Southwest Pottery

[dump_digger]

Before I begin posting some pics a little about myself and Indian Artifacts--I'm from a part of Arizona referred to as the White Mountains or my extensively, the Colorado Plateau. My home town is built on a ruin and there are two bigger ruins in the immediate vicinity. In the wider area there are ruins everywhere. My dad has at least 10 on his ranch. Pottery is something that is so abundant that nobody really pays any attention to it. Really, everyone I know is more in to the pot rather than the pieces and a remarkable number of pots have been found in that area. I have seen pottery all my life and never picked up a piece until I got married and my husband started picking it up. I now have buckets of the stuff (my family and friends laugh that I pick it up and have told me I'm the only one they know who does). I've actually developed a real interest in it and have been studying it. People don't know what they're missing! (and really, it leaves more for me!)

The same thing goes for any artifact that isn't a point. People don't even recognize that there are other things out there and some have argued with me that the scrapers and such are something. For me it's led to a windfall of scrapers, spokeshaves and the like. It's crazy. Last night I found two buckets of them I'd completely forgotten about. (I hope I'm not comeing off as snide or anything. I know that people search and search for these things without luck).

So, without further ado here's some pottery...

(I hope everyone contributes because I'd love to see what is produced in other parts of the country.)

 

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[dump_digger]

Polychrome Pottery

I'm going to put these under White Mountain Red-Ware which includes Fourmile Polychrome, ShowLow Polychrome and St. Johns Polychrome

because these pieces are so small I bunched them together so you could get a better idea of of it. Polychrome is always on the outside of the pot. Generally there's a design on the other side, but these one are just plain orange on the other side.

These bigger pieces are the inside of the pots and...
The outside. I hope this gives you a better idea of the polychromes.

 

[dump_digger]

Little Colorado White Ware

by far the most abundant of the decorated pottery. I have tons of it so if you want to see more examples let me know.

 

[dump_digger]

Red Ware

All but the bottom two are St. Johns Red Ware. The two darker ones are probably Fourmile Red Ware.

 

[dump_digger]

Jeddito

Jeddito is the one kind of pottery anyone would bend down and pick up because it's so uncommon in that area. There is only one place where i've found it and I'd never seen an example until I found my first piece. It's Hopi and was made exclusively in Oraibi.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Beautiful stuff. But its best left on the ground where it can be appreciated than in a bucket.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Those buckets of artifacts have lost a lot of their value unless you know exactly where every piece came from.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Awesome examples. You are very well versed in the types. I like that dedication to the hobby.

I have a friend named Ellen who lives in ShowLow. She has birds so that may give you a hint. She has a few pieces from around a lake there.

 

[dump_digger]

I didn't expect that they had any value. And as far as leaving them on the ground...I'm pretty sure that cows don't appreciate pottery.

 

[NCPeaches]

They are beautiful and so glad you rescued them! We don't have that type of pottery out here in western NC although I have found a few pieces that are painted light orange but it's rare. To me pottery tells the story of the people that made it. I read somewhere that the people who had the time to decorate it, paint it and the like were a less stressed people, happier and it shows in the elaborate artwork on their pottery. I would frame those pieces if they were in my collection. Thank you so much for sharing your story and the beautiful pottery!

 

[Tnmountains]

Great post and examples of polychrome. Pottery here is abundant but is from clay with crushed shell or limestone as a medium.
Thank you for taking the time to share your finds and knowledge.
Pottery always seems to have a story to tell and we appreciate yours.
Happy Hunting!

(I hope everyone contributes because I'd love to see what is produced in other parts of the country.)

Yes Ma'am so here are some pieces from Tennessee

 

[NCPeaches]

Clay tempered with quartz and soapstone in Western NC.