OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. LVII 



POTTERY OF THE ANCIENT PUEBLOS, BY WILLIAM H. HOLMES. 



This paper is a study of the pottery of the ancient Pueblo 

 Indians made on the valuable collection obtained bythe Bureau 

 of Ethnology, which had commenced with collections made 

 personally by Major Powell before the establishment of the 

 Bureau. This study relates to the more ancient or prehistoric 

 groups of ware in that collection, which are considered under 

 the heads of coiled ware, plain ware, and painted ware, the 

 first being the most archaic. All of these, with the processes 

 of their manufacture, are described, distinguished, and illus- 

 trated. A full discussion of the more modern forms is reserved 

 for future papers. 



The distribution and the environment of the Pueblo peoples 

 are specified, but the author does not study the arts of their 

 province with the direct object of ascertaining the origin of 

 the peoples themselves or of their arts. He has used the infor- 

 mation in his possession to elucidate the processes by which 

 culture has been achieved and the stages throug-h which it 

 has passed. It is to be noted, however, that the Pueblos were 

 sedentary, and thus practiced ceramic art continuously for a 

 long period; also, that in their arid country there was special 

 "need of vessels for the transportation and storage of water. 

 From the first of these peculiarities of habitat and environ- 

 ment, their ceramic art is without any indications of distinct 

 periods; from the second, very many specimens have been 

 produced and preserved. 



The author directs attention to the practical details, viz, 

 material used in pottery (often clay of a remarkably fine grain), 

 to the modes of tempering, construction, surface finish, firing, 

 hardness, and varieties of color and of form. The Pueblo 

 pottery is also classified by its functional characteristics. In 

 examining the illustrations some designs will attract attention 

 from their resemblance to the most exquisite patterns of classic 

 art and of Oriental decoration, with which they will bear favor- 

 able comparison. 



The special feature of this paper is that it explains more 

 fully than has been explained before, with practical examples, 



