Pottery type
Foster Trailed Pottery
Foster Trailed1200 - 1700 A.D.Caddo PotteryKey facts
- Age
- 1200 - 1700 A.D.
- Cultural period
- Caddo Pottery
- Material
- Clay tempered with grog or fine mineral temper; smoothed or slightly burnished surfaces with trailed decoration, fired to brown, gray, or black.
Description
Foster Trailed is a Caddo pottery type characterized by curvilinear or rectilinear “trailed” lines created by dragging a rounded tool through the moist clay surface. Designs can form scrolls, loops, and parallel bands, often arranged in panels around the shoulder of jars or upper portions of bowls. Surfaces are usually smoothed and may be lightly burnished.
Size
Vessels typically measure about 150 to 280 mm in diameter and 150 to 280 mm in height, with wall thickness around 4 to 8 mm.
Distribution
Occurs across portions of the Caddo area, especially in northeast Texas, southwest Arkansas, and northwest Louisiana, often in village and mound contexts.
Additional information
Foster Trailed is part of the Late Caddo ceramic tradition and can co-occur with engraved and appliqué types. The flowing nature of the trailed motifs gives vessels a distinctive textured appearance.