No. 1 – April 1985

VOL UME 46, NUMBER 1
a wealth of technological, stylistic and temporal data as regards the aboriginal occupation
of this region.
Figure 2. Chilmark Ceramic Vessel
CONSTRUCTION AND FORM
Clay
DESCRIPTION
ANALYTICAL
PROCEDURES
This ceramic vessel was analyzed
using methods meant to
maximize attribute variability as
employed in other New England
ceramic studies (Le. Dincauze
1975; Hamilton & Yesner 1983;
Kenyon 1983; Petersen 1980;
Petersen & Power 1983). Definitions
of ceramic attributes
can be found in several of
these previous studies
(Petersen 1980; Petersen &
Power 1983) and discussion of
perishable fiber attributes can
be found in these and other
studies (Adovasio 1977; Doyle
et al. 1982; Hurley 1979;
Petersen & Power 1983).
Color determinations were
made with Munsell Soil Color
Charts and Moh's hardness was
determined with a standard
scratch test using a set of
minerals (2 - gypsum; 2.5cryolite;
3 - calcite; 3.5 - barite;
4 - fluorite). In addition, a
binocular microscope (10- 25X)
was utilized in the examination
of decoration and perishable
fiber impressions.
No detailed mineralogical analysis has been conducted, but it is probably safe to assume
that the clay was derived from one of many locally available sources on Martha's Vineyard
such as that known from the recent ethnographic record (Le. Fewkes 1941).
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