Description: This rimsherd, composed of two pieces glued together, represents nearly a third of a small, grit-tempered Fairport Plain ceramic pot. The clay on the exterior is mottled black and dark grayish brown. On the interior the clay is very pale brown. The rim is flat, the neck is straight, and the body of the pot is slightly rounded. Vertical cordmarks are barely visible on the rim and neck of the pot. Three nodes of clay were added in a line just below the lip (top) of the pot. The pot is rounded at the base and comes from Whittlesey Culture. Between A.D. 600 and 1200, Late Woodland cultures lived in much of northeastern Ohio. They grew corn and squash at their summer villages and spent the winter and spring seasons in small hunting or fishing camps. About A.D. 1150-1200, several factors changed the lifestyle of these Late Woodland groups. Among these were new ideas that spread from Fort Ancient people in southern Ohio, the introduction of beans as a crop, and a shift in climate that made farming more productive. The result was a new culture, known to us as Whittlesey. The Whittlesey Culture is named for Charles Whittlesey, a 19th century scientist who studied archaeological sites in northeastern Ohio. The people of the Whittlesey culture hunted, fished, farmed, and collected wild plant foods like other Late Prehistoric groups in Ohio. Bows and arrows were their primary hunting weapons. Whittlesey villages were small and were located near the coast of Lake Erie as well as in the uplands. They were occupied mainly during the summer months; winter and spring were spent in small hunting and fishing camps. After A. D. 1400, Whittlesey villages were larger, often fortified, and located in the uplands of major river valleys. The larger villages, with some houses up to 60-feet-long, were generally occupied year around. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: A1175_000088
Subjects: Prehistoric peoples; Pottery, Prehistoric;
Places: South Park Village Collection