Oaks Ablaze: Stone Cauldrons of Appalachia

In the mid-2000s a debate re-emerged over whether carved soapstone predated the invention of pottery in the Eastern Woodlands. This is an explanation of the arguments as they were set out at the time. Soapstone is hugely important to the most profound monumental culture of ancient North America, so if you're unfamiliar, look at my videos about monumentality and Poverty Point.


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Further Reading:

Truncer, James
2004 Steatite Vessel Age and Occurrence in Temperate Eastern North America, American Antiquity, 69:3, pp. 487-513

Sassaman, Kenneth E.
2006 Dating and Explaining Soapstone Vessels: A Comment on Truncer, American Antiquity, 71:1 , pp. 141-156

Truncer, James
2006 Taking Variation Seriously: The Case of Steatite Vessel Manufacture, American Antiquity, 71:1 pp. 157-163