NO. 5 MANAHOAC TRIBES IN VIRGINIA BUSHNELL 53 



similar combinations on the surface of a vessel. It is also interesting 

 to consider the similarity of the two sites, both being at the falls 

 of large streams. All this suggests more than a mere coincidence. 



Many of the fragments that may be attributed to the later period 

 are of rather heavy ware, cord-marked and with straight rims. But 

 pieces of vessels of a superior quality were discovered on the site 

 at Jerrys Ford, examples of which are illustrated in plate 13. Some 

 of this is thought to have come from the burial mound that formerly 

 stood near where the sherds were found. Among the pieces recovered 

 were fragments of many very thin, fragile vessels, some being less 

 than i inch in thickness, cord-marked, and beautifully made. Typical 

 specimens are shown at the bottom of plate 13. The outer surface 

 of the thin ware is a light brownish color, but the inner surfaces are a 

 lustrous black, which undoubtedly resulted from a process employed 

 in the endeavor to make the vessel impervious to water. 



Many customs were probably practiced in common by the potters 

 of the different eastern tribes. Years ago, while among the Cherokee 

 in the mountains of Carolina, Mooney met a woman who knew the 

 art of pottery making. Later, during the summer of 1906, Harrington 

 visited the Cherokee in North Carolina, and learned from the same 

 old woman — Iwi Katalsta, by name — the secrets of her art.''' It 

 is an interesting narrative, from which the following is quoted 

 (p. 226) : 



■' In order to be good for cooking, these pots should be smoked," she said. " If 

 this is not done the water will soak through." So she dropped a handful of 

 bran in each one while they were still almost red-hot, stirred it with her stick, 

 tipped the pots this way and that, and finally, turning out the now blazing 

 bran from each in turn, inverted the vessels upon it. In this way the inside 

 was smoked black and rendered impervious and this without leaving any odor 

 of smoke in the vessels when they became cold. Generally, Iwi told me, crushed 

 corn-cobs were employed for this purpose, but she always used bran when cobs 

 were not available. 



This may explain the cause of the black inner surface of the thin 

 vessels from Jerrys Ford. Small fragments of similar ware were 

 found on the nearby site at Richards Ford, and it is reasonable to 

 believe the two settlements existed at the same time. 



The only example of incised decoration discovered above Motts 

 Run was found at Jerrys Ford, a small piece sketched in figure 10. 

 No evidence of a looped handle, nor of a projection of any sort on 

 the outside of a vessel, was encountered on any site. 



^ Harrington, M. R., The last of the Iroquois potters. New York State Mus. 

 Bull. 133, 1909. 



