Motifs from Artifacts

[Linda]

I've been promising to upload these images for awhile. Tom and I had been talking about developing modern motifs based on designs from archeological sites from our Eastern Souian people. I'd found a few things I worked with this past year.

The first is a gorget that I found in the book "Time Before History -- the Archeology of North Carolina" by Ward and Davis. It's of a rattlesnake and it was found in Cheraw children's burials. It seemed to me like just the thing a child would like -- a good luck charm to keep the bad guys away. So I developed it into a beadwork patch that I've sewn onto my little boy's grass dance tunic.

http://www.saponitown.com/images/MotifsFromArtifacts/CherawRattlesnakeGorgets.jpg

http://www.saponitown.com/images/MotifsFromArtifacts/Cherawpatch.jpg

The next project was taken from a pipe found at the Gaston site, believe to be part of an Occaneechee village. I used it for the beadwork I put onto the spreader of a roach I made for a little boy.

http://www.saponitown.com/images/MotifsFromArtifacts/GastonPipe.jpg

http://www.saponitown.com/images/MotifsFromArtifacts/Spreader.jpg

While working on it, I decided the green triangles were trees and the blue lines were water. Then when I looked at the spreader I realized it looked like an island. I told the little boy I made it for that the spreader represented Occaneechi Island, and he was all wide eyed about it. I told him not to forget and he said he wouldn't.



[This message has been edited by Linda (edited 02-09-2002).]

[itconani]

very cool.
there is alot of great info on your gorget type. most of those usually are pre contact, especially the incised SE cult motifs. whats the date on this one? anyway, most relate to stories of things like the winged serpent of the underworld, a tiesnake. lots of later stories recorded about the snake of the southeast. great to see these.

[Tom]

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[Tom]

Hello, All sorry about the test, any way this pipe design greatly resembles the black and red patterns from the baskets and woven bags found up and down the east coast and across the southeast.
I had enquired what this pattern was about with some canadian Sioux and they told me that it represented the day and night. This color arrangment is found all across north america I have seen this same color set up with painted bison skulls etc.
I was told that during ceremonies that the day and night powers are called in and this was only the beginings of the adressing the of the powers involved in the prayers.

[Tom]

Hello All , well I'm taking some time off to put up some postings here, before I get into what I want to share,has any of you heard of Powhatons' prophecy?
Also I want to ask this forum if anyone has heard of the roaches made of turkey beards? I have seen very little about these but do know that they were made,I beleive by som e of the Ponca Omaha etc. Best to all, Tom.

[itconani]

tom-
are you refering to powhatans prophecy as in his demise? i know that one.
i also believe some of the shellwork from spiro and etowah show turkey beard hair adornments. these however are heavily attached with other items as well and are probably a far cry from our contempoary roaches.

[Tom]

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[Tom]

hello all wherever you see a"test" it din't let me in the first time!
The shell work images I'm not to sure which ones that you are refering to, but let me say that I have seen turkey beard roaches from several sources and they were small round roaches proper.!
The prophecy; I'll check on and let you know if this is the one that you may have heard already Buck, best to all Tom

[Tom]

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