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Re: native pottery part 2

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iowabow:
Jw is right we have lost so many of those connections. Here is a little more about my thoughts. http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/art--tour-102212

richardzane:
just noticed this thread on pottery!
i've been doing coiled pottery from natural clay sources for almost 30 years and would be glad to share info.if anyone's interested
(for examples google: Richard Zane Smith)

learned a lot of short cuts..and trial and error.
I teach tribal members in this area Iroquoian / paddled pottery and we do primitive firings. They start their own fires from flint in steel or from bow and spindle.

had lots of disappointments from finding calcium carbonate or gypsum in my clay sources. they often spall or leave pits....even years after.
fortunately the clays in this area of OKl are the best i've ever used. I avoid creek clays(too much silt) except for making bricks or adobe.

if you work outside, you might consider adding cattail fuzz to the clay.
shuck four cattail heads into a clay slurry..push it under and mix it by hand untill it doesn't try to escape(it floats like crazy)
whenthis clay dries enough to be balled up store it. when you want to make a pot take a pinch of this stuff and knead it in to your clay.
you'll know its enough if you tear the clay and can see the fibers.

if you fire in an open pit
fire the ground for a full 24 hours before firing pots . when the ground is dry the fire won't leave condensation on a mirror held over it.
preheat the pots by setting them near the fire and turning them often . flat bottom pots will break more often than round bottomed ones.
pack the pots in dry woodash . this will initially insulate them from the flame which will kill them.

these ladies had never made pots before, these were their firsts. and they are at it again here, every Saturday.

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