This vase was donated to the Barack Obama Presidential Library. More information may be found here.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln, smudged black. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln with post-fired re-etching. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Mobile, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native Clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Trail of Tears Era (1830s).

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in pit fire. Based on effigies found in Moundville (circa 700-1200 CE).

 Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Red color on pottery is native red clay from Moundville, Alabama. Based on pottery from N.E. Arkansas.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln with post-fired re-etching. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln with post-fired re-etching. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in wood-burning kiln.

Native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in pit. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

5 gallon volume, native clay with ground mussel shells, fired in kiln before seasoning with cooking. Based on pottery from Moundville, Alabama.

Hand holding pipe is made using native clay with mussel shell. The pipe is fashioned after pipestone effigy pipes. They were made on top of an upward curving platform that required no smoking stem. The smoker used a hole that led through the platform to draw in the smoke.

These rattle-head beaver bowls were built using native clay with mussel shell. Cahokia Mississippi Mound builders crafted normal headed beaver bowls between 1000 and 1350 CE. However, Moundville Mississippi Mound builders made rattle-head beaver bowls instead. Theirs were between 700 and 1200 CE.