Pottery type
Belcher Engraved Pottery
Belcher Engraved1200 - 1700 A.D.Caddo Pottery4 reference photos
Key facts
- Age
- 1200 - 1700 A.D.
- Cultural period
- Caddo Pottery
- Material
- Fine clay tempered largely with grog (crushed pottery) or finely crushed bone; well-smoothed and often burnished surfaces, typically fired to brown, dark brown, or black.
Description
Belcher Engraved is a fine Caddo ceramic type marked by thin-walled vessels with carefully engraved geometric or curvilinear designs on burnished surfaces. Forms often include carinated bowls and bottles with everted rims and well-finished lips. Engraved lines are usually narrow, precise, and may be accented with red pigment rubbed into the incisions on some examples.
Size
Carinated bowls and bottles generally range from about 120 to 260 mm in rim or shoulder diameter and 120 to 280 mm in height. Wall thickness is commonly 3 to 6 mm, with slightly thicker bases for structural strength.
Distribution
Concentrated in the Red River valley region of southwest Arkansas, northwest Louisiana, northeast Texas, and adjacent eastern Oklahoma, primarily within Late Caddo sites.
Additional information
Belcher Engraved is a key Late Caddo chronological marker and often occurs in mortuary and ceremonial contexts. Variation in motif layout and rim form defines sub-varieties used by specialists for more precise phase dating.