Prehistoric Pottery

Pottery sherds are among the most commonly recovered artifacts at Aztalan, and their analysis helps reveal how prehistoric people lived, since pottery’s presence points to a more sedentary way of life than that of highly mobile hunter-gatherers. At the site, pottery was used to store grain and other items, for cooking, and in rituals. Archaeologists identify pottery from Mississippian times as well as earlier Woodland times at Aztalan. Although some Late Woodland pottery predates the Mississippian occupation, both types are typically found together across the site, likely reflecting co-habitation by Late Woodland and Mississippian groups during Aztalan’s major occupation. Late Woodland pottery, made of clay and grit, is typically cord-marked on the outside and often has decorated rims, while shell-tempered Mississippian pottery is typically smooth on the outside, sometimes polished and decorated with incised lines, and appears in many forms including bowls, plates, jars, beakers, and bottles, reflecting the Aztalan community’s ties to Cahokia.

Aztalan, Wisconsin · United States