Wolfe Neck
Defining Attributes
Wolfe Neck is an Early Woodland ware, characterized by a crushed
quartz temper, and cord-marked or net-impressed exteriors. Defined
types include Wolfe Neck Net-Impressed and Wolfe Neck Cord-Marked.
Chronology
Stratigraphic sequences and radiometric dating indicate
that Wolfe Neck dates from ca. 700 B.C. – 400 B.C.
Distribution
Wolfe Neck is found throughout Delaware, concentrating on
the lower two-thirds of the Coastal Plain from Southern New Castle
County to the south. It has also been found throughout the Eastern
Shore Coastal Plain of Maryland. Wolfe Neck is similar to many
of the crushed rock tempered wares that emerged in the Middle
Atlantic region following the earlier experimental ware period.
Description
Paste/Temper
The temper consists of roughly crushed quartz that varies
from 3 mm – 7 mm in diameter. Frequently the temper is half the
size of the vessel wall.
Surface Treatment
Exterior surfaces are cord-marked or net-impressed. On sherds
recovered from the Wolfe Neck site (7S-D-10), four different orientations
for cord-marking, parallel to the rim, perpendicular, oblique,
or various combinations were noted (Griffith and Artusy 1977:13).
The most commonly encountered orientation is perpendicular to
the rim. On net-impressed sherds, the impressions were oriented
perpendicular or oblique to the rim. Interior surfaces are scraped-over
cord- or net-impression, scraped,
smoothed-over scraped, and smoothed. The most commonly encountered
treatment is smoothed.
Decoration
None
Morphology
Wolfe Neck wares are coil-constructed with paddle malleation.
Vessels are conoidal in shape, with direct rims and rounded, flattened,
and smoothed lips. Vessel wall thickness ranges from 6 mm – 14
mm, with a mean of 10 mm.
Defined in the Literature
Marine et al. (1965) found that 70% of the ceramics recovered
at the Wolfe Neck Site (7S-D-10) were "crude thick-walled
caldrons tempered with coarse quartzite granules and the predominant
decorations were net or cord impression." It was noted that,
with the exception of temper material, this pottery type closely
resembled Popes Creek ware found on the Western Shore. Custer
(1989) also noted Wolfe Neck’s general similarity to Accokeek
and other Mid-Atlantic ceramics, such as Vinette. Wise (1975:
2) later named this ware Wolfe Neck, and noted that after 700
B.C. the period of experimentation (e.g. Dames Quarter, Selden
Island) in Delaware ended and Wolfe Neck emerged as the dominant
ware. Artusy (1976), and Griffith and Artusy (1977) refined the
definition of Wolfe Neck, dividing it into Wolfe Neck Cord-Marked
and Wolfe Neck Net-Impressed.
Type Site
Wolfe Neck (7S-D-10)
Maryland Sites with Wolfe Neck components
Highley (18TA23), Nassawango
Creek (18WO23)*
* collections at the MAC Lab
Radiocarbon
Dates |
Date |
Sample
# |
Site |
Feature |
Reference |
2735 + 75;
B.C. 785 |
SI-2191 |
Nassawango
Creek
(18WO23) |
Feature
19 |
Bastian
1975 |
2455
+ 60;
B.C. 505 |
UGa-1223 |
Wolfe
Neck, DE
(7S-D-10) |
|
Artusy
1976:3 |
2450
+ 85;
B.C. 500 |
I-6891 |
Dill
Farm, DE
(7K-E-12) |
|
Artusy
1976:3 |
2445 + 100;
B.C. 495 |
SI-2188 |
Nassawango
Creek
(18WO23) |
Feature
1 |
Bastian
1975 |
2330 + 85;
B.C. 380 |
I-6886 |
Dill
Farm, DE
(7K-E-12) |
|
Griffith
1991:52 |
2190 + 100;
B.C. 240 |
SI-2190 |
Nassawango
Creek
(18WO23) |
Feature
6 |
Bastian
1975 |
2190 + 100;
B.C. 240 |
SI-2189 |
Nassawango
Creek
(18WO23) |
Feature
1 |
Bastian
1975 |
References
Artusy
1976; Custer
1989; Griffith
1991; Griffith
& Artusy 1977; Marine
et al. 1965; Wise
1975 |