Thanks for the advice and references.  I haven't had much time to do follow up,
but will x-ray the jar next time the owner comes to town.

Dave McMahan

Anita Cohen-Williams wrote:

> Dave,
>
> I agree with Ron. This vessel is what we (meaning the Center for Spanish
> Colonial Research) classify as an olive jar. These urns were used to
> transport olive oil, honey and wine from Spain to the Internal Provinces
> here in the New World.
>
> What you hear rattling around may be an olive pit or two. :)
>
> References:
>
> Marken, Mitchell W. POTTERY FROM SPANISH SHIPWRECKS 1500-1800 (University
> Press of Florida, 1994). Marken caught a lot of flack because he examined
> olive jars from private collectors, but it is an extremely useful book. He
> has a great bibliography.
>
> Lister, Florence C., and Robert H. Lister. ANDALUSIAN CERAMICS IN SPAIN AND
> NEW SPAIN: A CULTURAL REGISTER FROM THE THIRD CENTURY B.C. TO 1700
> (University of Arizona Press, 1987). Excellent coverage.
>
> Goggin, John M. "The Spanish Olive Jar: An Introductory Study," In PAPERS
> IN CARIBBEAN ANTHROPOLOGY, vol. 62. Yale University Publications in
> Anthropology, New Haven, 1960.
>
> I have a lot of others if you need more help.
>
> At 09:38 AM 2/23/2001 -0500, you wrote:
> >In a message dated 2/22/01 2:02:44 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> >[log in to unmask] writes:
> >
> ><< I am soliciting help in the identification of a large ceramic jar or urn
> >
> > that a fisherman excavated from the lower intertidal zone of Cook Inlet,
> >
> > Alaska.  I have posted some pictures and other details at
> > http://www.alaska.net/~oha/urn/
> >  >>
> >Dave,  This urn looks suspiciously like the maritime oil transport jars used
> >by Spanish merchants from the 15th through 18th centuries, which often got
> >recycled as water jars here in California. The actual shapes varried because
> >they were designed to be packed in cargo holds and as ballast. Spanish
> >exploration of Alaska goes at least back to the Malaspina Expedition. Spain
> >had a small cannon fort at Nootka. I suggest you pursue this line of
> >research. Robert Lister published a number of articles and books on Spanish
> >pottery, including storage jars. I suggest you arrange to have X-ray
> >spectography or some other sourcing study on the clay to see if you can link
> >it with known clay sources in Spain or Europe. You might check with Russell
> >Skrowneck (spelling?) at the University of Santa Clara, California for
> >guidance on this approach.
> >
> >Ron May
> >Legacy 106, Inc.
> >
>
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