I’ve been focused on this piece the past few days. When I found it on a RI beach, way back when, the 90’s I imagine, I assumed it was native. Then I decided the pottery was too dark brown. Where I found it is located quite near the only location that has ever produced an abundance of small pottery sherds, and they are nowhere near this dark.
So, for apparently(I decided) no real good reason, I dismissed its native origin for years. Been showing it to experienced friends and we all agreed that of course it’s a piece of Native American shell tempered pottery. I mean really, of course it is.
Pottery is very rare in RI and SE Ma. Soil is too acidic. In the Ct. River Valley, a different story, pottery is not rare, and further west in Ct., Red finds his share. But not here, and this is an intact artifact. Come right down to it, it’s likely one of the rarest things I could expect to find in these parts.
So, what is it? Well, it looks very much like a spindle whorl, raised on one side, flat on the other. But, I don’t know enough about such things to make a call. The interior of the hole is irregular, tough to see in the photos. Don’t know if that makes any difference with a spindle whorl. Maybe it’s a ceramic bead instead.
So let’s take a look at it. This is the raised side. Notice there are a total of 6 “indents” or “facets”, molded by the maker’s fingers. You can even see the fingerprints in some of the “indents”.
And here is the flat side. Note the preserved fingerprints...
The profile. Spindle whorls often have such a profile...
Now, the entire time I’ve owned this, I’ve been focused on the pattern of 6 indents, and the way cool presence of preserved fingerprints. But, last night I realized there was another pattern, formed by the ridges or borders between indents. These borders can be seen as lines extending from the central hole, to the border. Furthermore, and this is key to my realization that this other pattern existed, 5, possibly all 6, of the lines curve toward the border.
Look closely at this image. Starting with the curved line at the 9 o’clock position, on the left, and counting clockwise, one can see 5 curved lines. The 6th, at about the 7 o’clock position is a bit smudged, or thicker with pottery, and it’s hard to tell if it’s curved. I can’t really get better photos that would show all 6 lines, but look closely and you should see what I am getting at:
Just to show the very obvious curvature:
With allowances for the 6th line being unclear, this is what I am seeing as the pattern visible on the raised side:
Believe it or not, the very first thing that popped into my head was a solar image from the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex.
https://peachstatearchaeologicalsoci...omplex-symbols
Specifically, stuff like this. Not exact, there is no cross on my piece, but very remindful of a solar image:
Now, I am not saying this image is proof of contact with that Southeastern complex. But it’s probably not impossible, either. We have representations or manifestations of other cultural movements from outside our region. Like Adena.
All I know is that this seems reasonable to interpret as a solar image. Of course I could be mistaken. But, in impressing the 6 facets or indents on the top of the piece, I do believe the curvature of the “lines”, running from central hole to the border, was a deliberate choice by the maker. Until last night, I had always just focused on the indents with their fingerprints, and missed this possible image altogether.
Next, I need to see how widespread such solar images, as seen in the symbols of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, were among the tribes in North America.
Anyway, that’s the story of how I recently came to see this piece in a new light. And appreciate it as one of the rarest pieces I have personally found.
So, for apparently(I decided) no real good reason, I dismissed its native origin for years. Been showing it to experienced friends and we all agreed that of course it’s a piece of Native American shell tempered pottery. I mean really, of course it is.
Pottery is very rare in RI and SE Ma. Soil is too acidic. In the Ct. River Valley, a different story, pottery is not rare, and further west in Ct., Red finds his share. But not here, and this is an intact artifact. Come right down to it, it’s likely one of the rarest things I could expect to find in these parts.
So, what is it? Well, it looks very much like a spindle whorl, raised on one side, flat on the other. But, I don’t know enough about such things to make a call. The interior of the hole is irregular, tough to see in the photos. Don’t know if that makes any difference with a spindle whorl. Maybe it’s a ceramic bead instead.
So let’s take a look at it. This is the raised side. Notice there are a total of 6 “indents” or “facets”, molded by the maker’s fingers. You can even see the fingerprints in some of the “indents”.
And here is the flat side. Note the preserved fingerprints...
The profile. Spindle whorls often have such a profile...
Now, the entire time I’ve owned this, I’ve been focused on the pattern of 6 indents, and the way cool presence of preserved fingerprints. But, last night I realized there was another pattern, formed by the ridges or borders between indents. These borders can be seen as lines extending from the central hole, to the border. Furthermore, and this is key to my realization that this other pattern existed, 5, possibly all 6, of the lines curve toward the border.
Look closely at this image. Starting with the curved line at the 9 o’clock position, on the left, and counting clockwise, one can see 5 curved lines. The 6th, at about the 7 o’clock position is a bit smudged, or thicker with pottery, and it’s hard to tell if it’s curved. I can’t really get better photos that would show all 6 lines, but look closely and you should see what I am getting at:
Just to show the very obvious curvature:
With allowances for the 6th line being unclear, this is what I am seeing as the pattern visible on the raised side:
Believe it or not, the very first thing that popped into my head was a solar image from the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex.
https://peachstatearchaeologicalsoci...omplex-symbols
Specifically, stuff like this. Not exact, there is no cross on my piece, but very remindful of a solar image:
Now, I am not saying this image is proof of contact with that Southeastern complex. But it’s probably not impossible, either. We have representations or manifestations of other cultural movements from outside our region. Like Adena.
All I know is that this seems reasonable to interpret as a solar image. Of course I could be mistaken. But, in impressing the 6 facets or indents on the top of the piece, I do believe the curvature of the “lines”, running from central hole to the border, was a deliberate choice by the maker. Until last night, I had always just focused on the indents with their fingerprints, and missed this possible image altogether.
Next, I need to see how widespread such solar images, as seen in the symbols of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, were among the tribes in North America.
Anyway, that’s the story of how I recently came to see this piece in a new light. And appreciate it as one of the rarest pieces I have personally found.
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