holmes] POTTERY OF TENNESSEE. 441 



The whole exterior surface is embellished with a most elaborate orna- 

 mental design, which resembles the imprint of some woven fabric. If 

 a woven fabric has not been used, a pliable stamp, producing the effect 

 of a fabric, has been resorted to. The fact that the sharply concave 

 portions of the neck ;ire marked with as much regularity as the convex 

 body of the vessel, precludes the idea of the use of a solid or non-elastic 

 stamp. 



The pattern consists of groups of parallel indented lines, arranged 

 at right angles with one another, the puzzling feature being that there 

 is no evidence of the passing of the threads or fillets over or under 

 each other, such as would be seen if a woven fabric had been used. 

 The outer surface of the triangular collar peculiar to many of the pots 

 has been decorated with a herring-hone pattern, made by impressing a 

 8haip implement. The haudle in one case is similarly ornamented. 

 This handle has been added after the ngure previously described was 

 impressed upon the neck of the vessel. One small fragment shows 

 another style of indented or stamped pattern, which consists of series 

 of straight and curved lines, such as are characteristic of many of the 

 vessels obtained from the Gulf States. 



A small fragment of coal-black ware is entirely smooth on the outside, 

 and indicates an unusually well finished and symmetrical vessel. An- 

 other shows the impression of basket-work, in which a wide fillet or 

 splint has served as the warp and a small twisted cord as the woof. 

 Oue interesting feature of this vessel is that from certain impressions 

 ou the raised ridges we discover that the vessel lias beeu taken from 

 the net mold while still in a plastic state. 



Still another reddish porous fragment has a square rim, which is or- 

 namented with a series of annular indentations. 



