Pottery Analysis as a Window into Site Function and Community Identity: A Haudenosaunee Case Study

Summary

Previous analyses at two early contact period Haudenosaunee village sites in the Cayuga region of central New York State (Parker Farm and Carman) have provided evidence for differences in the intensity of occupation and in the distribution of activities. Interpretations of site activities have included a more intensive focus on pottery production and utilization at Parker Farm and greater emphasis on hunting and shell bead production at Carman. Although differences in the reasons for the occupation of these sites have focused on seasonality, gender, and production, another possibility is that they may have been occupied by different groups moving into the area during the early contact period. Variability in the material culture might indicate increased interaction and entanglement with their neighbors. This paper presents results from an analysis of pottery designed to elicit patterns of design, function, and technique with implications for discerning community identities and activities during this period of rapid change. This analysis also sheds light on the processes of engagement with other groups and the environment in the early contact period.

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): 22278