basketry, textiles, and wood are 

 found, and where in addition there still exist native tribes whose 

 customs, social structure, and economic activities continue along 

 much the same lines as those of their direct ancestors, the builders of 

 the prehistoric remains in the same region. The task of working out 

 a chronology for Southeastern archeology will be much more diffi- 

 cult and there is therefore all the more reason for painstaking 

 examination and study of such aboriginal remains as are still avail- 

 able. The obvious beginning toward such a study is to determine 

 wherever possible the nature of the remains left behind by the his- 

 toric occupants of the area, most of whom have long since dis- 



