Pottery

Creating pots such as the ones featured here requires in-depth knowledge about where to harvest clay, how best to temper the clay (often with shell) so that it is strong enough to survive the firing process, and the best techniques for shaping a pot to function on a daily basis. Early Indigenous peoples of Sewanhaky took time and great care in making pots, adding crushed shell to the clay and meaningful details such as effigy faces, flared rims, and decorative indentations.

Unfortunately, the context for where these pots were discovered was not documented, nor were Shinnecock, Unkechaug, Montaukett and other Indigenous peoples properly consulted at the time these pots were uncovered. What can we learn and appreciate from these pots? They offer insight to the daily lives of Indigenous ancestors and serve as a reminder of who lived here before Europeans arrived.

Descriptions provided by NYS archaeologist Dr. Christina Reith