Chris,
 
I haven't got a clue, but if you are ever in Richmond with it, I'd love to
see it.
 
Dan Mouer
Virginia Commonwealth University
[log in to unmask]
http://saturn.vcu.edu/~dmouer/homepage.htm
 
On Wed, 21 Jan 1998, Christopher Fennell wrote:
 
> I would greatly appreciate any thoughts, ideas and related
> references for identifying the following artifact.  In recent,
> preliminary excavation of shovel test pits at the site of a
> standing cross-timber cabin in Northern Virginia, I uncovered a
> curious item buried approximately six inches under the cabin
> floor.  It is a small, sculpted red clay ceramic skull, with
> remarkably detailed rendering of the shape of the skull, the eye
> sockets, teeth and nasal socket.  On the back of the top of the
> skull is the raised figure of an "X" with individual initials
> appearing between the arms of the X.  This skull figure is
> approximately one half inch tall, made of hardened red clay,
> with no glazing apparent.  I found it in association with glass,
> ceramics and nails which provide a rough, preliminary date
> range of 1820-1840.  You can contact me off-line at
> [log in to unmask]  Thanks to all.
>
> Christopher Fennell
> Department of Anthropology
> University of Virginia
>