First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2013

Kana-a Black-on-white was described by Hargrave (1932). This type is assigned to white wares exhibiting surface characteristics and designs in thin black organic paint common in pottery produced in the western portion of the Colorado Plateau during the Pueblo I and very early part of the Pueblo II period (Beals and others 1945; Colton and Hargrave 1937; Hays-Gilpin and van Hatesveldt 1998). This type is present in contexts dating from about A.D. 725 to 1000, but it is most common at those dating from about 850 to 900.

Sherds displaying this style are almost always polished with white surfaces. Paste is hard and may crumble when broken. Temper consists of fine sand that most likely derived from sandstone. Forms are most commonly represented by bowls but include gourd shape jars, gourd dippers, seed jars, pitchers, and effigies. Design styles are fairly well executed, consisting of thin widely spaced and somewhat irregular lines, and the design field has a very high ratio of open space between elements (Beals and others 1945; Hays Gilipin and van Harteveldt 1998). Other common elements include stacked chevrons, stepped terraces, connected rows of triangles, flags, and ticked lines. Designs are commonly elaborated by the addition of elements pendant from the banding lines by the insertion of parallel zigzag lines. Units are arranged in a connected motif consisting of a series of thin parallel lines that form wide bands that circle the vessel horizontally. White wares exhibiting pastes indicative of production other regions of the Western Anasazi exhibiting similar styles executed in organic paint include Washington Black-on-gray for the Virgin Kayenta tradition, St Josephs Black-on-white white for the Little Colorado tradition, and Floyd Black-on-gray the San Francisco Mountain tradition.

References:
Beals, Ralph, George Brainerd, and Watson Smith
1945 Archaeological Studies in Northeast Arizona. Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 44:1. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Colton Harold S. and Lyndon L. Hargrave
1937 Handbook of Northern Arizona Pottery Wares. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin No. 11, Flagstaff.

Hargrave, L Lyndon
1932 Guide to Forty Pottery Types from the Hopi Country and the San Francisco Mountains, Arizona. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin, No. 1, Flagstaff.

Hays-Gilpin, Kelley., and Eric van Hartsveldt
1998 Prehistoric Ceramics of the Puerco Valley: The 1995 Chambers-Sanders Trust Lands Ceramic Conference. Museum of Northern Arizona Ceramic Series No.7. The Museum of Northern Arizona,Flagstaff.

Related Photos

Kana'a Black-on-white bowl

Kana'a Black-on-white bowl sherd

Kana'a Black-on-white bowl sherds

Kana'a Black-on-white jar with handle