Jane Eastman's type description

Background

(See Background discussion for Dan River Series)

Sorting Criteria

The exterior surfaces of Dan River Net Impressed sherds bear the impression of knotted nets. The nets are constructed of cords that are usually less than 1 rnm in diameter and the knots are generally spaced 2 to 5 apart. The net impressions are typically clear, but in some cases have been lightly smoothed. Eight net-impressed vessels were partially reconstructed and all are jars with restricted necks and everted or straight rims.

Distribution

The Dan River series occurs in the central North Carolina and Southern Virginia Piedmont incorporating the Dan and Yadkin drainages. It is comparable to the Haw River series defined for the Haw and Eno drainages in North Carolina Piedmont and the Wythe series defined for western Virginia.

Chronological Position

AD 1000-1700. The chronological position for the Dan River phase has been well-defined by radiocarbon dating. The calibrated intercepts for of forty-five dates associated with Dan River ceramics range between ca. AD and 1450, with most between ca. AD 1200 and 1450 (Eastman 1994a:29). A tradiocarbon sample from Feature 18 at Upper Saratown (Sk1 a) returned a calibrated intercept that range from ca. AD 1328 to 139 1. Though the Dan River phase is late prehistoric, Dan River Net Impressed vessels continued to be manufactured as a minority ware throughout the contact period (Ward and Davis 1993).

Primary References

Coe and Lewis (1952); Dickens, et al. (1987); Ward and Davis (1993); Eastman 1994a, 1996 (ms in Part I).