Dallas Phase Ceramic Vessel

     This is a Dallas phase ceramic vessel that dates to the late fifteenth - early sixteenth century. It was found partially exposed on a tributary creek that leads to the Chattahoochee River in West Georgia. It has raised nodes around the circumference of the vessel, and tally marks around the lip. Two applied handles are set to either side of it. These have been called saddle pots because of the rises on each end resembling a saddle. Most examples are slightly elongated in shape. The use and manufacture of these vessels have been documented to extend into the earliest of historical times, coinciding with the explorations of De Soto, and De Luna in the middle 1500's. The Dallas phase extended northward to upper Tennessee, and to the south as far as Columbus, Georgia. At this area of Columbus, the influence of more southern pottery cultures intermingled, and the Dallas phase stopped. On many Dallas Phase sites European influence has been found by the presence of iron, brass, glass beads and gun parts. The Dallas phase was probably cut short by the coming of the Europeans, and the exposure of the diseases brought to this "new land" by them. The King Site, in Northwest Georgia, is a late Dallas/Barnett phase site that has produced burials that show evidence of native American deaths by metal edged weapons. Other cultural traits of the Dallas culture are finely chipped points, and blades, engraved shell gorgets, fine pipes, and other styles of pottery vessels.       

    This fine pottery vessel, along with 2 companion vessels of similar design, were found many years ago in the   Southwest Georgia area.  Painted pottery, from anywhere east of the Mississippi River, is extremely rare. This vessel dates to the late part of the 1600's. The designs and use of paint on ceramic vessels had just began when the coming of the Europeans shortened this fine art, and replaced it with brass kettles and modern dishes. This type of pottery seems to be limited to areas of the Chattahoochee river basin and could have been an influence from as far away as Mexico, or Costa Rica. Painted pottery had been used there for hundreds of years and could have influenced into this area. But on the other hand, there is a lack of painted pottery south of this area, and on to the Gulf of Mexico.  About this same time of prehistory, painting pottery was getting popular in Arkansas with the Quapaw, and into Northeast Texas with the Caddo. I personally believe that the traveling of individuals, and the traveling of "news", had helped to spread the ideas of painting pottery. But, each geological area's pottery makers developed, and put into use, their own types of designs. To collectors and scholars, there is something distinct about the Quapaw's designs, and vessel shapes, that makes it easily identifiable. The same with the Caddo. The only difference with the "Cusseta Red Film" is that it started, and stopped so fast, because of European intervention, that there is not enough of it in collections to get more than a time marker.  It did not have enough time to spread out into the surrounding areas. Usually, these shards of painted pottery are found eroding, or being plowed from trash pits, and if professionally excavated, will almost always produce some kind of European artifact. If just a rusted nail, or a single glass bead, this shows that it was getting toward the end of life as the native American's had known for all their lives, and generations before them.

     This pottery item is from the Chattahoochee River below Columbus, Georgia.  It was made in the style, or "effigy", of a European cream pitcher.  There have been several pottery vessels found in this area that were close in resemblance to European style ceramics. Very detailed plates, bowls with engraving, Waterweed tankards, and one occurrence of a pot resembling a brass kettle have been found.  At the earliest stages of contact with the Europeans, the Indians in the area were exposed to influences coming up the Apalachicola from the Gulf of Mexico. This influence was probably Spanish and  these items were seen at missions and early settlements along the coast. These Indian pottery makers made effigies of what they had seen. Therefore, actually having a copy of a European piece he, or, she might have seen before, but was unable to get by trade from traders or trappers.  In another 40 to 50 years, the art of making pottery by these Native Americans had all but ceased because of the availability of the white mans modern china and brass cooking pots.