Is this a head pot from the Mississippian period? It is smooth all one piece of pottery.

Hi Laura. Welcome to antiquers!

While this piece bears stylistic similarities to pre-contact NA pottery, it looks much more recent to me. There are often contemporary versions of classical, museum pieces.

Where do you find it? Where are you located? What do the back and bottom look like?

 

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Is it terracotta?

 

I don’t think so. Really no red in it.

 

Where do you find it? Where are you located?

 

I’m in Michigan but got this item at an estate sale. I believe the couple were from Arizona and traveled extensively. There’s a note inside:

 

I tried to upload it. Anyway it says casa grande or large house and effigy.

 

Casa Grande probably refers to a site in northern Mexico where ancient effigy jars of many types were once produced and where today, much more commonly, contemporary reproductions are made by hand.

There are expert discussions of those traditions here on this site, which you can find through the search function.

For example, here's one:

https://www.antiquers.com/posts/440736/

 

Thank you!