28 ABORIGINAL POTTERY OF EASTERN UNITED STATES [f.th.ann.JO 



nicaiis of heat applied to tlu^ \'ess('l in the usual manner, hut it is also 

 held by yood autliorities that the work was sometimes eonducted by 

 moans of exposure simply to t\v rays of the sun. 



A somewhat remarkable class of earthenware \essels, the remnants 

 of which are found at several points in th(> Mississippi valley, is 

 ])elieve(l to have l)een (Muploved in the maiuifacttire of salt. The 

 localities are scattered over a large area extending as far east as Knox- 

 ville, Tonnes.sce, and as far west as White river in north-central 

 Arkansas and southern Missouri. The distinguishing characteristics 

 of the vessels are th(Mr large size, their vat-like shape (see plate ma), 

 the great thickness of their walls, and their peculiar sui-face finish {h, 

 r), which consists larg(dy of impressions of coarse, open-mesh textile 

 fabrics. They are found in most cases in or near the vicinity' of saline 

 springs. Perhaps the best known locality is on Saline river, near Shaw- 

 neetown, Illinois. It is not improbable tliat similar springs formerly 

 existed at points now marked by the t)ccurrence of this remarkable 

 ware, where no salines now exist. It is definitely stated by the 

 Knight of Elvas that the Indians of the Mississippi valley manufac- 

 tui'ed salt. He informs us that — 



The .'^alt is iiuule along by a river, which when tlie water goes down leaves it 

 upon the sand. As they can not gather tlie salt without a large mixture of sand, it 

 is thrown together into certain baskets they have for the purjiose, nuu'.e large at tlie 

 mouth and small at the bottom. These are set in tlie air on a ridgepole and, water 

 being thrown on, vessels are place<l under them wherein it may fall; then, being 

 strained and ]ilaeed on the lire, it is lioiled away, leaving salt at the bottom." 



In another place it is stated that — 



They passed through a small town where was a lake and the Indians made salt; 

 the Christians made some on the day they rested there from water that rose nearliy 

 from springs in pools.'' 



The above loctitions must i)oth have been in .Vrkansas and not far 

 from Hot Springs. 



Typical specimens of this ware are found m the suburbs of Nashville, 

 Tenne.s.see; at Shawneetown, Illinois; netir Vincennes, Knox county, 

 Indiana; in Knox county, Tennessee; in Alexander and Union coun- 

 ties, Illinois; atKimmswick, near St Louis, Missouri; at Ste Genevieve, 

 Mis.souri; at one oi more points in Ohio; and probably, as is indicated 

 by Schoolcraft, on White ri\(M- above Batesville, Arkansas. School- 

 craft says that - 



It is common, in digging at these salt mines, to lln<l fragments of antique pottery, 

 and even entire pots of a coarse earthenware, at great depths below the surfaiv. 

 One of these pots which was, until a very recent period, jireserved by a gentleman 

 at Shawneetown. was disinterred at the depth of 80 feet, and was of a ca|)acity to 

 contain 8 or 10 gallons. Others have been found at even greater depths, and of 

 greater dimensions. We will not venture to state the surprising eapacitiesof several 



"Smith. Thomn.s Buokinglmm. Xiirnitivfs of the enroer of Hornuiulc) lU' Soto, as told ny a Knight 

 of Elvas, and in a relation by L. Ileriianilez de Bierima, New York, iseti. p 124. 

 '•Same work. p. 1.^3. 



