Pap. K' 2!"/' JOHN H. KERR RESERVOIR BASIN — MILLER 173 



various classes of impressions — a passing from simple to complex phenomena, 

 from purely mechanical to conventionally modified phases of embellishment. 



Pliable fabrics as aids in modeling. — Pliable fabrics, such as sacks, nets, and 

 cloths, were made use of as exterior supports in holding or handling the vessel 

 whUe it was still in a plastic condition. Mr. Mooney says that the Cherokee 

 use a rag when lifting the pot at one stage of its manufacture, and it is easy 

 to see that cloths or nets wrapped about the exterior surface of the plastic 

 walls would serve to prevent quick drying and consequent cracking of the clay 

 along weak lines. Binding up with cloths or nets would interfere with the 

 deforming tendency of pressure during the modeling process and of sinking 

 from weight of the plastic walls. 



The technique of weaving nets had its inception during the Archaic 

 Period. Early nets were much coarser than those made at a later 

 Woodland date. Evidence from Early Woodland sherds shows that 

 these two types of nets were made by using simple knots (figs. 30, 31) . 

 Mesh is wide and uniform and evenly spaced. Cord diameter in the 

 early form is greater than that in most of the late varieties. 



Most fabrics are simple twined. In this technique the warp elements 

 are held in place by twisting the woof strands half around at each 

 intersection and inclosing the warp strands in alternating pairs as 

 shown in figure 32 (Holmes, 1896, fig. 5) . These twisted woof strands 

 were evenly spaced, creating a loosely woven fabric, while the warp 

 strands formed loops through which a heavier strand was passed. 



A more open simple-twined fabric, constructed along this same 

 jjrinciple, is illustrated in figure 33 (Holmes, 1896, fig. 6). It is one 

 of the various types impressed upon sherd material. The cordage 

 is slightly heavier than the preceding sample. Whether these bits 

 were from mantles, shawls, etc., could not be determined. 



In the earlier studies by Holmes, it is seen that he very nearly 

 determined both the true source of the trait of applying textiles to 

 the exteriors of clay vessels and the aerial distribution of this trait, 

 hinting that certain time-space factors could be designated when more 

 became known of the archeology of the eastern section of the United 

 States. It is here proposed to add another link to this study. 



Figure 30. — Net impression from sherds recovered from the Clarksville site, 44Mcl4. 



(See Holmes, 1896, fig. 27.) 



