Ramey pottery is a type of ceramic typical to the North American Mississippian culture (which lasted from A.D. 1000 - 1400). The most extensive research on this ceramic type has been performed at the Cahokia site, located in the American Bottoms, just east of St. Louis, Missouri. Cahokia's history is currently divided into 10 phases of occupation; Ramey ceramics appear most often in the sixth stage, named the Stirling Phase (A.D. 1050 - 1150), and are present in smaller amounts in the seventh phase, known as the Moorehead Phase (A.D. 1150 - 1250).

One of the Ramey style's most distinctive traits is its shell temper. The core (or inside) of the sherd typically ranges in color from light grey to dark grey, though buff, ochre and cream colors have also been noted. A slip finish -- a mixture of liquid clay and pigment -- is sometimes added; the most common colors in this category are grey, red and black. The outer surface of the ceramic is also occasionally polished with a smooth stone giving the artifact a shiny look. Unfortunately, this polish can be difficult to detect if the artifact is in poor condition.

Many different vessel types, including shouldered jars, bottles, bowls, salt pans, globular jars and necklace bottles have been made out of the Ramey style of pottery. The progression of each of these items can be traced through the years, and fairly accurate dates can be deduced from the form of the vessel. Decoration is also an excellent diagnostic tool. In most Ramey ceramics, decoration is accomplished by a process called incising, which involves tracing a design with a blunt-ended tool while the clay is still wet. As with the shape of the pottery, the type of designs have proven useful in determining an artifact's date.

Bibliography

Gellman Mink, Claudia, Cahokia: City of the Sun, ed. William Iseminger (Collinsville, IL: Cahokia Mounds Museum Society, 1992).

Gibbon, Guy E, "A Model of Mississippian Development And Its Implications for the Red Wing Area," in Aspects of Upper Great Lakes Anthropology, ed. Elden Johnson (St. Paul MN: Minnesota Historical Society, 1974).

O'Brien, Patricia, A Formal Analysis of Cahokia Ceramics from the Powell Tract, ed. James A. Brown (Urbana, IL: Illinois Archaeological Survey, Inc., 1972).