ORIGIN OF THE USE OF COILS. 



277 



dians manufacture pottery at the present time, and that they probably 

 follow the methods of the Mokis, from whom they learned the art. 



Captain Moss states that " They use marl, which they grind between 

 two rocks to a very flue powder. They theu mix this with water aud 

 knead it as we would dough. Afterwards they roll it out into a rope- 

 like state about one inch in diameter and several yards in length. They 

 then commence at the bottom of the jar, or whatever vessel they may 

 be making, aud coil the clay-rope layer on layer until they have the 

 bottom and three iuches of the sides laid up. The tools for smoothing 

 aud joining the layers together are a paddle made out of wood and per- 

 fectly smooth, and an oval-shaped polished stone." Both of these tools 

 are dipped in the water (salt water is preferred), the stone is held in the 

 left hand and on the inside of the vessel, and the paddle is applied vig- 

 orously until the surfaces are smooth. The method thus described by 

 these authors was, probably, almost universal'}* practiced. 



I have specimens from a number of the Eastern and Southern States 

 that fracture along the line of junction, showiug clearly the width of 

 the fillets and the manner of their attachment. I picked up a small 

 specimen at Avoca, North Carolina, which has broken along the liue of 

 junction, giving the section illustrated in Fig. 219. It will be seen that 



Q 



Fig. 211).— Ordinary superposition of coils. 



s~> 



SectioD. 



there is no overlapping as in the Pueblo work, the attachment being 

 accomplished by pressure and by drawing both edges of the coil down 

 over the convex edge of the preceding coil. I have similar specimens 

 from the modern Pueblos, from Florida, from Mexico, aud from Brazil. 

 It will readily be seen that this method of building differs essentially 

 from that practiced so successfully by the aucient Pueblos. 



Origin of the Coil. — This use of the coil is but a refinement of the 

 most simple possible method of construction, that of bnilding by the 

 addition of small masses of clay. A disk or shallow cup can be formed 

 successfully by the fingers alone from a single lump of clay, but to 

 carry the wall upward by pressure or by blows from a paddle would 

 result in a weak, frayed edge. To counteract or prevent this tendency 

 small elongated masses are used, which are laid one upon another along 

 the growing margin. From this, in the most natural manner possible. 



