Casas Grandes Polychrome Pottery

Casas Grandes Polychrome is a broad label for decorated Medio period ceramics from the Paquimé (Casas Grandes) culture, featuring cream to reddish surfaces painted with combinations of red and black designs. Motifs include scrolls, stepped elements, opposed triangles, serpent imagery, and complex panel layouts, often arranged to create strong visual rhythm and symmetry. Effigy forms, including birds and other animals, also occur within this tradition.

Bowls and jars typically range from about 150 to 350 mm in diameter and 130 to 320 mm in height. Wall thickness usually falls between 4 and 8 mm, with larger effigy pieces sometimes slightly thicker.

Center of production is the Casas Grandes valley of northwestern Chihuahua, with trade and influence extending into southern New Mexico, Arizona, and west Texas.

Named types such as Babicora Polychrome and Ramos Polychrome fall within this broader tradition. For app users, “Casas Grandes Polychrome” can serve as a higher-level category when a more specific subtype cannot be confidently assigned.