Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Conveyed in Clay: Stories from St. Catherines Island

Permanently on Display

Visitors to Fernbank Museum of Natural History can catch a glimpse at how archaeologists were able to piece together 5,000 years of human history by examining ancient pottery in the new exhibition Conveyed in Clay: Stories from St. Catherines Island.

Conveyed in Clay showcases the progression of design, function and decoration found in pottery to reveal what it tells archaeologists about the Native American lifestyle, including how they adapted to changes in natural and cultural conditions. The ceramics, some dating back 5,000 years, reveal the evolution from utilitarian pinch pots to more advanced designs, and show the sudden use of decorative elements as cultures began to settle in villages and express identity in new ways.

The first Native American pottery was an invention just like bows, arrows, baskets or canoes, and all were important tools for thriving in the coastal environment. As a result, innovations in pottery design can be closely linked with different lifestyles and interactions between groups.

“I’m sure these craftsmen would either get a kick out of knowing their ceramics were on view in a museum, or they’d be bewildered by it,” said Dennis Blanton, Fernbank’s Curator of Native American Archaeology. “To them, most of these were objects important to everyday life, but to us, they are incredible windows into the past.”

This permanent exhibition is free with CityPass. For more information please visit Fernbank Museum Web site.