Prescott Buff

BACKGROUND

PERIOD: Chino Phase (Colton, 1939:31-32, James, 1974(112), Higgins, 1997:46)

DATES: 1025-1400 [probably 1150-1400].

DESCRIPTION:

Construction: Coiled.

Thinning: Paddle and anvil.

Finishing: interiors sometimes show anvil marks but some have been smoothed by scraping; exteriors smoothed by hand or light scraping.

Firing: controlled, oxidized atmosphere.

Temper: moderate in size and amount, angular quartz and feldspar of medium size; mica rarely present but can be gold or silver muscovite.

Core Color: generally orange (5YR4.5/4) grading to gray (10YR6/2) on interior edge.

Core Texture: medium, visible particles 0.5mm to 2.0mm

Surface Color: Color: buff (7YR6.5/4) to creamy-white (10YR7/3), slip somewhat fugitive, often polished; occasionally crazed or crackled; some pitting; bases abraded from use.

Firing Clouds: rare.

Thickness: Jar walls 4.5 mm to 14 mm; dismeters 29 cm to 40 cm (average 35 cm). Bottoms of jars may be quite thick, also area of shoulder when made with two-piece construction.

Vessel Forms: Only jars have been observed. Jars have a shoulder which is higher and more rounded than typical Gila shoulder of the Hohokam; some are constructed as the "jar in a bowl" or mold inset form seen in Alameda Brown Ware. A concave decorated band on one jar created a "double shoulder."

Rims: generally rounded and recurved (flared); a few flat.

Decoration and Paint Type: Entire surface thinly slipped buff to creamy-white. Sherds of this type represent unpainted portions of Prescott Red-on-buff pottery.

RANGE: Occurs in the Prescott area.

COMPARISON:

CULTURAL ASSOCIATION: Prescott Culture.

REMARKS:

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