Houghton USA
Ancient Art, Antiques, & Fine Collectibles
Native American Pottery Disk with Painted Glyphs
Davidson County, Tennessee
Mississippian Culture
c. 800—1600 AD
eBay Note
I certify that this item was legally collected on private land with the owner's permission during the 20th century. This is an opportunity to legally own an ancient, Native American artifact that is estimated to be about 200 years-old!
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14.
SUMMARY
Item: Native American Pottery Disk with Painted Red/Orange Glyphs
Material: Fired pottery
Diameter: 3.23” (82 mm)
Thick: .45” (11.5 mm)
Weight: 1.4 oz (39 gr.)
Find Location: Davidson County, Tennessee, in late 1800s
Tribe: Mississippian Culture, Prehistoric Middle Tennessee
Est. Date: 800—1600 AD
Condition: Museum quality with no repairs or restorations. Period correct faded glyph/images, surface scratches.
DETAILS
The currently listed disk with its stunning, orange/red glyphs came out of one of the early unstructured digs and has remained in a private Tennessee collection until recently acquired by a well-known collector and author who lives in Colorado. According to family lore, this disk was found inside of a stone box grave located on their property located just west of the city of Nashville.
The small, pottery disk has a raised lip
and center. Undulating, wave-like images
painted along the inside perimeter of the disc appear to represent clouds. And, near the center are a series of very
faded, swirling designs (called glyphs) that are difficult to see clearly. They appear to show the figure of a man
(likely a Shaman) who is pointing at the Great Spirit (shown with two eyes) as
his prayers for the spirit of the deceased were carried into the sky with
clouds of smoke. There are also a number of very small, man-made figures scratched into the surface of the disk.
Stone box graves—that is, small excavations which were lined or partly lined with natural slabs of stone—have been encountered in great numbers in various parts of the Mississippi Valley. They were discovered scattered and separate; in other instances, vast numbers are grouped together, thus forming extensive cemeteries. While the great majority were formed by lining properly prepared excavations, others were created by erecting one upon another, forming several tiers, and covering all with earth, so forming a mound.
In and about the city of Nashville, TN, on the banks of the Cumberland, in Davidson County, Tennessee, such burials have been revealed in such great numbers that it is within reason to suppose the region was once occupied by a sedentary people who remained for several generations and must have had an extensive village nearby.
Please examine the attached photos carefully as they are part of the description and bid accordingly.
AA Battery & Stand are NOT part of the sale.
Note:
Each object I sell is professionally researched and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. I have been dealing in fine antiquities for almost 50 years and although certainly not an expert in every field, I have been honored to appraise, buy, collect, and enjoy and recently sell some of the finest ancient art in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. This documentation helps to insure you are buying quality items and helps to protect your investment.
Please ask any questions you may have before you bid!
All sales are Final, unless I have seriously misrepresented this item!
Please look at the macro photos carefully as they are part of the description.
Member of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA) & the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA)
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