G82 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



The (Jabokia pottery, wbicli he fouud aloiij;' the creek of that name, 

 be ascribes to Indians, as he remarks: 



The quest ioii now arises, Who were the makers of these manufactures of clay? I 

 simply ascri lie them to the Cahokia Indians, who dwelt, until a comparatively reecnt 

 period, on the banks of the creek that still bears the name of their tribe. Concern- 

 ing the antiquity of the manufactures described on the preceding pages, I am not 

 prepared to give an estimate. Only a hundred years may have el.apsed since they 

 ■were made, yet it is also jiossible that they are much older. The appearance of the 

 fragments rather indicates a modern origin.' 



Those who are aware of the extreme caution of this distinguished 

 archeologist in expressing an opinion of this kind, will be fully assured 

 that be had carefully studied all the facts bearing upon the subject 

 before giving it publicity. 



Most of the mound pottery, as the reader is probably aware, is mixed 

 with pulverized shells, which is also true of most Indian pottery.^ 



Dumont describes the method of jirepariug the materials and manu- 

 facturing the pottery as follows : 



The industry of these native women and girls is admirable. I have already spoken 

 of the skill with which, with their fingers alone and without a wheel, they make all 

 sorts of pottery. The manner in which they jiroceed to do it is as follows: After 

 having collected the earth necessary for this work, and cleaned it well, the.y take 

 shells and pound them up to a very fine and delicate powder. This they mix tbor- 

 ouu-hly with the earth which has been provided, and moistening the whole with a 

 little water they knead it with their hands and feet into a paste. This they make 

 into long rolls from 6 to 7 feet in length and of the thickness desired. If they 

 wish to form a basin or vase they take one of these rolls by one end; and marking 

 with the left thumb, on this mass, the center of the article to be made, they whirl 

 it (the roll) aliout this center with wonderful swiftness and dexterity, describing a 

 spiral. From time to tinui they dip their fingers in the water which they are always 

 careful to have at hand, and with the right hand they smooth the outside and inside 

 of the vessel which they intend to form, which without this care wonld be undulat- 

 ing. By this jjrocess they make all sorts of earthen utensils, as dishes, plates, 

 basins, pots, and ewers, some of which contain 40 to 50 pints. The baking of 

 this pottery does not require any great jjreparation. After it is dried in the shade 

 a great tire is lighted; and when they think there are coals enough they clear a 

 space in the center and arrange their vessels there and cover them with coals. In 

 this manner the pottery receives the necessary baking; after this they can be put on 

 the tire and are as tirm as ours. There is no doubt that their firmness is to be 

 attributed to the mixture which the women make of the powdered shells with the 

 earth. 



Du Pratz says : " The [Natchez] women make pots of an extraordinary 

 size, cruses with a medium-sized opening, jars, bottles with long necks, 

 holding 1! pints, and pots or cruses for holding t)ear"s oil." ' Also that 

 they colored them a beautiful red by using oclier, which becomes red 

 alter burning. As heretofore remarked, the bottle-shaped vase with a 

 long neck is the typical form of clay vessels found in the mounds of 



I Smitlisoniiin Ri-p.. 1880. p. 350. 



-Diimoiit. Mem. Hist. La..u, p. 271 (175:1) ; Ailair. Hist. Am. lud., p. 421; Loslciel., Geach. dev Miss., p. 

 70. etc. 

 ^Hist. La. (175K). Vi>l. II, p. 179. 



