Killed Pottery

Introduction

Among the general Orient period burial offerings, including fire-making kits, projectile points, hammer stones, paint stones, adzes, celts, occasional knives, drills, pendants, gorgets, and banner stones; there were also “killed” steatite stone vessels.

This was among the more prominent ceremonial features found within the Orient Focus culture. All steatite vessels, except one, on all four Orient period sites had been broken or killed.

Killing Grave Goods

“Killing” means broken intentionally. It is a ceremonial trait in the Orient Focus. Spear points were also broken across, sometimes twice; usually, all parts are found in the same grave cache, or one section may be missing. With arrow points, the tip was broken off. Celts, also among the burial caches, were never broken. Gorgets were commonly broken and sometimes in several sections as though struck and scattered. Pestles had been broken and put with the grave goods as well.¹