HOLMES] CATAWKA POTTERY 55 



exterior bark was tired and tlie supply renewed for an liour. wlien tlie 

 red-hot vessel was taken out. It was kept away from drafts during 

 tlie burning and the tirst part of the cooling to prevent craelcing. It 

 was allowed to cool near the fire until the red heat had disappeared, 

 when it was removed to the open air. On examination it was found 

 that the inside had been colored a deep, glistening black by the burn- 

 ing, but the exterior, save in spots where the bark had been dense and 

 the fire much smothered, was of grayish and reddish tints. 



The Catawba potters excel in the manufacture of pipes. Susanna 

 Owl used only the fine brown clay. In making an ordinary pipe she 

 first rolled out a cylindric cone about five inches long, one end of which 

 was less than half an inch in diameter and the other an inch or more. 

 This cone was 1)roken in the middle and the narrow piece was joined to 

 the other near the smaller end and at right angles, the junction lieing 

 perfected by the addition of bits of clay and by manipulation with the 

 fingers. The processes of shaping, polishing, and drying were the same 

 as with ordinary pottery. Three other varieties of pipes ai-e made, 

 described severally as cockscomb-shaped, ax-shaped, and boot-shaped. 

 Incised ornamental figures are executed with a needle or a bent pin. 

 This work is done on the evening of the second day or on the morning 

 of the third. The bowl is not bored out until the pi^^e is nearly ready 

 for firing. The pipes are baked, often several at a time, by embedding 

 in burning bark, and a vessel is inverted over them during the process 

 to impart a uniform glistening black finish. 



The work of the Catawba potters was observed by Dr E. Palmer 

 on their reservation in South Carolina in ISS-t, and somewhat detailed 

 notes were furnished by him to the Bureau of Ethnology. Thev use 

 a light porous clay containing a large percentage of vegetal matter. 

 It is moistened, then taken in the hands by bits, and kneaded liv the 

 fingers until all hard particles are removed and the texture becomes 

 uniform. When enough is thus treated to make a vessel, a small por- 

 tion is taken up and flattened between the hands and formed into -a 

 disk. This is placed on a lioard. and other portions are i'oll(>d out into 

 rolls a foot or less in length. One of these is wrapped al>out the mar- 

 gin of the disk and worked down and welded with the fingers, and 

 Others ai'e added in like manner luitil the walls rise to the desired height. 

 Wlu'n the surface is made sufliciently even and the claV becomes firm, 

 smooth c[uartz pebbles are used to give a polish. 



The A'essels are carefully dried in the shade and then baked by 

 covering them with liark which is kept burning until they are suffi- 

 ciently hardened. They are frequently moved about to prevent such 

 constant contact with the burning t)ark as would l)lacken them too 

 much. The colors produced are shades of brown mottled with grays 

 and blacks. When the potters desire they produce a black shining 

 surface by covering thi^ articles with some inverted receptacle during 

 the baking process. 



