Wide Mouthed Bottle

Part of the David Dye Pottery Photos Exhibit.

Description

Wide-mouthed bottle with engraved and intertwined volutes. The cross-hatched swirl bands have triangular motifs that extend onto the interior beveled lip. Cross-hatching denotes a reference to serpents, especially supernatural spirits of the watery realm. Vessels engraved in this distinctive serpent theme would have allowed Mississippian ritualists to prepare medicinal drinks as ritual emetics. The style of engraving dates to the sixteenth century at Chucalissa.