EARTHENWARE OF THE NEW YORK ABORIGINES 



The art of making vessels or ornaments of baked clay dates from 

 a remote antiquity. The material is so easily molded that it was 

 probably used without baking at an even earlier day. Sun-dried 

 bricks and vessels are frequent in lands where they could advan- 

 tageously be employed, and the great advantage of burning these 

 may have been accidentally discovered in many places far apart. 

 Without discussing this history, it may be observed that a strong 

 resemblance has been noted between the rude pottery of this part 

 of our land and the early ware of Scandinavian, Celtic and Teutonic 

 peoples. Not alone does this appear in general form_, material and 

 ornament, but in the remarkable feature of the dark hue within 

 and the comparative brightness of the exterior. 



In aboriginal New York earthenware we can make but three 

 great divisions^ the third of which is of small importance. First 

 are those useful vessels whose fragments abound in many fields, 

 but which are now so rare in their complete form. Then we have 

 that remarkable class which gives us our best ideas of aboriginal 

 plastic art^ and sometimes even more, the bold or graceful pipes 

 which the natives smoked in days of peace. The third class includes 

 articles of a miscellaneous character, ornamental or useful, as well 

 as some employed in games. These are few in number^ and yet have 

 importance in a limited way. 



As a rule, vessels of stone or of bark preceded earthenware in 

 New York, the latter being in general use only in recent times. 

 Those of bark have left no trace, but we may sometimes infer their 

 use on sites where nothing else is to be found. Potstone or 

 steatite is not rare in many places, but is usually absent from those 

 where earthenware occurs. The latter was universal among the 

 Iroquois family, and was largely employed by many of the Algon- 

 quins. 



Going yet farther north we find tliat the Eskimos still use potstone 

 vessels, much like those whose fragments are found beside our 



