Materials

Clay

Additional Context

Autumn Epple theorizes that the slanted, dotted lines at the top could refer to the imagery of the nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy being the "rafters" of the house that is the Confederacy. With all the rafters standing together, the house will not fall. This imagery dates to the late 19th century. Notably, Akwesasne has a wampum belt record from 1885 when they officially rejoined the Confederacy (having seen the Seven Nations alliance fade with time), with four "rafters" being used in the belt imagery. Information on the belt taken from: Tehanetorens (Ray Fadden), Wampum Belts (Onichiota, NY: Six Nations Indian Museum, 1972; reprint, Ohsweken, ON: Iroqrafts Ltd., 1983): 63.

The five ticks below could also refer to the original Five Nations of the Confederacy, though this is unlikely given the date (Tuscarora joined in the 18th century and the Confederacy have been considered the Six Nations ever since).

Dimensions: 8.3 × 8.8 × 8.8 cm

Condition: Excellent.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Artist wrote the date the pot was completed on the object.

Current Location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 2011.16.59

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 2011

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Collector: Dr. Paul R. Lurie; Barbara Lurie; Dealer: Iroquois Indian Museum

Previous Collectors: Dr. Paul R. Lurie

GKS Reference Number: 58940

How to Cite this Item

Image © President and Fellows of Harvard College, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 2011.16.59

Record Creation Context

Record created by Autumn Epple GRASAC RA June 6 2021