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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 17th 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.
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