Mississippi Culture Bowl of Black Steatite, Repaired in Antiquity

This bowl was broken in antiquity and the fragments mended at that time by drilling multiple holes, and connecting them with sinew or other vegetal material. The connecting material, perishable, has been lost, exposing the original drill holes which would have been filled. The effort used in making these repairs speak to the value placed on the bowl, and the difficulty that would have been required to make the original object.

The steatite stone is thick walled, with a subtle indentation all around the rim. The Mississippi Culture was a mound building culture, circa 800-1600 AD spanning the area from the Great Lakes to the deep South. Areas of wear show the age of bowl, with a shiny, polished surface, and elegant proportions.