Mississippian Death Head Effigies, Page 3

PAGE 3 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
human HEAD effigies
MISSISSIPPIAN CULTURE
ARKANSAS & MISSOURI
A.D. 1200 TO 1,500
PAGE 3 OF 3 PAGES
COPYRIGHT NOVEMBER 30, 2004 PETER A. BOSTROM

DRAWING CREDIT, 20TH ANNUAL REPORT, BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY, 1903, HOLMES
HUMAN HEAD EFFIGY VESSEL---ABSTRACT

Some "head pots' are decorated with engraved lines that represent tattooing. This is an indication that these people did practice tattooing as a form of body decoration. Some people have argued that the markings on the pots may be copies of tattoos that were on the deceased person in the grave they were buried with.

PHOTO CREDIT--BILL FECHT,
HUMAN HEAD EFFIGY VESSELS
LATE MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD
NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS OR SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI
GILCREASE INSTITUTE COLLECTION

This picture shows at least three different styles of "head pots." The second and third examples fall within the Type-A classification of vessel styles because they both have long decanter style necks. But the third example has such a stylized face that it may not be considered a "head pot" at all. The two painted examples on the end are "classic" Type-B vessels. They have "modeled heads" and no bases or bottle type necks. The first "head pot" in the row is a unique and rare style. James B. Griffin called it the "Garland variant" and links it to the late horizon in the lower Arkansas Valley. This vessel is made of dark ware, without any paint. The facial features are a simply designed but the main theme of the vessel are the concentric rings that emanate from the area around he eyes. This "head pot" may also have another face on the opposite site (Janus figure).

There can be no doubt that some "head pots" were made to represent a visual expression of death. They have closed eyes, a sunken nose and parted lips with teeth showing. The artist may have had the portrait of a particular face in mind before making the clay vessel. This may have been the deceased person or possibly a trophy head from someone killed in battle.

PHOTO CREDIT--BILL FECHT,
HUMAN HEAD EFFIGY VESSELS
LATE MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD
NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS OR SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI
GILCREASE INSTITUTE COLLECTION

Several different styles of "head pots" can be seen in this picture. The two on the right are the same ones illustrated and described in the above picture. The third examples from the right is a "classic" Type-B "head pot" in which the entire head is realistically modeled. It is painted red where the hair would be. The face was also colored with a lighter pigmented wash of clay. The fourth vessel in this row was painted red all over. It appears to be a globular form of "head pot" within the Type-A classification.

There is evidence of ear and nose piercing by the Mississippian people. Most "head pots" have several perforations on each ear and sometimes the nose is also drilled across the septum. These vessels may have been decorated with various materials, like feathers or other organic items, when they were buried.

PHOTO CREDIT--BILL FECHT,
HUMAN HEAD EFFIGY VESSEL--BACK VIEW
LATE MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD
ARKANSAS OR MISSOURI
ST. LOUIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE COLLECTION

"Head pots" are very detailed sculpted models of the human head. This picture shows the back of a "classic" Type-B vessel and its pattern of hair style. Hair design seems to have been an important feature of "head pots."

"Head pots" are powerful expressive images of death. For well over a hundred years, scholars have been writing about "the remarkable head vases." All agree that they were made by the most skilled artisans within Mississippian society. "Head pots" convey images of death but they also preserve important information from this Stone Age society. They show hair designs, tattoo styles, ear and nose piercing and anatomically accurate facial features. "Head pots" give us a rare opportunity to see images of a people who lived long ago.

"REFERENCES"

1903, Holmes, W. H., "Aboriginal Pottery of the Eastern United States," "20th Annual Report, Bureau of American Ethnology," pp. 96-98.
1911, Moore, Clarence B., "Some Aboriginal Sites on Mississippi River," p. 469.
1968, Mills, Lawrence, "Mississippian Head Vases of Arkansas and Missouri," "The Missouri Archaeologist," Vol. 30, p. 1.
1976, Hathcock, Roy, "Ancient Indian Pottery of the Mississippi River Valley," p. 2.
1983, Morse, Dan F. & Morse, Phyllis A., "Archaeology of the Central Mississippi Valley," p. 280.
1985, Brose, David, S., Brown, James A., Penny, David, W., "Ancient Art of the American Woodland Indians," pp. 108 & 177.
1998, O'Brien, Michael J., Wood, Raymond W., "The Prehistory of Missouri," pp. 306-308 & 336-337.

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