274 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL 2IV8EUM. vol.54. 



splints of yucca leaf, which are handled with marvelous proficiency 

 by the potter, who holds the vessel on her lap and works out the 

 design with unerring accuracy. The outlines of the solid designs are 

 made first and the surface to be covered is filled in with even strokes. 



Slabs of stone on which the clay is worked or dried, stones with 

 wdiich the clay is sometimes crushed before soaking, paint slabs, 

 smoothing stones and other odds and ends of stone lie about the places 

 where the potter Avorks. Some of these are of customary use and 

 others are of temporary or emergency service. As a rule the best 

 potter will have gathered together in her workshop the greatest stock 

 of things that may be useful. The customary tools are spoon-shape 

 formers of gourd for pressing down the coil ridges and for prelim- 

 inary smoothing; polishing stones, glossy from long continued serv- 

 ice; a rabbit fur mop-brush for applying the wash of white clay; 

 and yucca leaf brushes for drawing the designs. Occasionally a 

 small stick is used to punch holes for the insertion of handles or to 

 form the mouths of small vessels. The bottom disk, which is the 

 equivalent of the potter's wheel, is formed by plastering clay over 

 the convex of a basket bowl, removing the shell of clay and baking 

 it, thus nearly all of these specimens bear basket impressions which 

 are in turn imparted to the bottom of vessels formed in them. The 

 potter also makes use of blankets, baskets and sundry cups, canteens, 

 vases and bowls of pottery in her work. 



As the potter's vessels are finished, they are set aside in a safe 

 place to await a calm and convenient day for burning them. The 

 preparation for burning pottery entails much arduous work on the 

 potter. She must gather slabs of sheep dung from the floors of the 

 corrals on the benches below the mesa and carry them in her blanket 

 to the place selected for the kiln. Here also she brings a blanket 

 load of M'hite sandstone and transports from the house on the mesa 

 the pottery to be burned. She clears off a circular space of ground 

 and builds in the center a small fire of dry dung and around this 

 fire disposes the pottery so that it may be evenly heated and thor- 

 oughly dried. The pottery in this heat becomes lead color and when 

 adjudged sufficiently hot and dry is compactly set up over the ashes 

 of the fire, bits of sandstone being used to separate the pieces as 

 stilts are employed by the civilized potter. Around the pile is built 

 up a circular wall of the slabs of sheep dung closed over the top with 

 large slabs. This structure, at once fuel and kiln, ignites from the 

 remains of the previous fire and soon produces a high heat, the pot- 

 tery assumes a bright red color, and when the kiln has burnt out the 

 ware will be thoroi'ghly baked. The kiln needs constant attention 

 to prevent pieces of the fuel falling on the ware, which would pro- 

 duce blemishes. Also if a breeze should start up the potter must 

 shield the kiln with a blanket. On account of superstition the pot- 



