Carl,
I commented earlier that local prehistoric pottery in the Peninsular
Mountains of California and Baja California contains varying quantities of mica.
Out in the desert, there is a variety of Tizon Brown Ware with silvery fine
mica flecks. In the mountains, there is a type called Jacum Brown that is
liberally laced with fine golden mica. Some people challenge the hypothesis
that the potters added the mica and this has yet to be tested. Pottery
with greater degrees of mica seem to be concentrated in some areas and less in
others, yet both have the same source of natural residual clay. Native
American potters say the mica helps control the heat and is better for cooking
higher temperatures for longer periods of time.
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
In a message dated 7/1/2009 7:05:53 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
There is Native American pottery in the Southeast with a fair amount of
mica in the paste, but mostly tiny, incidental bits. I've been doing pottery
research recently and haven't come across examples of mica-tempered wares,
Steatite, crushed rock of various sorts are not uncommon. As good potting
clay is often the result of granite decomposition it is possible that large
chunks could remain and be included unintentionally. However, I have
purposely included mica in some of my pottery as a decoration, so it doesn't
seem far fetched that other people would do the same. My discovery was that
mica comes through the firing unaltered, and the exposed bits start flaking
off right away, so its not as attractive as expected. Also, if you were to
use the vessel for cooking or storage you would constantly be picking mica
out of your food.
Carl Steen
-----Original Message-----
From: Megan Springate <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, Jul 1, 2009 9:43 am
Subject: Mica Temper?
Forwarded from the Ceramics-L list; I thought perhaps someone here might
have some thoughts. Please include Christian Gates on your reply
([log in to unmask])
--Megan Springate
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Mica Temper
From: "Christian Gates" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, July 1, 2009 9:26 am
To: [log in to unmask]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some colleagues from Montreal have found an=2
0assemblage of what seems to be
Native American ceramics heavily tempered with mica: mica fragments are
large, numerous and nearly as important as the clay itself. The pottery
fragments are very hard and they break more like European ceramics than
Native American ceramics. The context is a French settlement from the
XVIIth Century.
Is anyone familiar with such pottery? Can anyone provide me with similar
examples of Native American or European ceramics heavily tempered with
mica?
Thank you
Christian Gates St-Pierre
Archaeologist, PhD
Ethnoscop inc.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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