8 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.82 



The few similarities, therefore, in addition to the pottery seem in- 

 sufficient at the present time to establish Mounds 4 and 8 of the 

 Marksville works as typical Hopewell mounds. This fact, however, 

 does not offset the outstanding resemblances between the pottery. It 

 may indicate a variant or basic Hopewell culture in the Southeast 

 with a greater variety of pottery decorations and a diminution of 

 othei' characteristics. 



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MARKSVILLE POTTERY 

 1. FLAT-BOTTOM JAR FROM MOUND 8" 



Plate 1 



This is the most perfect vessel with regard to design and work- 

 manship of all the earthenware specimens from the Marksville 

 works. It embodies the most typical characteristics of the so-called 

 Hopewell pottery. (See Table 1.) 



The vessel is tempered with either pulverized potsherds or small 

 particles of clay, and breaks in irregular lines. Although the neck 

 and rim are circular, when viewed from above, the body has been 

 shaped into four rounded corners or lobes, which give the impres- 

 sion of a square body. Around the outside of the rim is a %-inch 

 band of cross-hatched lines, incised at an angle of 45°. The thin 

 lines were incised first, and the heavier ones, cut from the lower part 

 to the top of the rim, were made afterwards. Beneath this band 

 is an encircling row of indentations made with a round instrument 

 flat on the end, which had been applied to the wall at an oblique 

 angle so that the indentations suggest a bisected cone, the apex of 

 the cone pointing to the left. A polished area separates the rim 

 decoration from that on the rest of the body. Below this is a deeply 

 incised groove. 



The body of the vessel is decorated with a beautifully executed 

 design. On the four lobes a conventionalized bird has been outlined. 

 Since only the head of the bird can be used for identification it is 

 difficult to ascertain the species. Dr. Herbert Friedmann, curator of 

 birds. United States National Museum, suggests that the head may 

 represent that of an eagle.^^ Between the two birds facing each 

 other is the outline of a Y ; while between the two birds looking away 

 from each other is the outline of a column, expanded on top and flow- 



" My nomenclature regarding these vessels is as follows : Jar — the characteristic form 

 of which is a gradual narrowing of the body and gently recurving to form the neck. 

 Bowl — sometimes globular in shape with no narrowing between body and rim. Vase — 

 straight sides and flat base. 



" For other examples embodying conventionalized eagle designs, see Mills, W. C, Ex- 

 ploration of Mound City group. Certain mounds and village sites In Ohir, vol. 2, pt. 3, 

 pp. 354-359, figs. 60-65, 1922. " Conventionalized " is used here as " a design based on 

 traditionary or accepted models." The drawings, cojued from designs on various ves- 

 sels from Marksville, were made by Richard G. I'aine, aid in archeology, U. S. National 

 Museum. 



