Hi, Happy Halloween!

THIS IS AN AMERICAN FACE VESSEL FROM THE EDGEFIELD DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA - 1860-70. THIS VESSEL IS MADE OF HEAVY CLAY AND FEELS SOLID LIKE A STONE. THE BLACK APPEARANCE COMES FROM CRUDE FIRING FROM A FIRE - NOT A KELN. IT HAS GRIT ON IT, POSSIBLY SAND FROM A GRAVE. THE FINE LINES THROUGHOUT COULD BE FROM STRAW. THERE WERE SOME UNKNOWN BLACK POTTERS THAT WERE MAKING THESE FOR THE SLAVES. I HAVE READ ABOUT ONE OF THESE POTTERS THAT WAS KNOWN AS DAVE THE SLAVE. MANY YEARS AGO, SLAVES WERE BROUGHT IN FROM AFRICA AND WERE FIRST INTRODUCED TO VOODOO, AND THEN LATER TO CHRISTIANITY. AT THIS TIME - WHEN THEY DIED, SLAVES WERE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A TOMBSTONE OR GRAVE MARKER. THIS VESSEL WAS THEIR GRAVE MARKER OR BURIED WITH THEM. THEIR BELIEFS WERE THAT THE FACE WOULD SCARE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS IN THE AFTERLIFE. THIS LOOKS SIMILAR TO A FACE JUG WITHOUT EARS.

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