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Pottery type
Zuni Polychrome Pottery
Zuni Polychrome1700 – 1900 A.D.Historic Pueblo Pottery (AD 1600-Present)Key facts
- Age
- 1700 – 1900 A.D.
- Cultural period
- Historic Pueblo Pottery (AD 1600-Present)
- Material
- Clay tempered with fine sand or crushed rock. White slips are applied and burnished, then painted with mineral black and red pigments. Firing is usually oxidizing.
More from the Historic period
Description
Zuni Polychrome is a historic Pueblo ceramic tradition featuring white or cream slips, black linework, and red or orange painted accents. Designs include curving scrolls, stepped patterns, geometric panels, and stylized birds or plant motifs. Forms include jars with high shoulders, bowls, and canteens.
Size
Jars commonly measure 16–30 cm in height; bowls range 14–28 cm in diameter. Wall thickness is typically 4–7 mm.
Distribution
Produced at Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico and widely exchanged with nearby communities.
Mainly found in
Additional information
Zuni Polychrome develops from earlier Ashiwi traditions and becomes highly refined during the 18th–19th centuries. It remains one of the signature Pueblo ceramic styles.