  The sherd analysis gives a picture of the domestic ceramic complex. A study of the whole vessels indicates the mortuary wares and shapes used by these people. That these are not the same as the domestic styles is clearly shown from the data in Table 4. The 31 complete or restorable vessels from Lawhorn constituted 76% mortuary types. The other 24% came from house floors and refuse pits to give a picture of the domestic wares. Except for the one unusual strap handled water bottle, these were bowls and jars of assorted size. While some shallow bowls and a few plate forms were identified from sherds no complete vessels of these types were found on the domestic scene. Shallow bowls in their complete state were entirely within the mortuary list of finds. The difference in vessel form as indicated by potsherds from the domestic complex and whole vessels for this mortuary complex is tabulated in Table 4. In column III only those vessels found with burials have been tabulated to give a more precise picture of the mortuary ceramic complex. This will point out how nearly the complete vessel inventory is indicative of the mortuary class. In addition to vessel type it will be noted that there is an impressive rise in the number of vessels with flat bases in the mortuary vessel group as compared to the evidence from the potsherd collection. It becomes clear that while complete pottery vessels present an accurate ceramic picture it is a specialized one and different from that of the sherd count analysis. The difference may be a direct reflection of different segments of the village life pattern, the funerary customs on the one hand and home life on the other. Other interpretations might be made on the same pottery and potsherd collection. Variation of mortuary wares between major towns could easily exist while utility wares of each followed a more widespread and fundamental pattern so that little variation would be apparent between two such towns if judged from potsherds, but a pronounced difference if judged by complete vessels. With the early type pottery, or with one assumed to be early, the conclusion was reached that the best way to describe the sand tempered wares would be to call them “sand tempered plain,” “sand tempered cord marked” and “sand tempered fabric impressed.” The sand tempered plain is similar to Thomas Plain in the lower valley (Phillips, et. al., 1951; 141-2) and to Barnes Plain in the Cairo Lowland (Williams, 1956; 204). The sand tempered cord marked is similar The pottery was first classified with the aid of books and advice of several archaeologists. Before publication a check of the pottery was made resulting in the re-evaluation of a few of the types. Most important was the declassification of incised sherds other than Wallace Incised. Further, the painted wares were classed as Carson Red on Buff and Nodena Red and White only. A search of the literature on southeastern pottery was done to try to find the time period in which the Lawhorn pottery fitted. According to Phillips, Ford and Griffin (1951: 132-133), the Carson Red on Buff and Nodena Red and White are included under the term Avenue Painted and this ware extends into period B about half way. Wallace Incised, although it is primarily a late type, in period A, has been found on sites extending all the way to the end of period C. The other incised types are somewhat similar to Barton Incised and Kent Incised, but neither type could be definitely identified. Barton Incised has been found in the St. Francis area on sites extending back almost to Period D, and Kent Incised occurs at least halfway into Period B. Due to the small number of sherds and uncertainty of identification of type all of the incised sherds except Wallace were thrown into an unclassified category. On the basis of the pottery types, the most predominant being Neeley’s Ferry Plain which starts at approximately the beginning of Period B or Period C and maintains this maximum popularity to the end of Period B, it was decided that this site probably falls in the latter part of Period B. Pottery DisksThese were quite common on the site, particularly in areas of house concentration. A total of 33 either whole or fragmentary specimens were catalogued. Of these, six were the plain disks so common to Mississippian sites (Fig. 17:1) while 27 were perforated. All of the perforated specimens had a hole through the center of the disk and may well have been spindle whorls (Fig. 17:2). These ranged in size from 3 to 8 cm. in diameter. Nine of the spindle whorl type disks had well smoothed edges while the remaining edges were either roughly smoothed or unmodified after breaking. All of them were of Neeley’s Ferry Plain except one made from an Old Town Red sherd. The drilled disks were most commonly found in association with the houses, although several specimens were found in refuse pits. Four of the perforated disks had more than one hole drilled in them (Fig. 17:3). One had two completed holes with a third just started on one surface. Another example had a central hole and another drilling had been started from both sides but not carried to completion (Fig. 17:4). In eleven of the drilled disks the holes were at an angle, probably due to improper drilling, the angle drilling from one side being necessary to meet the perforation from the opposite side. There were six unperforated disks which ranged in size from 2 to 6 cm. in diameter. Two of these had smoothed edges while the others had been roughly shaped only. The smallest of these disks had a smoothed edge with a groove incised into it. Seven examples of drilled pottery were found of which two are perforated rims, the holes being drilled after firing. One piece has been perforated several times. One of the drilled rimsherds, (FS 124) was on the chest of burial 28. It may have been used as a pendant. Another specimen, (FS 225) had three incompleted holes as well as the perforation. One perforated sherd was Old Town Red, another sand-tempered cord-marked and the rest were Neeley’s Ferry Plain. Projectile PointsThe projectile points found at the Lawhorn site presented a variety of forms and sizes. The wide range of types seemed at first very difficult to explain. Further, pictures and written definitions of points were very hard to reconcile with the specimens at hand. An example of this difficulty was a point that seemed to answer all the requirements of the Motley type (Ford, Phillips, Haag 1955; p. 129), but which failed the test of visual examination by Ford. How many of the others originally typed would fail a similar visual examination test is open to question. Therefore, a separation of like with like form was made and unless a fair number of a particular type was present, no certain identification of type was made. There was a total of 95 identifiable points of which 84% were surface finds. Only 4% were found in the general midden, but 12% were at the very base of the deposit. These points were first separated into 26 types, however eighteen of these were represented by one or, at most, two specimens. Only eight of the types were present in sufficient numbers to represent a local industry. Figure 17. Pottery Disks In theory, at least, points found in repetitive numbers should represent a local industry and so aid in identifying their makers. The one-of-a-kind types would likely represent individual variation, trade, or the result of some Indian’s collecting habits. All of the projectile points except one which appears to be missing were separated according to the characteristics of size, shape and general process of manufacture. The 95 projectile points were placed into four major groups and a number of smaller units. One general arrowhead type seemed to be characteristic and made up more than a third of the total number of points from the site. These were 34 corner notched points with straight or rounded bases that varied in length from 44 mm. to 22 mm. and in width measured at the shoulders 11 to 18 mm. (Fig. 18;1-3). There is a rather great range in thickness due to the fact that some of the stone was of poor quality and could not be thinned properly. The usual thickness was 2 to 5 mm. This particular point type is, in general, similar to the Scallorn type (Bell, 1960; 84, pl. 42). It also compares fairly well with the points that come from the Matthews site and similar sites in the Cairo lowland area. It is approximately the same as the Table Rock Corner Notched arrowhead from the Table Rock area southwestern Missouri (Bray, 1956, Fig. 18, Rows 4-5, and p. 126). A secondary type that occurs with this and which is of some probable importance is made up of ten specimens. These have a relatively straight stem but otherwise are very similar to the major point type (Fig. 18;4). The points are similar to the Bonham points (Bell, 1960, 10 pl. 5). The dimensions on these points are as follows. The length ranges from 27 to 38 mm. and the width ranges from 12 to 19 mm.; the thickness is on the average 5 to 6 mm. Probably associated with these two types and considered to be a part of the projectile point complex of the Mississippi occupation is a small ovoid type made up of seventeen specimens some of which may have been blank forms since they do not appear to be finished (Fig. 19;1). The range in length of these specimens is from 22 to 37 mm. Thickness ranging from 4 to 8 mm varies considerably probably due to the fact that some are blank forms rather than finished products. Width at the base which is, for the most part, the widest position of the points varies from 14 to 20 mm. These points are somewhat similar to the Catan points, (Bell, 1958; 14 pl. 7). The Catan points range from 500 to 800 A.D. according to Bell’s compilations. The Lawhorn specimens are also similar in some respects to Young points (Bell, 1960; 100, pl. 50). Young points supposedly range from 1200 to 1500 A.D. They also compare rather closely with ovate forms, Category “O,” found abundantly only in the late marginal Mississippi Complex at the Rice Site (Bray, 1956, Fig. 13, and p. 79). Figure 18. Corner Notched and Stemmed Arrowheads Figure 19. Ovoid and Trianguloid Arrowheads There are a few triangular points that may be of some diagnostic value. One group of three are concave based triangular points and are relatively large in size. The one nearly complete specimen is 38 mm. long and 13 wide (Fig. 19;3). These perhaps can be compared with the Maude point (Bell 1958; 48, pl 24). They also might be comparable with the Fresno points (Bell, 1960; 44, pl. 22). However, these points seem to be much shorter than the Maude variety and it is probable that those found on the Lawhorn site are more comparable with the Maude if with either of the two. The Maude points supposedly date between 1200 and 1500 A.D. The Fresno points are thought to date from 800 to 900 A.D. along to 1600 A.D. There are also two triangular points with straight base and these are not very comparable to any others except the general Mississippian type (Fig. 19;5). One triangular form is very long, serrated (Figure 19;4) and is strikingly similar to the Fort Ancient point (Bell, 1960; 40, pl. 20), which supposedly dates between 1200 and 1600 A.D. The length of this point is 46 mm. and the width is 13 mm. One other point compares favorably with some that occur in the Table Rock Reservoir area in southwestern Missouri associated with the late complex which includes shell tempered pottery. It is a side notched variety with a straight base and is 41 mm. long and 14 mm. wide (Fig. 19;6). The length width proportions are similar to those of the most prominent arrowhead types on the site. Thus, it may have been made by someone on the site. The preceding types seem to form a general complex that is associated primarily with the Mississippian occupation and there is no indication that there has been any great deal of influence in the area except from the same directions (North and South) that were noted in regard to the pottery. The Scallorn point type is similar to those from the Cairo lowland area and the Bonham is similar to those from the Caddo area from the south. It is expected that both are good Malden Plain, St. Francis River area types. One other type might possibly be associated with the Mississippian occupation and it is one that can be classed as Gary (Bell, 1958; 28 pl. 14). There are four specimens (Fig. 20;1). Gary is supposed to date somewhere between 2000 B.C. to 600 A.D. but the evidence in the Table Rock area indicates that this probably dates more nearly between 1000 A.D. and 1500 A.D. (Marshall, 1958). The fact that the Gary type has been found in association with earlier periods elsewhere makes it questionable to place it with the Mississippian occupation here. It should be pointed out that it might be associated with the Mississippian component for the type was definitely associated with the latest occupation in the Table Rock area on upper White River. The prominent type that seems to be associated with the earliest occupation or the component associated with the sand tempered pottery on the site is a relatively small dart point that is a stemmed form with a convex base and has little or no shoulder (Fig. 20,2-5). The range in size is from 38 mm. to 51 mm. long and 19 to 27 mm. wide. They are relatively thick (6 to 12 mm.) points, and there are seven represented from the site. Figure 20. Stemmed Projectile Points There are no other main groupings but there were a number of points about the same size that could not be readily classified (Fig. 21;1-2). One in this group is very similar to the Hardin point (Bell, 1960; 56, pl. 28) for it is beveled, serrated, and has the correct shape but it is much smaller than the Hardin points usually are (Fig. 21;3). This is not thought to be a Hardin point but is perhaps in the same general tradition. There are two relatively large points that are somewhat similar to the Burkett points and these may have some association with the main ones from the site (Fig. 21;6). One point (Fig. 21;4) is comparable to the Motley (Bell, 1958; 62, 131) which supposedly dates between 1300 and 200 B.C. A projectile point similar in type to Snyder (Fig. 21;5) was missing from the collections when they were restudied. Another point (Fig. 21;7) compares very favorably with the Uvalde (Bell, 1960; 92, p. 146), which supposedly dates somewhere between 4000 and 1000 B.C. It is very probable that some of the early points were picked up by the people making the sand tempered pottery. For that matter they may have been picked up by the later occupants, the Mississippi people. Certainly, it is felt that these cannot be used for dating the early occupation on the site. There is no assurance, for example, that the site was not used by people earlier than the time of the sand tempered pottery. There is no evidence from stratification or superposition from the excavations, that indicated more than two occupations of the site. The points that did not seem to have like members present were placed in a general unclassified category and some of these have been illustrated in case they might have some significance that would aid in placing the early or the late components on the site. Other Chipped Stone ArtifactsChipped stone tools were relatively uncommon at Lawhorn and are typified in Figure 22. Number 1 and 2 are unifacial thumb nail scrapers. Number 3 is a reworked projectile point while numbers 4 and 5, are fine pointed drills or scrapers. Number 6 is a graver. One large tool showed a good work polish and also indications that it had been resharpened (Fig. 22;7). It was 7 cm. wide and 15.5 cm. long. There were several flint fragments showing a high degree of work polish which came from similar type tools. Two chipped and polished celts were found. One of these was 3 cm. wide in the center and 2.4 cm. at the bit. It was 7.5 cm. long but broken so that the true length could only be estimated at perhaps 10 cm. This was a chisel type of tool. The second specimen was made by removing large flakes over two faces to give a crude hand axe type of specimen 8 cm. × 4.5 cm. × 2 cm. thick. Work polish was evident on the highest portions of the surface. Mortars and PestlesThere were five sandstone mortars found on this site, two of which were surface finds and which measured respectively (1) 15 cm. in diameter, 6.5 thick with a central depression of 1.5 cm. and (2) 7.5 cm. × 13 cm. × 6 cm. thick. The latter was utilized on both surfaces. The first of these two specimens, made of red sandstone, was the best of the mortars from this site (Fig. 23;2). Figure 21. Projectile Points Figure 22. Chipped Stone Tools Associated with house 1 and located near the fire-basin were two mortars. One of these was 20 × 15 × 8 cm. and had a central depression of 2 cm. The reverse side was used as a whetstone. The other mortar was much smaller, measuring 9 × 13 × 4.5 cm., basin shaped on one side and bearing use marks of a crude pestle on the other. Associated with these two mortars were six stones showing wear as crude unmodified stone pestles (Fig. 23;1). Feature 12, a fire basin, also had a mortar and pestle association. A small mortar 8 × 10 × 5 cm. had five stone pestles with it. Four of these stones showed considerable wear while the fifth was not used. All of these mortars and pestles were basically unmodified field stones or river pebbles which gradually received some alteration of shape through use. Stone Abraders and WhetstonesThere were nine abraders, two of which are of particular interest. One showed heavy use as an abrader on one side and three edges. Much of this use was as a sharpener for small pointed objects. The other side, while showing use as an abrader, was also cupped for grinding purposes. Over much of the surface, powdered yellow ochre had become impregnated into the porous sandstone. Another specimen showed long wide grooves on two surfaces while another had been ground flat. This portion of the stone was heavily impregnated with red ochre. The other abrading stones were unmodified pieces except for the miscellaneous grooves resulting from use (Fig. 24;1, top). Four asymmetrical whetstones were found in the general midden. These were about 5 × 8 cm. by 1.5 cm. One of these was bitted at one end much like a celt. Their use as whetstones was rather obvious (Fig. 24;1, bottom). Pottery and Clay AbradersThe use of potsherds for abrading is reported from the Mississippi alluvial valley area as far south as Memphis. It is a very minor trait. The occasional finds point up this usage as a stop-gap measure when a good stone abrader was not immediately available. This is a thing to be expected in the relatively stoneless alluvial valley. At the Lawhorn site 16 sherd abraders have been found. These show the same haphazard use over their surfaces as do the stone abraders. Ten of them were from Neeley’s Ferry shell tempered sherds and six were made from the sand tempered sherds. Two of the Neeley’s Ferry abraders show only the narrow pointed type of abrading groove while the other eight show the full length and width abrading slots such as might have been used for arrow shaft straightening and smoothing (Fig. 24;2, left). All of the sand tempered sherd abraders show the pointed narrow type of groove none of which are large enough to be used as shaft grinders (Fig. 24;2, right). In spite of the fact that it appears that sand tempered and shell tempered sherds represent two components with perhaps a considerable time span between them, it seems most probable that this use of sherd abraders is to be linked with the Mississippian component and that the use of the earlier sand tempered sherds by the later people was simply a convenience procedure. Two burned clay masses, of very sandy clay, were also used as abraders. These were the pointed narrow type. Figure 23. Mortars and Pestles Figure 24. Stone and Pottery Abraders and Stone Pipe AnvilstonesTwo anvilstones were found on the surface, one made from limestone and the other from sandstone. Their opposing surfaces seemed to have been used as grinders or pestles. Here again, there is multiple usage of rough unmodified stones. They were seldom pecked or ground to a shape, rather they were modified through use. HammerstonesSeven pebble hammerstones were found in the general excavations. Most of them were either sandstone or chert and of nondescript shape ranging in size from 4 to 8 cm. in diameter. Many of the sandstone specimens showed use as grinding Stones as well as hammerstones, again pointing up the multiple tool use of pebbles. The chert pieces were not shaped, showing only the natural weathered surfaces except where they had been used. Groundstone CeltsSix fragments of celts were found, five of which were granite and one hematite. The five granite specimens consisted of three bit ends and two poll ends and the hematite specimen was only the central shaft section. These celts were all small, probably not over 10 to 18 cm. long. The bits were about 4.8 cm. wide with thickness averaging 2.5 cm. The poll ends were somewhat narrower than the bits but not pronouncedly so. PipesOnly one pipe was found but it may be of considerable value for interpretation of the relationship of the site to other areas. It was picked up by Mr. Lawhorn when his plow turned over a burial. The pipe is made of stone and has a non-functional stem projection commonly seen on pipes from Spiro (Baerreis, 1957 p. 25). The bowl is quite large and at right angles to the stem (Fig. 24;3). The bowl is slightly elliptical in outline with both sides flattened on their lower portions. The bottom of the bowl and the stem projection have also been flattened while the functional portion of the stem is round in cross section. This is about ? longer than the depth of the bowl. The projection is quite small. There is a crudely incised groove around the stem. Bone and Antler ArtifactsBone tools were of common occurrence in the general midden of the site and were also associated with house patterns 1 and 3. Six deer ulna awls and three ulna awls from small animals (Fig. 25;1); ten splinter awls (Fig. 25;4) and a single fish fin awl; a deer cannon bone beamer (Fig. 25;2) and a deer scapula hoe (Fig. 25;3) make up most of the inventory of bone tools. One deer mandible appeared to have been utilized since a dull work polish is noticeable on it. The teeth are fractured on one side as if broken off in the course of use. Bone beads were found associated with house patterns and were made from bird bones (Fig. 26;1 bottom). One measured 1.5 cm. and another 1.3 × 1.5 cm. and a third .8 × 2.6 cm. A large bird bone had been in the process of bead manufacture (Fig. 26;1, top). The bone had been cut at each end then circled in two places with cuts that hadn’t been completed. Antler tips were utilized for various purposes. Specimens included two barbed projectile points and one unfinished tip with a drilled base. Twelve other tips were probably flaking tools. Brickette and DaubBrickette and daub were so scarce that many pieces were catalogued as specimens. These present an interesting class of materials and give aid far beyond their intrinsic worth in telling the Lawhorn story. Once again this points up the value of saving everything found during the course of field work. There is no way of knowing how much of this material has been lost as a result of erosion and the almost melting away of softer pieces in the heavy rains of the passing centuries. Slightly over 100 pieces which were eroded beyond identification were picked up during the course of excavation. They represent either daub or broken clay objects of unknown use. There were 103 pieces of daub, broken into various sizes, which had been heavily impregnated with grass. Six of these specimens show impressions of small poles which would have been from 2 to 5 cm. in diameter (Fig. 26;2). The composition of the fired material ranges from a sandy clay to a white ball clay with a heavy sand admixture. It should be noted that the natural soils of the Lawhorn site do not contain enough clay to fire into a brickette form. Consequently such brickette as was found must be the result of clays brought in from a distance. Most specimens were rather soft and it is doubtful if they had ever been used as heating stones. Many samples show some surface smoothing as if they were portions of floors, firebasins or perhaps house walls. It is presumed that if the daub was used on house walls, the firing was accidental as the result of house burnings, that only a minor portion of such daub would survive. However, judging from the burned clay floors and fire basins found, it is evident that burned clay, as such, fired well enough to withstand the erosion of time. A higher percentage of wall daub should have been found if it had been extensively used. Figure 25. Bone Tools Figure 26. Bone Beads and Burned Clay Daub There were twenty pieces of brickette flattened and smoothed in such a way as to indicate that they were probably part of house floors. They were smoothed on one side and grass impregnated on the underside and throughout the body of the specimen as the result of puddling the clay. They were made of a sandy clay and ranged in size from 2 to 4 cm. in thickness. The undersurface was irregular and showed no contact with a prepared surface such as the cane mats of wall daub specimens would leave. There were 163 pieces of fired clay objects showing considerable use which were made of a poorly fired sandy clay. Four specimens were tempered with crushed shell while one was clay tempered. Most of the others contain some grass although many are without any apparent tempering material. Use of these specimens is undetermined. One specimen (FS 425) was a rectanguloid brickette 10 × 12.5 cm. and 2 cm. thick with a slightly rounded base (Fig. 27;3). This was found in a form fitting depression on the fired clay floor of house 3. It shows considerable wear from use, especially on the bottom. It, perhaps, was used for grinding seeds or rubbing skins. The other clay objects are of different shapes, seemingly of round cylindrical devices with flat bottoms and rounded edges. From some of the better samples they appear to be about five inches in diameter but the length or height could not be determined. They do not show any appreciable wear. There was no evidence of excessive firing and most of the specimens crumble easily. The latter may be due to the sandy clay from which they were formed. It is suggested that these were anvils or stretchers for use in skin work or other soft materials such as textiles. They certainly were an important domestic item. There was one specimen with a central hole, apparently lengthwise, which suggests that it was suspended, perhaps as a loom weight (Fig. 27;1). The clay objects occur in considerable numbers in all parts of the site and throughout the deposit and constitute the biggest percentage of all the brickette material from the site. In point of fact these items are not broken bits of daub, such as are so common on Mississippian sites, but are items of domestic importance in the material culture assemblage, and must be so treated in the final analysis. They are not accidental formations, such as building daub, but have been precisely formed to a pattern. While many seemed to conform to a cylindrical shape others did not. One specimen has a groove around it but its position with reference to the complete object was not apparent. One piece shows a coarse textile impression on one side and a surface well smoothed on the other. It is not a potsherd. Another piece shows the imprint of a finger apparently curled around the clay—a very small finger—probably that of a child at play. One piece looks as if it could have been a pottery trowel, but is a questionable specimen. Two of the broken clay objects have been secondarily used as abraders for sharpening bone awls or similar pointed items. One specimen (FS 217) is the stem of a pottery trowel, a standard item of Mississippian groups. A complete modified conical object was recovered from a nearby site and is a graphic representation of another shape of these objects (Fig. 27;2). Figure 27. Brickettes or Fired Clay Artifacts It should be obvious from the above that much of the burned clay material from Lawhorn is not truly daub but rather fragmentary pieces of a multitude of domestic utility objects which played an important part in the material culture of the people. Shell ArtifactsSix beads were made from marine shell (Fig. 28;1). These were small, being from 7 to 10 mm. in diameter and 10 to 16 mm. long. One drilled mussel shell hoe or scraper was found in the general digging and this is typical of the specimens commonly found on Mississippian sites (Fig. 28;2). Vegetal RemainsCarbonized food occurred in several instances. A few acorn hulls were found in Feature 18, a nut shell in Feature 5, both fire basin and a small number of corn cobs in the general midden excavation. The corn cobs according to Nash, seem typical of the Eastern Complex corn. They are all fragmentary but three specimens show a tapering cob. The first of these had twelve rows of kernels spaced as pairs. The cob was probably not over 6 cm. in length and had a diameter of 2 cm. some distance from the probable butt. Kernels measured about 4 mm. wide and 2 mm. thick. The second specimen had ten paired rows of kernels and was 1.6 cm. in diameter. The third specimen had been split longitudinally but indicated twelve paired rows of kernels. The cob was 1.7 cm. in diameter. The largest kernels were 5 mm. wide and 2.4 mm. thick (See Appendix B). |
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