During the Mississippian period there was an explosion of new pottery traditions in the American Midwest. Mississippian potters were the first people the American Midwest to create pottery vessels in a variety of forms, including bottles, plates, bowls, and beakers. They were also the first people in the region to decorate their pottery with molded forms of animals, such as this unusual bottle adorned with an armadillo.

I selected this bottle because it is unusual and playful. This little pot always grabs people’s attention on the many tours we give through our collections storage area.
– Ed Fleming, Curator of Archaeology