Background

See Background description for Series.

Sorting Criteria

(See Sorting Criteria for the Series) Corncobs were used to decorate the neck of plain pots and as a surface treatment for small vessels during the Dan River phase, but during the Middle Saratown phase the entire exterior surface of large jars were being textured by rolling dried cobs over the wet clay. Two partially reconstructable Corncob Impressed jars were recovered from Upper Saratown, one had a fingernail notches on the margin and the other had a folded and everted rim and was undecorated. Both jars had smoothed interiors.

Distribution

This type has only been identified at Upper Saratown.

Chronolonical Position

AD 1620 -1710. Corncob impressing as an exterior surface treatment was most popular during the Middle Saratown phase (AD 1620-1670) but continued as a minority treatment until the end of the Late Saratown phase.

Primary References

Wilson 1983; Ward and David 1993, 1996 (ms in part I)

(Type description: Jane Eastman)