62870. The mound from which these fragments were obtained was located
3 miles from Newport. It was 12 feet square and 6 feet high. The
original height was probably much greater. The pottery was mixed with
ashes and _debris_ of what appeared to be three fire-places. No human
remains were found. The fragments are not numerous, nor do they
indicate a great variety in form. There is, however, considerable
variety in decoration.
_Material._--The clay is generally gray or dark-reddish gray in the
mass, and is apparently quite siliceous or sandy, numerous grains of
quartz being visible. There is generally a sprinkling of finely-powdered
mica, but no shell matter can be detected. When much weathered the
surface is quite gritty.
_Form._--The leading form is a round-bodied, pot-shaped vase. There is
one small hemispherical bowl. The outlines have been quite symmetrical.
The mouths of the pots are wide, and the necks deeply constricted.
The lip or rim exhibits a number of novel features. That of the larger
specimen, of which a considerable segment remains, is furnished on the
upper edge with a deep channel, nearly one-half an inch wide, and more
than one-fourth of an inch deep. First section, Fig. 117. Others have
a peculiar thickening of the rim, a sort of collar being added to the
outside. This is about 1 inch in width, and is thicker below, giving a
triangular section. Third section, Fig. 117.
[Illustration: Fig. 117.]
The walls of the vessels are usually quite thin. The bottoms were
probably round, or nearly so. No fragments, however, of the lower parts
of the vessels were collected. There is but one example of handle, and
this presents no unusual features. Middle section, Fig. 117.
_Ornamentation._--The ornamentation is in some respects novel. The
double or channeled rim of the larger specimen, the mouth of which
has been 13 or 14 inches in diameter, is embellished with a line of
flutings, which seem to be the impressions of a hollow bone or reed. The
whole exterior surface is embellished with a most elaborate ornamental
design, which resembles the imprint of some woven fabric. If a woven
fabric has not been used, a pliable stamp, producing the effect of a
fabric, has been resorted to. The fact that the sharply concave portions
of the neck are marked with as much regularity as the convex body of the
vessel, precludes the idea of the use of a solid or non-elastic stamp.
The pattern consists of groups of parallel indented lines, arranged at
right angles with one another, the puzzling feature being that there is
no evidence of the passing of the threads or fillets over or under each
other, such as would be seen if a woven fabric had been used. The outer
surface of the triangular collar peculiar to many of the pots has been
decorated with a herring-bone pattern, made by impressing a sharp
implement. The handle in one case is similarly ornamented. This handle
has been added _after_ the figure previously described was impressed
upon the neck of the vessel. One small fragment shows another style of
indented or stamped pattern, which consists of series of straight and
curved lines, such as are characteristic of many of the vessels obtained
from the Gulf States.
A small fragment of coal-black ware is entirely smooth on the outside,
and indicates an unusually well finished and symmetrical vessel. Another
shows the impression of basket-work, in which a wide fillet or splint
has served as the warp and a small twisted cord as the woof. One
interesting feature of this vessel is that from certain impressions on
the raised ridges we discover that the vessel has been taken from the
net mold while still in a plastic state.
Still another reddish porous fragment has a square rim, which is
ornamented with a series of annular indentations.