Ceremonial Tall Necked Bottle
Caddo; Mississippian
Description
Subject Matter:
The lines on this bottle express central Mississippian cosmological beliefs, and indicate that the bottle was used among Caddoan priests. The central circle of the world or sun (here, the neck hole itself) is surrounded by the four directions of the surrounding etched design. If the viewer looks straight on one of these directions from the side, the curved lines and point also suggest a bird form (eyes and beak) looking back. This may have been a falcon, a revered bird among Mississippian warriors and often symbolized in warrior material culture.
Physical Description:
Terracotta bottle with a bulbous belly and a long cylindrical neck. Black ash firing finish on entire bottle with ethched geometric design on belly.
Usage Rights:
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