First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2014

Among the earliest descriptions of discussions of the pottery that was being produced at Acoma by the late nineteenth and early twentieth were by Bunzel (1929). Chapman (1936) also described Acoma Polychromes vessels from various collections. Acoma Polychrome is defined by changes in pottery produced at Acoma Pueblo during the late 19th that still persist in pottery produced at this Pueblo (Frank and Harlow 1990; Harlow 1973; Lammon and Harlow 2013). Acoma Polychrome represent among the most attractive and well-made of any Pueblo pottery still produced.

Pastes exhibit fine textures, and are light gray to white. Temper consists of light colored crushed potsherd. The white slip covering much of the surface tends to flake off. Vessels are well-formed and consistently finished. Curves in the shoulders of jars became sharper. Acoma Polychrome includes examples decorated with both black paint alone and combinations of black and red paint. Designs are characterized by combinations of interconnecting elements. The lowest framing lines were pushed closer to the base of the vessel. The two band design gave way to all-over patterns that included complex and well executed patterns incorporating solid and hachured design elements as well as plant, bird, and animal figures.

References:
Bunzel, Ruth
1929 The Pueblo Pottery. Columbia University Contributions to Anthropology. No, 3, New York.

Chapman, Kenneth
1938 The Pueblo Indian Pottery of the Post Spanish Period. General Series Bulletin No. 4, Laboratory of Anthropology of Anthropology, Santa Fe.

Frank, Larry and Francis H. Harlow
1990 Historic Pottery of the Pueblo Indians 1600-1880. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., West Chester Pennsylvania.

Harlow, Francis H.
1973 Matte Paint Pottery of the Tewa, Keres, and Zuni Pueblos. Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe.

Lammon, Dwight P. and Francis H. Harlow
2013 The Pottery of Acoma Pueblo. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe.

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Acoma Polychrome effigy

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Acoma Polychrome jar

Acoma Polychrome jar

Acoma Polychrome jar