FABRICS OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 



409 



In no locality are so many fine impressions of textiles upon clay vessels 

 found as in the ancient salt making districts of the Mississippi Valley. 

 The huge bowl or tub-like vessels used by the primitive salt-makers 

 have very generally been modeled in coarse nets, or otherwise have 

 had many varieties of netting impressed upon them for ornament. 



In the accompanying plate (XXXIX) two fine examples of these im- 

 pressions are given. They are somewhat more clearly defined than the 

 majority of those from which the other illustrations are made. 



Fig. 82 illustrates a specimen in which every detail is perfectly pre- 

 served. Only a small portion of the original is shown in the cut. The 

 cords are heavy and well twisted, but (he spacing is somewhat irregu- 

 lar. I observe one interesting fact in regard to this impression. The 

 fabric has apparently been applied to the inverted vessel, as the loose 

 cords of the woof which run parallel with the rim droop or hang in fes- 

 toons between the cords of the warp as shown in the illustration, which 

 is here placed, as drawn from the inverted fragment. 



Fig. 82.— From fragment of a large salt vessel, SJine Kivcr, Illinois. 



The inference to be drawn from this fact is that the fabric was ap- 

 plied to the exterior of the vessel, after it was completed and inverted, 

 for the purpose of enhancing its beauty. When we recollect, however, 

 that these vessels were probably built for service only, with thick walls 

 and rude finish, we are at a loss to see why so much pains should have 

 been taken in their embellishment. It seems highly probable that, gen 

 erally, the inspiring idea was one of utility, and that the fabric served 

 in some way as a support to the pliable clay, or tint the net-work of 

 shallow impressions was supposed to act after the manner of a degraia 

 sunt to neutralize the tendency to fracture. 



Another example from the same locality is shown in Fig. S3. This 

 is similar to that shown in the lower figure of Plate XXXIX. It is very 

 neatly woven of evenly spun and well-twisted thread. The double series 

 is widely spaced as showu in the drawing. 



The very interesting specimen illustrated in Fig. SI was obtained 

 from a small fragment of pottery found in Fort Ripley County, Mis- 



