Caddo Ceramics from 41CV41A at Fort Hood, Coryell County, Texas

Abstract

Prehistoric Caddo ceramics made in Northeast Texas after ca. A.D. 900 were widely traded in Texas, and other parts of the Caddoan area, being found in some quantity on North central, East central, central, and inland Southeast Texas archeological sites. They were also traded with prehistoric peoples in the Midwest, the southeastern U.S., and the southern Plains. However, the ceramic evidence for prehistoric Caddoan trade and exchange with other Native Americans has not been systematically compiled and studied for the prehistoric and historic periods. Consequently, it is impossible to confidently discuss the scope, timing, or direction of trade/exchange between Caddoan groups and surrounding non-Caddoan communities, or explore changes in the nature of social and economic relationships between particular Caddo groups and with other prehistoric peoples. Over the last several years, I have been attempting to systematically document archeological infonnation on the distribution and character of Caddoan ceramic sherds and vessels both within and outside what is considered the southern Caddoan archeological area. This documentation effort has included instrumental neutron activation analysis by the Missouri University Research Reactor, petrographic analyses, and studies of ceramic styles and pastes. Here, I discuss Caddo ceramics from 41CV4JA that were recently recovered in archeological investigations by Prewitt and Associates, Inc. at Fort Hood in Central Texas.