In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

The following sections present formal type descriptions for the Burke and Cowans Ford pottery series. Also included are tables of selected ceramic assemblages from sites in the upper and middle Catawba valley, a discussion of the use of soapstone as a tempering agent, and a brief discussion of Woodland pottery from the upper Catawba River valley. Burke Pottery Series Burke ceramics are ¤rst described (though not by the term Burke) by Holmes (1903:143–144) in Aboriginal Pottery of the Eastern United States. Holmes (1903) cites vessels from mounds in the upper Yadkin valley of North Carolina and remarks on how different vessels that appear to be related to the same occupation also re®ect ceramic traits from the north, west, and south. He provides two examples of “southern” vessels in his Plate 129 (1903:145); these vessels are described in chapter 3 as Burke ceramic vessels. Holmes (1903:144) also reports that “from the Jones mound, in the same section, we have a series of vessels of still more modern look. So far as shape and ¤nish go they are decidedly like the modern Catawba ware.” Keeler (1971), in his de¤ning study of the Burke series, also recognized the southern Lamar ceramic in®uence along with the Catawba resemblance . These two factors have proved to be the focus of attention whenever these ceramics are discussed (Boyd 1986; Coe 1981; Moore 1987). This study analyzed every available collection of Burke ceramics in North Carolina and, as a result, it is now possible to provide a more complete description of Burke ceramics. The following series description modi-¤es that of Keeler (1971:31–37) on the basis of the results of this study. Modi¤cations primarily consist of additional type designations and more discussion of attribute variability within the types. Appendix C Catawba Valley Pottery Burke Complicated Stamped Paste Temper: Soapstone temper is the most distinctive attribute of the series. Soapstone is added as ®akes as small as .3 mm or as particles/chunks as large as 6 mm. Occasionally, very large pieces appear; the largest chunk I observed was at least 12 mm in length. Individual sherds usually show similar sized pieces, but often a wide range of sizes is represented in the same sherd. Soapstone is extremely variable in color and texture, ranging from a soft, schisty or platy material, usually reddish orange to orange, to a ¤ner silver-grey stone. Additional aplastics often occur along with soapstone. These include sand, grit, schist, crushed quartz, and possibly grog. It is possible that fragments of quartz hammerstones became mixed with the soapstone as it was crushed and crumbled. It is also possible that clay sources include some amounts of sand. Texture: Paste is generally ¤ne, evenly mixed and compact. Temper quantity is variable from less than 5 percent to more than 50 percent, but is usually 20 to 30 percent. Temper particles are usually visible on both exterior and interior surfaces, but rarely protrude from the vessel surface. Sherds are well ¤red and hard: Keeler (1971:31) reports hardness from 2.0 to 3.0, and sherds have a distinctive ring when struck. Color: Color is extremely variable, ranging from a nearly white buff to nearly black, with browns, oranges, and greys also represented. Color varies on the same vessel, ¤ring clouds are common, and interior color often varies from exterior color, indicating that reducing atmospheres were usually present during ¤ring. Method of manufacture: Coils were added to a ®at base. Coils were extremely well smoothed and annealed; coil breaks occur, but not frequently. Surface Treatment Exterior: Curvilinear complicated stamping usually comprises from 30 to 60 percent of a Burke ceramic assemblage. Stamp designs are often dif¤cult to identify because of the large size of many of the motifs and the fact that many are overstamped, lightly applied, smoothed over, or eroded. Most designs include combinations of whole or partial bull’s-eyes, spirals, or concentric circles joined by ¤elds of arcs or straight lines. Sometimes the curvilinear elements surround diamond or square motifs. Formal ¤gure eights,¤gure nines, or ¤lfot crosses are rare. The design motifs are quite large, but, again, it is dif¤cult to provide accurate measurements without samples from intact vessels. However, examples from some of the larger sherds indicate that some motifs are in excess of 100 cm2 and individual elements may be greater than 25 cm2 . Stamps generally feature lands of approximately 1 to 2 mm and grooves of 258 / appendix c...

Share