Hand Burnished Pot with Smoked finish and turquoise and silver decorations

About 8 3/4" wide by 4 3/4" high

This is one of a series of pots I made that were inspired by the Native American Mississippian era pottery.   Similar shaped pottery is on display at Cahokia Mounds, just across the river from St Louis.  I didn't seek to copy them outright.  My pots were made on the potter's wheel and then hand-burnished 4 or 5 times to give them a very smooth surface.  After bisque firing them in an electric kiln, I "pit" fired them in a smoky environment to give the blackened surface.  I updated the decorations, too.