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This exceptionally engraved pottery pipe was found in Cheatham County, Tennessee. It was acquired from the finder by William “ Spook” Spann. It measures 3½”L x 3¼” H x 2¼” W and shows evidence of being smoked. The designs all connect and form intricate patterns that may resemble images seen in hallucinatory visions from the utilization of the Datura, a known substance utilized in prehistoric North America. However, this is just conjecture as to what the patterns might imply. Regardless, the images remain a fascinating study See this and other great relics in the CSASI 2021 October Journal

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The Percy McNeil Spud. This was found by Percy McNeil in the winter of 1999 while cleaning out a game cock coop near the town of Pegram, Tennessee. The bird had evidently scratched it out of the dirt during the day and when Percy came to clean it out in the evening he encountered it. Thinking it was just a rock, he tossed it out. His son, Percy Joe, saw it and took it up to the house, where he recognized it as more than “just a rock.” It was taken to the Waverly Tennessee Artifact Show in May of 2000, where it won “Best Find.” It was not seen again until 20 years later in early 2020, when Percy Joe showed it on the internet for the first time. Through the help of collector Mitch Lewis, the present owner was able to acquire it. According to Percy, there were several stone mounds nearby. Dr. David Dye thinks this may have once been part of a Mississippian period shrine associated with the Mound Bottom site, which is just five miles distant. The spud is polished all over and is made from Mill Creek chert, brought from Illinois. It measures 8¼”x 3½”. Mound Bottom has strong evidence of being a satellite city of Cahokia. See this and other great relics in the CSASI 2021 October Journal