Crosses, Crescents, Slashes, Stars: African-American Potters and Edgefield District Pottery Marks

ABSTRACT Alkaline-glazed stoneware developed in the Edgefield District of South Carolina in the early nineteenth century and employed a range of decorations and marks that drew from European ceramic traditions and reflected pottery factory owner’s preferences, styles, and tastes. However, Edgefield stoneware also includes symbols and marks that were used by African-American potters who worked in the District and who made many Edgefield pots. Chief among these are variations of the cross mark, a core symbol employed by African Americans and seen in other ceramics and other media. Other marks, including slash and punctate marks, also have West African associations as “country marks” used in scarification to express cultural and social identity. Employing a database of pottery marks, this article examines the types of marks employed in the Edgefield District, their locations, their use as indicators of pottery manufacturer or individual potter, their designation of vessel attributes, their use as decoration, and their role as marks of cultural identity.