2. mississippian coil pots
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Mississippian Culture-Inspired Coil Pots
Mississippian Culture• Mound building
culture• Midwestern,
Eastern, Southeastern United States, 800-1500 CE
• Began in the Mississippi River Valley
• Agricultural (maize was a staple)
The Great Serpent Mound• 3 ft. high• Largest effigy mound in the world: raised earth in the
shape of a stylized animal, human, or symbol• Believed to have been built by either the Adena or the
Fort ancient cultures (both extensions of the Mississippian)
• Once thought to have been used for a burial ritual (placed goods with the deceased, burned, and then covered with the mound), but the actual serpent part contains no human remains, so it was NOT used as a burial site
The Great Serpent Mound
• Thought to be totemic in nature• In native cultures, animals were often thought to
have powers, and there were often legends about particular animals
• This may explain the shape of the mound (snake)• The head and tail of the serpent were once thought
to correspond to the Summer and Winter Solstices • Also thought to correspond to the star
constellation, Draco
Serpent Mound; Unknown; c. 1070 CE; Mississippian Culture, Ohio; Earth
1330 ft. long, 3 ft. high
Great Serpent Mount and the Draco (the Dragon) Constellation
Assignment
• Design a coil pot that showcases the integrity of the coils and lines– Often the coiling technique is used to build up pottery, but is
then smoothed over…I want you to keep the coils showing!• Incorporate animal or other symbolic motifs of your
choosing in coil form. Use the lines of the coils as a way to lead the viewer’s eye through the pottery, and use the coils dynamically (use a variety of small, large, thick, and thin coils, as well as use coils to create a variety of shapes)
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Example: Sunny
Example: Sunny
Example: Sunny
Example: Sunny
Example: Sunny
Student Example
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My Example
My Example