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. Spiro Mound Artifact Database Shell Page
Dr. Bell pointed out that the figures are actually mirror images of each other. The figure is wearing a large, almost skirt-like breechcloth decorated with diagonal lines in a triangular pattern at the top. In the center the breechcloth is decorated with three dotted circles. Below that are what could represent the slits in a fringe pattern with six vertical pairs of beads decorating the “fringe”. At either side are the mirror image legs going upward to the knee and then downward to the moccasined foot, which is in a dancing pose. The legs are banded below the knee. Above the waist, a central shaft separates the two torsos with two dotted circles connected by diagonal strips going from upper right to lower left, like striping on a barber pole. The mirror image bodies are decorated with a wavy serpent-like design on the center of the torso up to the neck. The mirror image heads have headdresses and forelocks and are looking inward, facing each other in the “mirror”. The mirror image heads each wear an earspool and has a face design of two parallel lines from the bridge of the nose to the
earspool. Each of the mirror image bodies shows one arm and hand going downward from the shoulder and bending upward at the elbow with an open hand pointing upward as if in greeting or waving at itself in the “mirror”. The wrists are banded in the same pattern as found on the bands on the legs. There is some deterioration on the edges but four encircling lines remain. Dr. Bell states this piece was found in May 1935. It is a sophisticated piece of artwork to be sure. Phillips and Brown (1984) go into a more detailed discussion of some artistic possibilities. They list it as being in the collection of the Museum of the American Indian. * Caption is taken from a black and white photo in The
Spiro Mound: A Photo Essay |
