kat, we have a spot out by you that has so much pottery that you can't take a step without walking on it. A lot of the smaller stuff. I only gather the larger painted sherds and leave the plain lay.
Rock, up until last year my wife and I spent our winters in New Mexico hunting the desert. I find it interesting that the paint stays on the pottery after it laid there for a couple of hundred years enduring wind storms and rain. That stuff gets sand blasted and the paint remains on the pottery. But the wind also removes sand at sites exposing more artifacts.
Thnx for posting kat!! I think the guys on here who have never seen a southwestern desert site would go nuts if they ever got to hunt out there!!! I can tell you have learned to keep only handles, legs, rims, bottoms and of course cool painted/textured pieces or your garage would be filled by now...LOL.
Thanks again everyone...always nice to share...I've enjoyed everyone else's finds to!!! Yes, lot's of shards and the dry air does help a lot. Kind of want to pick'em all up and save the poor things from a crummy future......as that's what they will be under foot But know you can't save "everyone", so try to do what you can...right?