As described by Willey (1949:409-411):
Definition as a type : Plain ware of the Weeden Island Type has been informally recognized for some years. In order to make the classification of sherds from the stratigraphic excavations as objectively verifiable as possible, only rim sherds were listed as Weeden Island Plain. It is probable that the residual group 'Smooth Plain' is almost wholly composed of body sherds of Weeden Island Plain vessels. In addition, other less well-finished Weeden Island Plain body sherds were undoubtedly thrown into the other category, 'Residual Plain'.
Ware characteristics:
Method of manufacture: Coiling or annular technique
Temper: Fine sand with only rare coarser particles in the form of grit or lumps of clay. Mica observed in most sherds.
Paste texture and color: Granular. Some tendency, occasionally observed, toward lamination and contortion of paste, although this does not affect the hard, compact quality of the paste. May be oxidized to buff color throughout; may have buff surfaces and gray core; may have only an exterior buff surface; or may be gray-black throughout.
Surface texture, color, and finish: Surface color varies according to the firing. Light buff, red-buff, gray, and mottled black are the most common. Fire clouding is frequent. Both surfaces well smoothed to polished. Red paint of a carmine shade has been used as a slip on many specimens. Those so painted were nearly all of natural buff surface. Paint has the appearance of a 'fugitive' red as it is much worn and, in some cases, almost competely obliterated. Nevertheless, it does not rub off and appears to have been fixed by firing, so the term 'fugitive' does not properly apply. In some cases the paint was applied only to the interiors of open bowls; in others the interiors and the lip and vessel rim fold were painted red with vessel exterior left unpainted; rarely was red paint applied completely to both surfaces. Vessels with red paint are virtually all of the open bowl form (P1. 39, e-f.)
Hardness: 2.5 to 4.
Thickness: Vessel walls average 6 to 7 mm. with rims appreciably thicker
Form:
Total vessel: Includes medium-deep, hemispherical and shallow open bowls. Bowls with incurving sides vary from those which are only slightly incurved to others which are flattened-globular. Some flattened-globular bowls are collared. There are also jars, simple (fig. 33, a) and short-collared, long-collared, and with squared collars. There are, in addition, a number of unusual-shaped vessels. These are nearly always found as mortuary ware, some of which was manufactured with holes and was obviously for ceremonial trays (fig. 33, d; pl. 41, e), double bowls, single-globed jars, gourd-effigy with single lateral handle, various forms of bowls and jars with affixed effigy figures or adornos (fig. 33, c), semieffigy bowls and jars (fig. 33, b) human-figure vessels (pl. 41, b, c), globular bowls with multiple body lobes, and miscellaneous eccentric shapes.
Rim: Rims are commonly thickened at or near the vessel orifice. This thickening is accomplished by both exterior, and, occasionally, interior folds. Sometimes there is no fold but the rim is, nevertheless, thickened. On the conventional shapes, rims are incurved (globular bowls) and outslanted (open bowls). Occasionally, globular bowl rims are sharply recurved. Rim folds are rounded, rectanguloid, and trianguloid. The fold, or thickened margin, is often underlined with a single incised line. Occasionally, there are two incised lines with one encircling the side of the fold. (See fig. 34)
Lip: Both flat and rounded. Many of the folded or thickened rims are bevelled either to the inside or outside. Incised or linear punctate lines on top of the lip may occur.
Base: Both rounded and flat
Appendages: Rim projections, of which there are usually four to a vessel. These may be triangular or ovate-triangular. Sometimes they extend out horizontally; in other instances they are slanted upward at a 45-degree angle from the plane of the vessel mouth. They vary greatly as to size, some extending only a centimeter or so from the vessel rim while others project 3 or 4 cm.
Geographical range of type: The entire Florida Gulf Coast area.
Chronological position of type: Weeden Island I and II Periods.
Relationships of type: Related to the plaiwares of both the Troyville and Coles Creek Periods of the Lower Mississippi Valley (see Ford and Willey, 1939).
Bibliography: Willey and Woodbury (1942); Willey (1945)
