The artifact found near the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania, like other finds found here over the past 10 years, can tell a lot about the history of the place.
A round body made of white clay was found in 2013 quite by accident, right near the entrance to the groundhog's burrow, by a local resident who wished to remain anonymous. It is interesting from the point of view of its professional construction and material, namely clay, the composition of which is completely atypical for these places.
Differences from traditional pottery typical of these places
Quartz clay, no impurities. While the pottery of the local Indians, found here earlier, was made of darker clay with admixtures of grass and earth. In addition, the symmetrical shape of the case suggests that it was made using a casting mold - a technique that is not at all typical of the pottery found earlier in North America. Also, quartz clay requires heat treatment - more than 1300 C ° - such a temperature cannot be achieved by the traditional method of open firing in a pit.
It is assumed that the main part was made in several stages - this is indicated by the fastening rings on the neck of the product. In addition, the lower and upper parts are also connected to each other by a structural ring.
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What was the artifact intended for?
The object's purpose remains a mystery. On the one hand, the presence of a valve on the body indicates that the vessel could have been designed to store liquids or bulk substances. On the other hand, the presence of a hole in the case severely limits the range of possible applications of the find.
View of the hole in the ceramic valve "from the inside"
All sorts of research and inquiries in various museums have yielded no result - not a single similar item has been found before. There are known finds that vaguely resemble an artifact that were used to store perfumes or were homemade grenades produced in the era of Ancient Greece. Anyway, in North America such things have not been previously discovered.
It is now quite difficult to determine the true purpose of such round vessels. Scientists are still debating whether these objects were used to store perfume or for military purposes.