Minority Wares in Maryland

Monongahela and Susquehannock Ceramics

Monongahela Ceramics  
Ceramics identified as Monongahela are found in the extreme northwestern portion of Maryland, in the upper Youghiogheny River Valley at the Friendsville site (18GA23) and in the headwaters of the Potomac River Valley at the Folly Run site (18GA53). Monongahela ceramics are a complex series that begin with an early grit or limestone tempered group and end with a very anomalous collection of types found in southwestern Pennsylvania during the post-Contact period. The earliest Drew phase ceramics of the Middle to Late Woodland transition exhibit incising on the exterior surfaces, sometimes in rectilinear zoned patterns. The Somerset phase described by George (1983) for the Gnagey site in the Casselman River Valley in Pennsylvania is defined by limestone-tempered cord-marked ceramics that are very similar to Page ceramics of the upper Potomac River Valley. The shell-tempered Monongahela ceramics found in the Monongahela River Valley heartland have similar attributes to contemporaneous Keyser ceramics of the Potomac and Shenandoah valleys; however, Monongahela ceramics exhibit basic differences in cord-marking application and cordage twist (predominantly final z-twist). Designations found in the literature such as Keyser-Monongahela combine two very distinctive ceramic types; however, the obvious pan-regional influences do appear to be reflected in some of the rim attributes, such as cord-wrapped stick-impressed appendages and punctuated and cord-wrapped stick-impressed lips.

Susquehannock Ceramics  
The Susquehannock sequence originates in late pre-Contact times in the upper Susquehanna River Valley, and the traditional sequence was developed for the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania region. For details on the sequence and detailed ceramic descriptions, see Kent’s overview entitled Susquehanna’s Indians (revised 2001). The Schultz and Washington Boro phases (ca. A.D. 1600– A.D. 1630) of the sequence are the only ones that have been identified on sites in Maryland, both in the Allegany County region and also in nearby areas of West Virginia (Grant, Hampshire and Hardy Counties) (Brashler 1987). Finds of these wares would not be unexpected at the head of the Chesapeake in Cecil and Harford Counties. This would be consistent with Capt. John Smith’s early 17^th century contacts with the
Susquehannocks in the Chesapeake region.

Schultz shell-tempered ceramics, dating to ca. A.D. 1600, exhibit very distinctive plats of zoned incised decoration, usually in triangular or diamond shaped patterns. Just below the lip, horizontal bands of deeply incised impressions are evident, offsetting the zoned plats. Castellations are present on vessels, and are focal points for the plats exhibited on the collars. Below the collar, fine cord-marking (final z-twist) covers a very thin (ca. 4 mm thick) and globular body. Washington Boro ceramics (ca. A.D. 1615– A.D. 1630) retain many of the elements of Schultz, with the addition of stylized face effigies on the castellations. Washington Boro ceramics have been found on the Barton (18AG3) and Llewellyn (18AG26) sites in the upper North Branch River Valley as well as in the Oldtown area.