Ceramics
There are available for study of pottery from this site 19 whole vessels from the burials, of which 10 are decorated and nine plain; 1533 sherds from surface collections and the several test pits, of which 875 are decorated and 658 plain. Among the sherds there is a group of 37 which have paste and decoration characteristics of late wares, historic or protohistoric, which will be described in a separate section. Consequently there are 19 whole vessels and 1496 sherds which relate to the earlier occupation. Most of these are assignable to existing types which have been described elsewhere and type descriptions will not be repeated, although local or regional variations will be indicated. Reference should be made to the Davis Site report (Newell and Krieger, 1949) and T. A. S. handbooks (Suhm, et al., 1954; Suhm and Jelks, 1962) for descriptions of Alto types; to the Bossier Focus report (Webb, 1948) and the handbooks for the Bossier types; and to the Crooks (Ford and Willey, 1940), Greenhouse (Ford, 1951), and Medora (Quimby, 1951) Site reports for Coles Creek and Plaquemine types. One new type of the Alto period, Carmel Engraved, will be described herein.
Certain characteristics of paste, temper, surface and core colors, and sherd thickness extend throughout the earlier wares from this site. The paste is generally uniform and compact, rarely lumpy or porous. The range of hardness is 2 to 3 (Moh’s Scale), the sherds are broken with difficulty and seldom can be scored with a fingernail; the majority of the sherds give a metallic ring when dropped on a hard surface (except for the dark chocolate to black wares). Tempering is clay-grit in most instances, sometimes with finely ground sherds, and a few with enough grit to feel slightly sandy (none is fully sand tempered). Bone temper occurs in 31 of the 1496 sherds (2%) and shell is totally missing.
Surface colors are predominantly light, showing oxidizing firing conditions, and fire clouds are frequent ([Fig. 4], A-C), indicating incomplete control of firing. The majority of sherds have light interiors and cores, but some of the interiors are darker gray or smudged and some of the cores are dark brown to black, even though the surfaces are light. Surface colors are varying shades of gray, some buff or tan, a few orange or reddish-brown; in every type there will be varying percentages of dark brown (often chocolate or reddish-brown) to black, although these are never as numerous as in the Alto wares of the Davis Site, even in the engraved types. The sherds with chocolate brown to black exteriors usually have uniform darkness through the core and on interior surfaces; the paste is usually softer and the sherds seldom give a metallic ring when dropped. Their surfaces tend to be smoothed but rarely polished.
Fig. 4. Pottery From Burials. A, B, Smithport Plain bottles, V-104, 95. C, Hickory Fine Engraved, V-96. D-G, Kiam Incised jars, V-106, 133, 94, 134 (note plain body on D, vertical incising on E, fingernail punctating of F, G). H, Davis Incised, V-130. I, Untyped, V-105 (plain body, scalloped rim with free punctations on lower surface). J, Smithport Plain bowl from Allen Site. K-N, Smithport Plain bowls, V-99, 667, 668, 100. O-P, Smithport Plain miniatures, V-97, 152. Q, Wilkinson Punctated (pinched miniature), V-669. R, Smithport Plain carinated bowl, V-101.
Sherd thickness varies from 4 to 10 mm., averaging 6 to 7 mm. in most types. Variations will be noted.
In general, this early ware is thicker and lighter in color than the later Caddoan wares of the Belcher and late Bossier periods. It is about the same thickness as the Alto wares of the Davis Site and the Coles Creek-Early Plaquemine of central Louisiana, but differs from Davis Alto in having less of the reddish and chocolate to black polished pottery and more buff to light gray. It shares bone tempering with Texas (Davis) Alto. In other respects of hardness and coloration, it more nearly approaches Coles Creek ceramics, although seldom having the orange tints and never the greenish tints of Coles Creek. It tends to be thicker, harder, and lighter in color than Plaquemine pottery, although some of the shapes and designs are similar to Plaquemine types.
A. Engraved Wares
Holly Fine Engraved type is represented by 10 sherds ([Fig. 5], A, B), one from a bottle, five from shallow bowls, and four uncertain. Indicated height of bowl rims is 2.5 to 3 cm., vertical or mildly outsloping. Colors are tan, gray and brown, no black polished. Two of the sherds are bone tempered. Wall thickness is 6 to 9 mm. The engraved lines are usually diagonal on the bowls and seven have excised triangles.
Hickory Fine Engraved type includes two whole vessels, both bottles, and nine sherds from four bowls, one bottle, two small jar or cup forms, and two of uncertain form. The first bottle ([Fig. 4], C) is 26 cm. high, 14 cm. in body diameter, has an evenly tapered spout and shouldered body. Three lightly engraved lines encircle the shoulder. The second bottle, which also occurred with Burial 1, has the spout missing but body intact. The body is 12.6 cm. high, 15.2 cm. in diameter, and has eight engraved lines encircling the upper body area. Both of these bottles are gray in color, with black fire clouds, and are clay tempered. Eight of the sherds of this type ([Fig. 5], E, G) are tan to gray with black areas, while the ninth ([Fig. 5], F) is black and polished, with cross-engraved decoration. No other Hickory sherd is polished. Temper is clay-grit or sherd, one with bone. The bowls appear to have vertical or outsloping rims, with walls 5 to 7 mm. thick, but one sherd is from an incurvate bowl, 4 mm. thick. Five of the sherds have horizontally engraved lines, 4 to 9 mm. apart; three have diagonal parallel lines and one has cross diagonals. The latter is a rim sherd and the rounded lip has transverse notching 7-9 mm. apart ([Fig. 5], F).
Fig. 5. Engraved Sherds. A, B, Holly Fine Engraved. C, D, Holly or Hickory Fine Engraved. E-G, Hickory Fine Engraved; H, Untyped zig-zag engraved. I-P, Carmel Engraved. Q, Untyped with spurred engraved lines. R, Probable Maddox Engraved.
Six sherds could be either Holly or Hickory Fine Engraved ([Fig. 5], C, D). One is from the top of a bottle spout, another from a bottle shoulder, two are bowl sherds, and the other forms are doubtful. The bottle sherds have horizontally engraved lines, the other four are diagonal. One bowl sherd, light in surface color, is only 4 mm. thick. The surface colors of both Holly and Hickory Fine Engraved types at this site are more like the later (Phase 2 and 3) periods at the Davis Site; the earlier vessels at Davis were preponderantly dark in surface color.
Carmel Engraved Type
([Fig. 5], I-P)
This is presented as a new type, as it is a major engraved type at this site—with 17 sherds, of which 11 are rim sherds—and has been found with Alto pottery at five other sites in northwestern Louisiana. There were five Carmel Engraved sherds from the Colbert Site; four each from Greer, Mounds Plantation, and Marston sites; and three from Chamarre Lake Site. The description is based on the Smithport collection.
METHOD OF MANUFACTURE: Coiled. PASTE Temper: Clay-grit or ground sherd; bone in 2 of 17 sherds. Texture: Compact, generally fine, occasionally coarse. Color: Shades of gray from light to almost black, often on same sherd (fire clouds); buff, tan and reddish-brown. Nearly half of the Smithport sample has reddish-brown exteriors and interiors. Cores may be same color as exterior, sometimes darker. Surface Finish: Smoothed exteriors and interiors, a few with fair polish, none highly polished.
FORM Wall Thickness: 5 to 7 mm., uniform. Lip: Rounded, usually unmodified; occasional thinning. Base: Uncertain, probably mildly convex, circular. Vessel Shape and Size: So far as presently known, open and carinated bowls only. Rims are 3 to 7 cm. in height, about equally divided between 3-5 and 5-7 cm. range, from an obtuse angle at the junction of base and rim. The bases appear to be shallow; the rims mildly excurvate, or direct and slanted outward. A few appear to be vertical. Curvatures suggest diameters of 20-30 cm.
DECORATION Treatment: Engraving. Designs: Effected with heavy engraving on exteriors of rims only. Curving, wide bands outlined by parallel single engraved lines, with transverse, widely spaced lines producing a ladder effect. Usually two of such bands form arcs or meanders, with undecorated bands of similar width between them ([Fig. 5], I-K). Occasionally one or more engraved lines flank the engraved bands or bisect the intervening plain band. Some sherds ([Fig. 5], M, N, P) have straight instead of curving bands, but otherwise seem to fit into the type.
CULTURAL AFFILIATIONS
This type has occurred only in sites which have Alto Focus pottery; it has not been found in Bossier Focus sites which lack established Alto types. In the Bossier Focus, the related engraved type seems to be Maddox Engraved, which in northwestern Louisiana has cross-hatched engraved bands, generally not curving and most often vertical, as the major element. In central Louisiana Maddox Engraved type has been extended to include curvilinear bands of cross-hatched engraving (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: Pl. 50). The decoration on Plate 50, F of this handbook is very much like Carmel Engraved and this vessel probably should be included in this type instead of Maddox.
DISTRIBUTION
In addition to the Smithport Site, Carmel Engraved has been found at one mound and four village sites in northwestern Louisiana.
There is one untyped engraved vessel and seven sherds. The vessel (V-102), from Burial 1 is a bottle (with missing spout) of polished black ware, decorated with engraved interlocking spiral design, four times repeated. One sherd ([Fig. 5], H) has a zig-zag engraved decoration with excisions at the angles, similar to the two sherds illustrated from the Davis Site (Newell and Krieger: 1949, Fig. 34, S, T). Three sherds have bands with cross hatching, probably Maddox Engraved motifs, but the sherds are too small to be sure about the design ([Fig. 5], R). A bottle sherd ([Fig. 5], Q) has diagonal spurred engraved lines. Two bowl sherds are from polished black wares, with designs which suggest the Glassell Engraved type (Webb, 1959: Fig. 118).
B. Incised Pottery Types
Davis Incised type is represented by one vessel ([Fig. 4], H) and 17 sherds. The vessel is a deep, reddish-brown bowl, which curves outward from a slightly convex disc base, then is vertical to the rounded, unmodified lip. It is 10 cm. in height, 15.2 cm. in greatest diameter. There are five parallel, smoothed-over incised lines around the upper body, placed about 1 cm. apart. They are shallow and about 2 mm. in width. The surfaces are smoothed and questionably polished. The 17 sherds ([Fig. 6], A-E) include 11 rim sherds, nine of which indicate vertical walls, two outward sloping (but no excurvate). Most of the vessels seem to be deep bowls, but two sherds indicate shallower carinated bowls with inward curving or sloping rims. All are clay or grit tempered, with walls 4.5 to 8 mm. thick. Three are black, others gray, buff, light brown or tan in surface color; surfaces are smoothed and one of the black sherds ([Fig. 6], C) is polished lightly. The lips are rounded and unmodified except that most are thinned by an extra outward curving of the interior wall. The incised lines are smoothed over, 5 to 13 mm. apart and are 3 to 10 in number. Half of the lines are less than 1 mm. in width, the others are between 1 and 2 mm. wide, generally shallow and well executed.
Nine sherds are classified as Sanson Incised (Ford and Willey, 1940) because of the wide, shallow, smoothed incising in straight lines ([Fig. 6], F, G). No rim sherds were found, hence patterning of the incising is indefinite. Tempering is clay-grit, the surface coloring is gray to black or dark brown, and the thickness is 5 to 8 mm. The incised lines are 2.5 to 4.5 mm. in width and appear to have been made with tools which had bluntly rounded or flat ends.
Two sherds ([Fig. 6], H, I) are possibly Mazique Incised (Ford, 1951) but may be well executed Dunkin Incised. They are light gray and tan in color, and one is a rim sherd. The decoration consists of finely made parallel incisions, closely placed in diagonal fields or herring-bone effect on the upper body. Vessel shape is uncertain.
Coles Creek Incised type is represented by eight sherds, although it is almost certain that some which are typed as Hardy or Kiam Incised are in reality Coles Creek. In order to be certain of Coles Creek Period wares at this site, I have included in this type only those sherds whose paste characteristics are consistent and which have “overhanging” parallel lines around the rim ([Fig. 6], J) or characteristically placed triangular punctations below the incised lines ([Fig. 6], K). Surfaces are smoothed and are buff or gray in color. The incisions are bold, horizontal, and usually more closely spaced than in Davis Incised. The subjacent triangles on four sherds are pressed into the paste more deeply at the apex. It must be pointed out that it is not a simple task, in studying sherds from northern Louisiana, to distinguish the four related types which are characterized by parallel incisions around the rim—Davis Incised, Coles Creek Incised, Hardy Incised, and Kiam Incised—unless the technique and paste are characteristic or a large part of the vessel available. Much overlapping occurs.
Fig. 6. Incised Sherds. A-E, Davis Incised (A resembles high rim of jars which are frequent in Haley pottery). F, G, Sanson Incised. H, I, Mazique Incised. J, K, Coles Creek Incised. L-Q, Kiam or Hardy Incised (note outer lip notching or punctations on L-N, also suspension hole and subjacent hemiconical punctation on O, almost certainly Hardy Incised).
One hundred and seventy four sherds from this site are included in type Kiam Incised or Hardy Incised ([Fig. 6], L-Q). No attempt shall be made to distinguish between these types, but the problem will be pointed out and resolution left for future conferences. These sherds are characterized by parallel incised lines covering the rim or upper part of the vessel. Fortunately, there are four complete vessels from the burials ([Fig. 4], D-G) which are typical Kiam Incised (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: 89, Pl. 45) and established the presence of this type. Vessel 106 ([Fig. 4], D) is a heavy, thick-walled cylindrical jar with a slightly recurved and rounded lip. It is 11 cm. high, 10.6 cm. in diameter, clay tempered, and dark reddish-brown in color. Decoration consists of numerous scratchy incisions covering the upper 3 cm.; it is plain below this zone. Vessel 133 ([Fig. 4], E) is a jar with narrow excurvate rim and semiglobular body. It is 12 cm. in height and in greatest width, and is clay tempered, with irregular light and dark gray surface color. The rim has three to four irregular, wavy incised lines which are not continuous; the body is covered with vertical, firm incisions spaced 4 to 7 mm. apart. Vessel 94 ([Fig. 4], F) is a firm, intact, well made cylindrical jar, clay tempered, with dark gray-brown surface color except for a few light fire clouds. The upper 2.5 cm. has irregular horizontal incisions, 5 to 7 in number, and the remaining body exterior is covered with fingernail punctations, spaced rather regularly but not in exact rows. Vessel 134 ([Fig. 4], G) is a jar with semiglobular body, narrowed toward the rim, which is vertical. The clay tempered paste is softer than the other three vessels and is fired black over the exterior, dark gray on the interior. It is 11 cm. high, 14 cm. wide. Decoration consists of five firmly incised lines around the rim exterior, spaced 3 to 5 mm. apart, and paired fingernail punctations or pinches covering the body. These vessels demonstrate the three most frequent body treatment techniques described for the Kiam Incised type.
The 174 sherds present more variation, and include 82 rim pieces. Temper is clay-grit or ground sherd except for five which are bone tempered. The surface colors cover the range of tan, buff, yellow-orange, light to dark gray, reddish-brown and black; the light colors predominate. Interior and exterior surfaces are smoothed. Wall thickness is 5 to 10 mm., averaging 6.5 to 7 mm. The rim sherds show that about half have excurvate rims, ¼ to ⅕ of the vertical, and the others slant outward. Five have a row of punctations or notches on the rim exterior ([Fig. 6], L-N), and one has transverse incisions on a flat lip. The lips are more often rounded, but about ¼ are flat; thinning may occur but not thickening.
The incising varies from thin scratchy lines made with a pointed tool, to rough and irregular ([Fig. 6], Q), to firm, well made and regular ([Fig. 6], L, M, P). The number of lines varies from two to 20 and the spacing from two to 10 mm. apart, often varying on the same sherd. Generally they are placed at 3 to 5 mm. intervals. Although most were produced with a pointed tool, a few were made with a blunt or square-tipped tool. Five have hemiconical or oval punctations below the last line ([Fig. 6], O).
These characteristics as a unit do not fit either Kiam or Hardy Incised types. The predominant shape, with everted or excurvate rim is more like Kiam, as are bone tempering, and either punctated bodies (two vessels, two sherds) or vertical incising on bodies (one vessel, two sherds). The paste and surface coloration are more like Hardy Incised (except for the five with bone temper), as are the subjacent punctations ([Fig. 6], O), occasional stabs or punctations at the ends of lines (in central Louisiana, this occurs more often in Yokena and French Fork Incised than in Hardy), plain bodies (one vessel, five sherds), cutting away of the body wall just below the incisions ([Fig. 4], D), and flattened lips. Not described for either Kiam or Hardy types are notched or incised lips, vertical rows of plowed-up paste where the incisions meet ([Fig. 6], L) or narrow undecorated gaps at this junction, which occur on a number of the Smithport sherds. The conclusion seems obvious that Kiam Incised, Hardy Incised and the similar wares from this area are local or regional variations of a single widespread type.
The Dunkin Incised type presents the same problem. Although the sherds assigned to this type have more similarities to type Dunkin Incised than to any other, there are some similarities to Mazique and Manchac Incised types of central Louisiana, and some items which differ from all of these types. Again, regional or temporal variations of a single type are indicated and should be subjected to study.
There are 117 sherds of Dunkin Incised which show incising in varying directions ([Fig. 7], A-L), usually including diagonal lines, and 65 sherds ([Fig. 7], O-R) which show only diagonal lines but are also assigned to Dunkin. Thirty of the former group and 25 of the latter are rim sherds. Paste characteristics, color, and wall thickness are the same as those described for Kiam Incised. The majority of the rim sherds indicate everted or excurvate shapes, possibly a fourth are direct and vertical, none incurvate. Indicated vessel shapes are semiglobular jars with flaring rims, similar jars with narrowing at the neck and vertical or slightly everted rims, cylindrical vessels, and simple deep bowls. Lips are usually narrowed by outward curving of the interior wall, but may be rounded or occasionally flattened. There are no nodes or handles, and only one rim shows notching.
Incisions are generally bolder than in the Kiam Incised type, spaced 3 to 8 mm. apart, and seldom smoothed over. On the 117 sherds with lines in varying directions, 52 were made with a round-tipped tool, 47 with a pointed tool, 16 with square-tipped, and two with forked tool ([Fig. 7], D). In the instance of the rim sherds with diagonal incising, 17 of the 25 slant downward from right to left ([Fig. 7], P-R), eight from left to right ([Fig. 7], O). The lines may produce diamonds ([Fig. 7], C), triangles ([Fig. 7], A, D, J), chevrons ([Fig. 7], B) or, rarely, squares ([Fig. 7], I). Hemiconical or oval punctations are placed in a single row below the incising in two instances ([Fig. 7], L), above in one ([Fig. 7], E). The trait of making firm punctations at the ends of the lines ([Fig. 7], F, H-J) is more frequent than in type Kiam Incised, and gaps are left at times ([Fig. 7], F). One sherd ([Fig. 7], P) has a wide, smoothed band interrupting the previously placed incisions below the lip. The numerous body or rim-body sherds which show fields of varying incising more nearly resemble Dunkin Incised from the Davis Site in having full body decoration than the central Louisiana Manchac and Mazique types, where the decoration is usually confined to a narrow rim band.
Cross incising ([Fig. 7], M, N), which is called Harrison Bayou Incised (from the Harrison Bayou Site on Caddo Lake) in central Louisiana, but is included in Dunkin Incised in eastern Texas (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: Pl. 19), is present on nine sherds from Smithport. They are clay tempered, light to dark gray in color, with smoothed surfaces. The incisions vary from narrow and closely placed to firm, wide lines.
Curvilinear incising is present on two sherds. These resemble curvilinear incising from the Sanson Site in central Louisiana which has been tentatively termed Neild Incised.
C. Punctated and Punctated-Incised Types
Fig. 7. Incised Sherds. A-L, Dunkin Incised (note C, a large sherd with typical design; punctations with lines on E, F, L: rectangular design on I). M, N, Harrison Bayou Incised. O-R, Diagonally incised rim sherds, probably Dunkin Incised.
Pennington Punctated-Incised type is represented by 36 sherds ([Fig. 8], A-F). Most of these derive from open carinated bowls with excurvate rims which are 4 to 7 cm. in height, but a few seem to be rims of recurved jars. Eight are chocolate brown in color, others tan, gray and brown-black. The paste is firm, hard in all but two sherds, with smoothed but not polished surfaces. Two sherds are tempered with bone, the others with clay-grit or sherd. Wall thickness is in the range of 5 to 9 mm., most specimens being 6 to 7 mm. The punctations are consistently placed in fields which are outlined by single deeply incised lines; the fields are in diagonal bands, diamonds or triangles. The punctations and incised lines are bold and the 36 sherds include punctations made with a pointed or round-tipped tool in 23 instances, comma-shaped in four, square ([Fig. 8], E) in five, and triangular in four.
Eleven sherds show the hybrid Pennington-Crockett design described in the Davis report (Newell and Krieger, 1949: 101). Shapes and paste characteristics are described above; two sherds are soft, chocolate brown in color. One has an incurving rim and a suspension hole ([Fig. 8], I). The bordering incised line is curved ([Fig. 8], G-I); otherwise these sherds do not differ from the Pennington type. Seven have rounded punctations, two are comma-shaped, one rectangular, and one square.
Another group of 19 sherds shows zone punctations which differ in certain respects from the typical Pennington described above and possibly are nearer to Rhinehart Punctated (Ford, 1951: 83-85). These 19 sherds ([Fig. 8], J-O) have the same range of paste and coloration; five are of the softer chocolate brown ware. Rim and body sherds are represented and in only one instance ([Fig. 8], O) is it certain that the rim is from an open carinated bowl as are the Pennington sherds. One heavy sherd ([Fig. 8], J) which is 12 mm. thick, suggests a globular vessel which narrows at the neck and recurves to upright at the rim. Another sherd includes the lower rim area which is decorated with zoned punctations and incisions, and the adjoining upper body which is plain. Characteristic of this group is the alternation of punctated and incised fields, or the outlining of punctated zones by multiple incised lines. The punctations are triangular in three instances, square in one, comma-shaped in six, round or oval in five, small pits in three, and crescentic in one.
Fig. 8. Punctated Sherds. A-F, Pennington Punctated-Incised. G-I, Pennington-Crockett hybrid (I has incurving rim, hole for suspension). J-O, Pennington or Rhinehart Punctated (N has triangular punctations between horizontal lines in Coles Creek tradition). P, Similar to Dupree Incised but shape suggests Bossier sherd. Q, R, Random punctations.
Free punctations made with tools, without zoning or incising, are present on one vessel ([Fig. 4], I) and 19 sherds ([Fig. 8], Q, R). Paste and color are as described above; one is bone tempered, six are soft, chocolate brown in color. Rim and body sherds are represented but shapes of vessels are uncertain. The punctations are triangular in seven instances, comma-shaped in three, square in five, round in three, and crescentic in two. The vessel (V-105) is a semiglobular bowl with plain body and scalloped, everted rim. The lower surface of the rim is covered with free punctations. The relative increase in frequency of triangular punctations in this group is significant, in view of the fact that the Rhinehart Punctated type in central Louisiana features triangular punctations (Ford, 1951: 83), whereas they are infrequent in Pennington Punctated-Incised at the Davis Site (Newell and Krieger, 1949: 106-8). The absence of ring punctations at Smithport is remarkable, in view of their frequency at both the Davis Site and in central Louisiana.
A group of six sherds has minute free or zoned punctations. The sherds are thinner walled than average, 4 to 6 mm., and five of the six have black surfaces and soft pastes. The sixth is buff colored, thin and has a strongly excurvate, narrow rim. Another ([Fig. 8], P) is from an open carinated bowl and has notches along the carina. All of this group may relate to the Bossier ceramics at this site, instead of Alto. They bear some similarity to Dupree Incised of Plaquemine ceramics in central Louisiana (Quimby, 1951: 122-3).
Weches Fingernail Impressed (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: 153, Pl. 77; Newell and Krieger, 1949: 118-20, Fig. 46) is represented by 19 sherds of characteristic design ([Fig. 9], A-E). Nine of these include the lip area, but all appear to be rim sherds. In three instances some of the subjacent body wall is attached; on two of these the body is plain, on the third ([Fig. 9], E) the body has diagonal incised lines suggesting Dunkin-like decoration. These three have globular bodies and outward curving or slanting rims, 4 to 4.5 cm. high. Other vessels seem to be cylindrical with vertical rims, and open carinated bowls are possible. Five of the 19 sherds are chocolate brown in color with clay tempered paste; the others range from tan and buff to dark gray and reddish-brown. Wall thickness is in the range of 4 to 9 mm., the majority 5-7 mm. Typically, the decoration ([Fig. 9], A, B, D, E) is with widely spaced horizontal incised lines with arcs or quarter circles between; the arcs could have been cut with the fingernail and occasionally are fingernail impressed, but in most the arc is too large, 1.8 to 4 cm. (my thumbnail is 1.6 cm. wide). Four of the sherds have the arcs without intervening lines ([Fig. 9], C).
Fig. 9. Nail Impressed and Punctated Sherds. A-E, Weches Fingernail Impressed. F, Weches Variant with tool punctations. G, H, Sinner Linear Punctated. I-K, M-P, Wilkinson Punctated. L, Ridge pinched, similar to Killough Pinched. Q, Wilkinson Punctated body, Kiam Incised rim. R, S, U, Narrow bands with round or oval punctations. T, Single row of semilunar punctations.
Four sherds are identical with this group except that the spaces between the horizontal lines have triangular instead of semilunar punctations ([Fig. 9], F). Seven other sherds have round or oval punctations in single rows between incised lines ([Fig. 9], R, S, U). I have not included these with type Pennington Punctated-Incised, as Krieger did with some reservation (Newell and Krieger, 1949: 106). Neither have I assigned them to Coles Creek Incised, Hardy Incised or Rhinehart Punctated, as Ford did, also probably with some reservation (Ford, 1951: Pls. 16, L; 17, 20, H), but have preferred to describe them separately as interesting examples of regional variations and typing difficulties in eastern Texas, and northern and central Louisiana.
One sherd ([Fig. 9], T) has a single row of semilunar punctations and otherwise plain surface. It is thick, clay-grit tempered, and buff colored.
Wilkinson Fingernail Punctated type is represented by one vessel and 153 sherds. This was described as a minor type in central Louisiana (Ford and Willey, 1940: 50; Ford, 1951: 88-89) to include clay tempered vessels with fingernail punctations scattered over the vessel surface, arranged in irregular rows, or pinched in vertical rows. In that area it is rarely combined with incising and usually covers the entire vessel. Ford (1951: 88) thought it occurred at the latter part of the Coles Creek period and reached maximum popularity in the succeeding Plaquemine Period or later, but it was missing in Plaquemine context at Bayou Goula (Quimby, 1957) and Medora (Quimby, 1951) sites. In the Davis Site report (Newell and Krieger, 1949) it was not established as a type, as Krieger considered fingernail punctations to be a body treatment present in several types (Kiam, Weches, Dunkin, and Duren Neck Banded); he reported 20,000 body sherds with fingernail roughening from a total of 96,000 sherds. The difference in attitude toward this type on the part of these investigators is understandable when we consider the differences in frequency and use of the decoration method in the two areas, also that Ford and his co-workers used all sherds in typing, whereas Krieger translated sherds to vessels and used rim decoration as the determinant.
In northwestern Louisiana I have found Wilkinson Punctated a useful type in sherd collection studies because of its great frequency in Alto wares, its rarity in Coles Creek, and the rapid shift from nail roughening to ridging and brushing as body treatments concurrent with the development of Bossier, Belcher, and other later Caddoan ceramics. Wilkinson Punctated is therefore a good indicator of early (Alto) Caddoan occupation at a given site. At Smithport Landing there were 153 sherds ([Fig. 9], I-K, M-P) and one burial vessel, a pinched toy jar ([Fig. 4], Q), of this type. The vessel is 6 cm. high, 5 cm. wide, made of thick clay-tempered paste, roughly finished and decorated with three horizontal rows of nail pinching. The sherds include only four rims ([Fig. 9], I, O, P), showing how rarely this decoration, in northern Louisiana, covers the vessel. Most of the other sherds are recognizably body sherds, and in eight instances (as in [Fig. 9], Q) the body-rim juncture is present. The latter sherds have Kiam Incised decoration on the rim and appear to have come from a modified globular body shape with directly or mildly everted rim. Nine of the 153 sherds are bone tempered, the remainder are clay-grit or ground sherd, rather granular and coarse. The walls are thick in many instances, the range 4 to 10 mm. with the majority 7 to 8 mm. Many of the sherds are large ([Fig. 9], I, J) indicating large, heavy jar forms. Surface colors range from tan and buff to dark grays and a few reddish-browns, with more tendency to darker colors than in other types. The majority have irregular fingernail gouges ([Fig. 9], I, J), but some are pinched ([Fig. 9], K, M, N) and others impressed more delicately and regularly ([Fig. 9], O-Q).
Eight sherds have distinctly pinched-up ridges ([Fig. 9], L) which are circular or curvilinear in six instances, vertical in two. The burial vessel ([Fig. 4], Q) may belong with this group, although it has been tentatively classed as Wilkinson Punctated. The group with pinched ridges bears considerable resemblance to the type Killough Pinched (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: 91, Pl. 46) of Frankston and Titus foci, but, in the absence of other types characteristic of these assemblages, will not be so assigned.
Sinner Linear Punctated is a type which so far has been confined to Bossier and Haley foci (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: 143; Webb, 1948: 114) and the four sherds of this type from the Smithport Landing, although similar in paste, thickness and color to the Alto sherds, are probably referable to the subsequent (presumably) Bossier period at this site. Two are rim sherds; one of these ([Fig. 9], G) has parallel, vertical linear punctating; another ([Fig. 9], H) and a body sherd have horizontal lines; the fourth is uncertain. All have linear nail punctating and the more typical linear tool punctating is absent.
D. Stamped Types
One sherd of Chevalier Stamped is small (3 × 2 cm.) but has definite rocker stamping. It is of firm paste, tan exterior surface color with a black fire cloud at one edge, and black interior. Paste is homogeneous clay-grit with several bone fragments (accidental?); both surfaces are smoothed but not polished. In general appearance it resembles many of the Alto sherds from this site.
E. Ridged Types
The eleven sherds of Belcher Ridged type ([Fig. 10], G, H) are generally thinner and darker than the Alto wares. Six are dark chocolate to black on both surfaces and through the cores; the other five have light buff to dark gray surfaces, four of these with black cores. One is bone tempered, all others clay-grit. No rims are represented and the body sherds are 3 to 5 mm. in wall thickness. Typically, the elevated ridges are vertical.
F. Brushed and Brushed-Incised types
There are 38 sherds of the Pease Brushed-Incised type ([Fig. 10], A-F). The paste is smooth, clay-grit tempered except for one bone tempered; interiors are smoothed, exteriors roughened all over with the decoration. The color range is about as for other types; eight sherds are chocolate brown to black and slightly soft. Thickness is 4-5 mm. in 13 of the 38 sherds, 5 to 9 mm. in the remainder. The vertical panels characteristic of this type are separated by notched applique ridges in 28 ([Fig. 10], B, D-F), by rows of tool or nail punctations in seven ([Fig. 10], A), and by applique nodes in three ([Fig. 10], C). The panels are roughened by diagonal incisions in 24 instances ([Fig. 10], A, C), by vertical incising in 10 ([Fig. 10], E, F), by horizontal incising in one, and by brushing in three ([Fig. 10], B, D).
Fig. 10. Brushed, Ridged, and Late Wares. A-F, Pease Brushed-Incised (note panel separation by punctations on A, applique notched ridges on B, D-F, and applique nodes on C). G, H, Belcher Ridged. I-K, M Bossier or Plaquemine Brushed. L, Karnack Brushed-Incised (note rolled rim, rare). N-S, Late Glendora Focus sherds (N, S, shell tempered, incised; O, P, engraved, untyped; Q, linear punctated, untyped; R, Hodges Engraved).
Karnack Brushed-Incised type (Suhm and Jelks, 1962: 85) is applied to barrel-shaped vessels with everted rims, decorated with vertical incising or brushing. Thirty-four sherds from Smithport fit this category, although it is possible that some of the vertically incised body sherds derive from Kiam Incised or Weches Fingernail Impressed vessels. There are only three rim sherds, one rolled ([Fig. 10], L), the other two everted. The paste, temper, color range, and wall thickness are no different from other types; seven of the sherds are dark chocolate brown in color. Only six sherds are less than 5 mm. in thickness and the average is 6.5 mm.; brushing is used on six of the sherds, vertical incising on the others, varying from firm to sloppy and scratchy.
The other brushed sherds from this site fall into the type which we now call Bossier Brushed (formerly Maddox Brushed included these and the vertically brushed included now in Karnack Brushed-Incised). It is very similar to or identical with Plaquemine Brushed type of the Plaquemine and late Coles Creek periods in central Louisiana. Chief indicated differences are rolled or narrow everted rims in some of the Bossier type, whereas they are direct or slightly everted in Plaquemine; more frequent cross brushing in Plaquemine than in Bossier; bone temper in a few of the Bossier, absent in Plaquemine; and an occasional row of punctations below the brushed zone in Plaquemine, not found in Bossier. These are minor differences, easily attributable to regional variations, and it would probably be desirable to define a single type, with recognition of minor local variations.
There are 31 Bossier Brushed sherds ([Fig. 10], I-K, M), of which seven are from rims. Temper is clay-grit or ground sherd; one is bone tempered. Surface colors include two black, four chocolate brown, the others lighter shades of tan, buff, and gray. Only five sherds are 5 mm. or less in thickness; others are 5.5-11 mm., averaging 7.3 mm. (It is thicker than most types.) The seven rim sherds have horizontal brushing on two, diagonal on four, both on one. The body sherds show a similar distribution, with diagonal brushing predominating. Cross brushing or incising is present on seven ([Fig. 10], M).
G. Smithport Plain Type and Other Plain Sherds
There are nine plain vessels ([Fig. 4], A, B, K-P, R) from the burials and 644 plain sherds from this site which apparently relate to the earlier ceramics. The vessels, all identified as Smithport Plain, include three bottles, four simple bowls, one carinated bowl, and one recurved jar. Smithport Plain therefore runs the gamut of vessel forms common to decorated types; cylindrical jar forms are included in the sherds. The 644 plain sherds include 65 rim sherds (the only definite Smithport sherds), one-fourth as many as the total rim sherds in the decorated types and exceeded only by Kiam Incised with 82 rim sherds. The total number of plain sherds in our collection is altered by the element of selectivity in surface collecting; we were less likely to save plain sherds unless they were large or were rim sherds. The frequency of plain wares at this period contrasts with the situation in the later Bossier and Belcher ceramics, where undecorated vessels are infrequent. For example, at the Belcher Site (Webb, 1959) there were only nine plain vessels among the total of 195, and plain sherds constituted only 44 per cent of total sherds (most of these were from undecorated portions of decorated vessels).
The 65 Smithport Plain rims include 15 which are everted, 26 vertical, and 18 incurvate; additionally there are rims from two simple, shallow bowls, one rim with an exterior roll, one everted rim with interior bevel and exterior strap thickening, one bottle spout, and one shallow toy dish. The everted rims are unmodified in seven instances, and thinned in eight with rounded lips. Lip thinning of everted rims was effected by exaggerating the outward curve of the rim interior; that of incurvate bowls by exaggerating the exterior curve. The vertical rims are unmodified with rounded lips in 12 instances, thinned and rounded in eight, flat in four, and have beveled exteriors in two. The incurvate rims are thinned with rounded lips in nine, unmodified with rounded lips in five, flattened lips in two, externally beveled in one, and thickened with rounding in one.
The plain sherds include 20 recognizable as bases, nine of which are complete flat discs. These range from 6 to 13 cm. in diameter and are 6 to 12 mm. thick. One large basal sherd has a smooth central perforation, 13 mm. in diameter, and rounded edges. It possibly was used as a spindle whorl. These are frequently found at Bossier and Belcher sites, but usually are smaller and lighter.
An additional 46 plain sherds show the wall-base junction. Eight of these are from open flat bowls, one from a deeper bowl, one from a bottle, four from miniature vessels and 32 from jar, deep bowl or cylindrical vessel forms.
The plain sherds have paste characteristics similar to the decorated types already described. Nine of the 644 sherds are bone tempered.
Glendora Focus and Other Late Ceramics
A group of 37 sherds have characteristics completely alien to the ceramics described above. They are lighter feeling, often with porous surfaces or with obvious shell tempering, confirmed by tests. Eight are engraved; a shell tempered sherd, reddish in color ([Fig. 10], P), with horizontal engraved lines from which triangular spurs project; four other shell tempered with red or orange color and engraved lines, untyped; two black shell tempered with indeterminate engraving, and one black polished clay tempered sherd of type Hodges Engraved ([Fig. 10], R).
There are 11 sherds, shell tempered and orange to gray in color, with curvilinear incising ([Fig. 10], N, S). This ware was once termed Wilkinson Negative Meander but was never formally described. Another name should be chosen, because the Wilkinson Site, like Smithport, is primarily Alto with transition to Bossier, and has a minimal late (Natchitoches) occupation.
Two sherds have linear punctations on shell tempered ware ([Fig. 10], Q) and two others, untyped, have horizontal incising. There are 14 plain, 4-6 mm. thick, of which nine are shell tempered, two bone, three clay.
Other Pottery Artifacts and Negative Ceramic Traits
A fragment of perforated pottery base, presumably a spindle whorl fragment, was mentioned in the discussion of plain pottery. There were also three fragments of fired daub with grass impressions and one flattened surface. One tiny cone-shaped pottery fragment suggested a figurine or doll leg. No other clay or ceramic artifacts were found. Noticeable by their absence are pipes or pipe stem fragments, animal figurines or heads, clay labrets and ear ornaments, all of which are not unusual in this area.
Other negative ceramic traits are the absence of shell temper, except in the small group of obviously late wares; red filming; pigment impression into the lines of decoration; handles or other vessel appendages; squared bases (not unusual elsewhere in Coles Creek and Alto ceramics); squared or castellated rims (Vessel 105, [Fig. 4], I is the only instance of scalloped rim); vessel effigies, either whole vessel or rim attachments; stamping (one foreign sherd), and cord marking.