Georgia Department of Natural Resources
GEORGIA'S STOLEN HERITAGE
Have you seen these artifacts?
In March 1974, burglars stole a part of Georgia's precious heritage. Photographs and drawings of some of the missing pieces can be found in this brochure. Please inform the Department of Natural Resources if you have seen these artifacts.
Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Kolomoki Mounds
Kolomoki Mounds is a large archaeological site in southwest Georgia and it is noted for its complex of nine mounds. Mound A, the largest of Kolomoki's mounds, is also the largest mound in Georgia. The site was excavated between 1948 and 1953 by Dr. William H. Sears. Results from these excavations indicate that Kolomoki was occupied for many centuries but the peak occupation occurred between AD 350 and AD 750. Pottery from the site is very distinctive and consists of many different types. The most common types are Swift Creek or Kolomoki. Lesser amounts of Weeden Island pottery, named for the Florida site where it was first identified, have also been recovered.
THEFT AT KOLOMOKI MOUNDS
In 1974, thieves broke into the museum at Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park and stole over 90 whole pots. The vessels, which are a part of Georgia's Indian heritage, are important because their artistry gives us a glimpse into the world in which the prehistoric Kolomoki people lived. Someone once said that the difference between art and craft was that artists infused a bit of their soul in each creation. If that is true, then a large part of the soul of these people has been stolen from Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park and the people of Georgia. Since the burglary only 13 of the artifacts have been recovered. However, the Department of Natural Resources continues to be optimistic that the remaining stolen vessels will be returned to the site and has printed this brochure in the hope that someone will spot a vessel and report the sighting to the proper authority.
Please contact us if you have seen any of the artifacts in this brochure.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Page 3
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
SEATED HUMAN EFFIGY Seated human effigy with cut-outs, red slip. Height 10 inches. Mound D Vessel 1.
PANTHER EFFIGY Panther effigy with cut-outs, incising, red slip. Length 11 inches. Mound D Vessel 3.
FISH EFFIGY Partial fish effigy with cut-outs, incising, possible residual red slip. Mound D Vessel 4.
DEER EFFIGY Deer effigy with cut-outs, residual red slip. Length 12 inches. Mound D Vessel 5.
PANTHER EFFIGY Derived panther effigy with cut-outs, squared collared bowl, zoned red. Height 7 inches. Mound D Vessel 6.
DEER EFFIGY Derived deer effigy with cut-outs, low relief modeling, incising, squared form, residual red slip. Height 5 inches. Mound D Vessel 8.
Page 4
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
DUCK EFFIGY Pedestaled duck effigy with cut-outs, incising, zoned punctations. Height 6 inches. Mound D Vessel 11.
CRESTED BIRD EFFIGY Pedestaled crested bird effigy with cut-outs, incising. Height 5 inches at rim. Mound D Vessel 14.
OWL EFFIGY Pedestaled owl effigy with cut-outs, incising, zoned punctations. Height 10.5 inches. Mound D Vessel 16.
DERIVED EFFIGY Derived effigy, compound bowl with cut-outs, incising and zoned punctations, red slip. Diameter 8 inches. Mound D Vessel 20.
DERIVED EFFIGY Derived effigy, oval shallow unrestricted bowl with rim adorno, red slip. Length 6 inches.
DERIVED DUCK EFFIGY Derived duck effigy, beaker form with cutouts, red slip. Height 5.5 inches. Mound D Vessel 22.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Page 5
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
OWL EFFIGY Partial pedestaled owl effigy, red slip. Approximate height 12 inches. Mound D Vessel 23.
ABSTRACT FORM Compound cylindrical abstract form with cut-outs, incising, zoned punctations. Height 6 inches. Mound D Vessel 24.
CYLINDRICAL FORM Tall cylindrical abstract form with cut-outs, incising. Height 9 inches. Mound D Vessel 25.
GLOBULAR ABSTRACT FORM Partial globular abstract form with cut-outs. Height 4 inches. Mound D Vessel 26.
PLAIN OVOID FORM Plain ovoid restricted form. Height 7 inches. Mound D Vessel 27.
PLAIN OVOID FORM Plain ovoid restricted form. Height 6 inches. Mound D Vessel 28.
Page 6
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
GLOBULAR ABSTRACT FORM Partial globular abstract form, possible black slip. Mound D Vessel 29.
COLLARED SQUARE BOWL Collared square bowl with cut-outs and lugs, residual red slip. Height 10 inches. Mound D Vessel 31.
COMPOUND FORM Partial compound squared on round globular form, incised and zoned punctated. Diameter 4 inches. Mound D Vessel 32.
GLOBULAR COMPOUND BOWL Globular compound bowl with cut-outs and punctations. Diameter 8.5 inches. Mound D Vessel 33.
COLLARED GLOBULAR BOWL Collared globular bowl with cut-outs. Maximum diameter 8 inches. Mound D Vessel 38.
GLOBULAR BOWL Globular bowl with perforated scallop/lug projections about rim; red slip. Maximum diameter 8 inches. Mound D Vessel 40.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Page 7
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
MINIATURE LOBED BOWL Miniature lobed collared globular bowl. Diameter 4.5 inches. Mound D Vessel 42.
COLLARED BOWL Mercier Red on Buff collared bowl with squared collar. Maximum diameter 7 inches. Mound D Vessel 43.
OVOID FORM Ovoid restricted form with appliqu decorations about mouth. Maximum diameter 5 inches Mound D Vessel 45.
COLLARED JAR Collared jar with cut-outs and incising on collar. Height 8 inches. Mound D Vessel 46.
PLAIN BOWL Plain open bowl; near burnished. Diameter 15 inches. Mound D Vessel 53.
Page 8
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
GLOBULAR BOWL Restricted globular bowl; four incised flowers in major diamond motif; zoned white and red paint. Diameter 8 inches. Mound D Vessel 56.
OVAL BOWL Oval restricted bowl with squared mouth and pendant appliqud bird heads at each corner, red slip. Length 5 inches. Mound D Vessel 57.
GLOBULAR BOWL Partial globular restricted bowl with incised and punctated design (Weeden Island Incised). Approximate diameter 6 inches. Mound D Vessel 58.
OPEN BOWL Weeden Island Plain open bowl. Mound E Vessel 1.
OPEN BOWL Weeden Island Plain open bowl. Mound E Vessel 2.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Page 9
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
OPEN BOWL Weeden Island Plain open bowl. Mound E Vessel 3.
OPEN BOWL Weeden Island Plain open bowl with single bird effigy adorno. Mound E Vessel 5.
PLAIN BOWL/VASE Plain unrestricted bowl/vase. Mound E Vessel 8.
PLAIN GLOBULAR BOWL Plain slightly compound globular bowl with cut-outs. Mound E Vessel 9.
GLOBULAR BOWL Collared globular bowl with square cut-outs about collar. Mound E Vessel 10.
BEAKER FORM Plain beaker form. Mound E Vessel 11.
Page 10
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
COLLARED BOWL/JAR Mercier Red on Buff collared bowl/jar. Mound E Vessel 13.
COLLARED BOWL/JAR Mercier Red on Buff collared bowl/jar. Inside mouth diameter 15 cm. Height 15 cm. Mound E Vessel 14.
COLLARED JAR Mercier Red on Buff collared jar with cut-outs about collar. Mound E Vessel 15.
COLLARED BOWL/JAR Mercier Red on Buff collared bowl/jar. Mound E Vessel 16.
COLLARED JAR Mercier Red on Buff collared jar with cut-outs about collar. Mound E Vessel 17.
SHALLOW BOWL Mercier Red on Buff outslanting shallow bowl with notched rim. Mound E Vessel 18.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Page 11
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
VASE/JAR FORM Mercier Red on Buff slightly compound, inslanting vase/jar form. Mound E Vessel 21.
OPEN BOWL Weeden Island Incised open bowl with four flat horizontal rim projections/handles. Mound E Vessel 23.
VASE/JAR FORM Weeden Island Incised unrestricted square vase/bowl with cut-outs and notched rim strip. Mound E Vessel 24.
COLLARED GLOBULAR BOWL Weeden Island Zoned Red collared globular bowl with cut-outs. Mound E Vessel 28.
DUCK EFFIGY Incised duck effigy. Mound E Vessel 29.
DUCK EFFIGY Pedestaled duck effigy. Mound E Vessel 30.
Page 12
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
BOWL Kolomoki Complicated Stamp slightly restricted bowl. Mound E Vessel 31.
BOWL Kolomoki Complicated Stamp slightly restricted bowl. Mound E Vessel 33.
BOWL/VASE Kolomoki Complicated Stamp vertical unrestricted bowl/vase. Mound E Vessel 35.
BOWL/VASE Kolomoki Complicated Stamp vertical unrestricted bowl/vase. Mound E Vessel 36.
VASE Kolomoki Complicated Stamp unrestricted vase. Mound E Vessel 38.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Page 13
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
VASE/BOWL Kolomoki Complicated Stamp slight restricted vase/bowl. Mound E Vessel 42.
COLLARED JAR/BOWL Kolomoki Complicated Stamp collared jar/ bowl. Mound E Vessel 43.
COLLARED VASE/BOWL Kolomoki Complicated Stamp slightly restricted compound vase/bowl. Mound E Vessel 44.
VASE/BOWL Unclassified complicated stamped compound/ bowl. Mound E Vessel 45.
VASE/BOWL Kolomoki Complicated Stamp with incising and cut-outs; incurving restricted vase/bowl with squared base. Mound E Vessel 46.
Page 14
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
BOWL WITH SQUARED BASE Kolomoki Complicated Stamp with incised appliqus about rim, slightly restricted bowl with squared base. Mound E Vessel 47.
GLOBULAR BOWL Slightly collared globular bowl with incised appliqus pendant from rim. Mound E Vessel 48.
COLLARED BOWL/JAR Incised and zoned punctated collared bowl/jar with rectangular cut-outs about collar; red slip. Mound E Vessel 49.
BOWL Weeden Island Red outslanting bowl. Mound E Vessel 51.
COLLARED JAR/BOWL Collared jar/bowl with notched rim strip and red slip. Mound E Vessel 52.
If you recognize any of these artifacts please contact Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist--770-389-7863 or bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
PLEASE HELP US FIND GEORGIA'S STOLEN HERITAGE
If you see a vessel that you suspect may be one of the stolen Kolomoki pots, please contact us.
Help Recover Our Stolen Heritage
Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist DNR Historic Preservation Division Jewett Center for Historic Preservation 2610 GA Hwy 155, SW Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-389-7863 Email: bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Dr. Bryan Tucker, State Archaeologist DNR Historic Preservation Division
Jewett Center for Historic Preservation 2610 GA Hwy 155, SW Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-389-7863
Email: bryan.tucker@dnr.ga.gov