Lot 15
Native American, Southeastern United States, Mississippian culture, Caddo, ca. 900 to 1500 CE. A finely balanced Mississippian pottery bottle attributed to the Caddo tradition, distinguished by elegant trailed decoration flowing across the rounded body. The vessel features a globular form rising to a short cylindrical neck, with a ring of small evenly spaced indentations encircling the neck just below the rim. The surface is decorated with carefully executed trailed lines that sweep across the vessel in rhythmic, swirling patterns. These incised curves create a dynamic sense of movement across the otherwise smooth body, a hallmark of Caddo ceramic design. The decoration was likely applied while the clay was still leather hard, using a pointed tool to carve continuous flowing grooves that emphasize the vessel's curvature. Caddo potters were among the most skilled ceramic artists of the Mississippian world, producing vessels known for their thin walls, refined shapes, and sophisticated surface designs. Size: 7.1" Diameter x 6.8" H (18 cm x 17.3 cm)
Bottles such as this often served as containers for liquids and may have played roles in both daily use and ceremonial contexts. The ring of punctate indentations around the neck provides a subtle decorative contrast to the flowing trailed lines below, visually separating the neck from the body while adding texture and detail to the composition. Natural firing clouds and tonal variations across the clay surface reflect the traditional firing methods used by Mississippian potters. Graceful in form and confident in design, the vessel exemplifies the refined aesthetic and technical mastery characteristic of Caddo pottery traditions within the broader Mississippian cultural sphere.
Provenance: private Denver, Colorado, USA collection; ex-Daniel Wolf, New York, USA collection, acquired January 2016
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#201329
- Condition: Chip to rim and some nicks and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and very nice with good remaining detail. Old collection numbers on interior of rim and underside of base.
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