MORRIS] THE CLIFF-RUINS OF JOHNSON CANYON gts 
appears that all types were constructed by the: coiling process, the 
resulting undulations having been obliterated, except upon the exte- 
riors of vessels of the first type. 
Coil Ware.—The seven coil-ware jars shown in plates 38, 39, and 
40, varying in height from 6 to 15 inches, constitute an excellent 
series. The typical shape is marked by a globular base tapering 
toward the top and surmounted by a recurved lip upon which the 
coils have been erased. It is interesting to note that the coil-ware 
vases never have the concave bottoms found almost without excep- 
tion in the large black-and-white vessels of the Mesa Verde area. 
Although decorations other than the crenulations due to structure 
are seldom found, coiled fillets of clay applied over the ridges appear 
in plates 38, 5, and 39, b. 
Plain Smooth Ware—The plain smooth ware is illustrated by plate 
40, a. I was at a loss to know what to call this vessel. It is a thick- 
walled, friable, shallow bowl, upon the interior of which is a layer 
of indurated ashes growing thicker from the rim to the bottom of the 
dish. It calls to mind baskets coated with clay which were used by 
some southwestern tribes as roasters. The material to be parched 
was placed in the dish together with live coals, after which the re- 
ceptacle was rotated and the ashes blown out with the breath. In 
the ruins of the Pajarito Plateau are found similar objects, which 
served as molds for the bases of large ollas. 
Decorated Smooth Ware.—Decorated smooth ware is the dominant 
type of pottery and offers the greatest variety of shapes. In many 
cases a wash of light-colored earth was applied over the darker 
paste of the vessel. By rubbing with a smooth stone or lke object 
an extremely fine, often glossy, surface was produced. Upon it 
designs were traced, which were made permanent by firing. 
Bowls comprise the most typical form, of which those appearing 
in plate 42, 6, c, are characteristic examples. The rims are not 
tapering or recurved. 
The large asymmetrical vase shown in plate 41, 6, c, is a unique 
specimen. The mouth is oval instead of round and the base is 
deeply concave. Just beneath the rim (pl. 41, 0) the coils are still 
apparent. The surface is not covered with a slip. 
In plate 48 is shown a water jar with pinkish-yellow and very 
friable paste. The slip is as white as chalk and superbly polished. 
The base of this vessel, as well as that of the other large water jar 
(pl. 41, a), is concave. It would be difficult to find a more beautiful 
example of the ceramic art of the Mesa Verde. 
Red Pottery.—Red pottery is extremely rare in the cliff-dwellings 
of the Mesa Verde. From a few fragments recovered from Ruin 
