Pottery type
Weeden Island Incised Pottery
Weeden Island Incised200 – 900 A.D.Gulf Coast / Southeastern Ceramic TraditionsKey facts
- Age
- 200 – 900 A.D.
- Cultural period
- Gulf Coast / Southeastern Ceramic Traditions
- Material
- Sand- or grit-tempered clay with smoothed surfaces. Incisions are carved into the leather-hard clay using sharp tools.
Description
Weeden Island Incised is a ceremonial pottery type from the Gulf Coast region. Vessels are often thin-walled bowls, jars, and beakers with carefully executed incised motifs. Designs include curvilinear scrolls, nested arcs, triangles, and rectilinear patterns arranged in zones. Surfaces are typically well-smoothed and may be slipped red, tan, or buff.
Size
Bowls typically range 14–30 cm in diameter; jars measure 18–32 cm tall. Walls are thin, around 4–7 mm.
Distribution
Centered around the Gulf Coast of Florida, particularly the Big Bend region and the Florida Panhandle, with spread into southern Alabama and Georgia.
Additional information
Weeden Island Incised is part of a high-status ceremonial ceramic tradition and often appears in burial mounds along with other decorated types such as punctated, zoned red, and effigy vessels.