106 EARTHENWARE OF 



There are traces of intrusive ideas and probably of peoples from the west, and in 

 time evidences of Carribean influence will probably be made apparent. As it 

 stands, however, we have such slight historic knowledge of the native ceramic art 

 of Florida that no part of its products can be fully and definitely connected with 

 any tribe or stock of people. 



Uses of ceramic evidence. — The most important archaeologic function of the cera- 

 mic art relates to the history of American occupation rather than to the history of 

 particular peoples. The wares imbedded in the successive layers of midden refuse 

 give hints of change and progress, and the absence of sherds in the subordinate 

 strata point probably to a time when pottery was not used, or to a period so remote 

 that it has totally disappeared. We may reasonably hope that ceramic evidence 

 will materially assist in determining the origin and succession of peoples and in ar- 

 riving at a somewhat definite chronology of events. These wares are as yet too 

 meagerly represented in our collections to afford valuable data illustrative of the 

 evolution of the art. The specimens at hand do not appear to extend either above or 

 below, in artistic grade, the wares of historic tribes and the lesthetic features are so 

 varied and confused that they cannot readily be placed with reference to any 

 scheme of aesthetic development. 



General characteristics. — The pottery embodied in the collections here con- 

 sidered comprises a number of varieties or groups not yet fully defined. There are 

 specimens rivalling the best work of the lower Mississippi region, and others so 

 rudimentaiy as to hardly deserve the name of earthenware. One group is wholly 

 unique, consisting in the main of toy-like forms of rude workmanship and exhibit- 

 ing decidedly abnormal if not non-Indian characters such as might be given by 

 modern natives practising a degenerate art. 



In general the pottery of the shell deposits appears to be rude, while that of 

 the mounds, save the wares mentioned above, and usually that scattered over 

 dwelling sites, is of a higher grade, often exhibiting neat finish, varied and refined 

 forms and tasteful decorations. 



Technology. — The clay used, considering the whole state, seems to have had a 

 wide range of composition and to have been subject to varied methods of treatment. 

 The inferior wares show poorly selected materials and rude treatment and the better 

 grades are characterized by finely prepared paste. Much of the ware is of unusually 

 low specific gravity as if rendered porous by weathering or the decay of some of 

 the denser ingredients. 



The tempering materials are also varied. Much of the shell-deposit ware 

 seems to have been tempered with fibrous vegetable matter, such as pounded grass 

 or bark, thought by Wyman to be palmetto fiber, which burned out in firing or has 

 disappeared through decay leaving the paste light and porous. In some parts of 

 the State rather coarse sand or pulverized rock was employed and rarely pulverized 

 shell was used. In many sections the paste is exceptionally free from tempering 

 ingredients, being fine grained and chalky. 



The vessels were built usually of wide coils which in many cases were so 



