yd SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 82 



Pinedale ruins, both totally abandoned before the advent of the 

 Spaniards, uphold this, but the newest science for age-determination 

 of southwestern ruins, namely, dendro-chronology, confirms the strati- 

 graphic claim. And more, it hints strongly at the length of time that 

 elapsed between the development of a glaze technique and the first 

 Spanish contacts. 



As previously suggested, the apparent gradual merging of the dull 

 black paint into one with glaze properties on Pinedale polychrome 

 does not bespeak a sudden appearance of glaze but rather of a 

 slow development in or not far from the center of invention. The 

 beginnings of Zuni and Pinedale glaze development appear to parallel 

 each other, both seemingly responding to the same stimulus. That this 

 stimulus was pre-Spanish and consequently native, is indicated by the 

 presence of lead glaze on Pinedale polychrome coming from the late 

 13th century horizon at Pinedale, and the continuance of its use on 

 Four-mile polychrome from the upper Showlow level dating 1375. 

 Thus, glaze paint was known and used fully 200 years before the ar- 

 rival of the Conquistadores. Indeed, it had already become decadent 

 by the time of their arrival and soon after the Pueblo potters reverted 

 completely to the dull, flat colors.* 



These facts do not agree with Hough's statement, therefore, when 

 he says '".... that the Pueblo potter could take the step to glaze 

 which appears to have arisen in the line of smelting metals is doubt- 

 ful." Or, **.... a critical examination of the question as to the use 

 in prehistoric times of lead glaze decoration by the Pueblo Indians 

 brings forward a number of points which seem to render the assump- 

 tion doubtful if not improbable." He states further that glaze deco- 

 rated wares are never associated with black-on-white. Numerous tests 

 in Pinedale ruin always showed glazed wares and black-on-white to be 

 synchronous, the latter also frequently, but not always, decorated with 

 glaze. This contemporaneity of glaze and black-on-white wares either 

 signifies that glaze was invented earlier than has been supposed, or, 

 that the Pinedale black-on-white was a late survival. 



Additional checks on the age of lead glaze may be had by the 

 presence of intrusive glazed sherds in ruins outside of the glaze area. 

 Thus, Four-mile polychrome sherds and Zufii glazes found in Kokop- 

 nyama which has yielded no trace of Spanish influence and no datable 

 wood more recent than A. D. 1416, and the occurrence of Four-mile 



^ Kidder, A. V., 1924, p. 91. 



^ Hough, Walter, 1928, pp. 248-249. 



