Reconsidering the Dominance of Limestone Temper in the Pottery of the Northeastern Ozarks of Missouri

The published literature has typically portrayed the pottery of the northeastern Ozarks of Missouri as dominated by limestone temper. In reality, the pottery from this region is more varied than previously reported. Diversity in pottery temper is illustrated in the collections from four sites recently investigated by the Mark Twain National Forest. Tempering materials from these sites include limestone, shell, grog, and sand, as well as combinations of two to three of these materials. Rather than being a region characterized by limestone-tempered pottery, the northern Ozarks exhibit an array of ceramic types and tempering materials. The pottery assemblages from these sites most likely reflect the diverse pottery technology used by the inhabitants of the region.