Uncovering the Mystery of the Lamar-like Clay Objects

Summary

For decades, stamped and plain clay objects recovered from post-contact Native American sites between the 1950s and 1990s in the Florida panhandle have puzzled researchers. The objects are believed to have been produced by the Apalachee Indians living in the region. However, little is known about the techniques used to manufacture them or what purpose they served. These artifacts are generally referred to as Lamar clay balls owing to some having stamped patterns similar to Lamar-like stamped pottery associated with the Apalachee missions culture. The objects are unique in the sense that they do not resemble other types of baked clay objects found in the Southeast. A recent analysis of over 300 Lamar-like objects recovered from eight different sites, combined with archival and ethnographic data, has provided information regarding their manufacturing and possible function. The results of analyses are presented in this paper.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21643