Pottery type
Plains Woodland Cordmarked Pottery
Plains Woodland Cordmarked200 – 1200 A.D.Plains PotteryKey facts
- Age
- 200 – 1200 A.D.
- Cultural period
- Plains Pottery
- Material
- Grit-tempered clay with heavily textured cordmarked exteriors and smoothed interiors. Cordage impressions can reveal twist direction and fiber type.
Description
Plains Woodland Cordmarked refers to early ceramic traditions across the Central and Northern Plains where vessels were finished with cord-wrapped paddles, leaving characteristic textured impressions. Forms include globular jars with straight or slightly everted rims, rounded bodies, and simple bases. The cordmarked surface improves heat transfer and grip.
Size
Jars commonly measure 18–32 cm tall with rim diameters of 16–30 cm. Wall thickness averages 6–10 mm.
Distribution
Found across the Central and Northern Plains, particularly along river valleys in Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and eastern Colorado.
Mainly found in
Additional information
Cordmarked pottery is one of the earliest and most widespread Woodland ceramic traits on the Plains. It represents everyday cooking and storage vessels in dispersed village and campsite contexts.