First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2012

Bennet Gray was defined by Wilson and Peckham (1964). This type refers to Chuska gray wares reflecting forms originating from completely smoothed and unpolished vessels similar to those defined for other early gray types such as Lino Gray and Chapin Gray (Wilson and Peckham 1964; Windes 1977). Forms are dominated by jars but may include rare examples of bowls. The rarity and relative lateness of this type as compared to plain gray wares produced in other regions of the Anasazi reflect a relative late shift to the use of trachyte temper in the Chuska Region. It is likely that this type as defined by the use of trachyte temper was not produced prior to A.D. 775 (Windes 1977). Vessel produced in the Chuska regions through most of the Basketmaker III period were tempered with sand or sandstone and thus assigned to the Cibola or Cibola tradition. Without microscopic analysis, dark fragments reflecting the use of sandstone sources with a dark matrix may be mistaken for trachyte tempered Chuska pottery. Many of the plain gray wares exhibiting trachyte temper sometimes assigned to this type appear to have derived from later neck banded types.

References:
Wilson, John P., and Stewart Peckham
1964 Chuska Valley Ceramics. Manuscript on file, Laboratory of Anthropology, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe.

Windes, Thomas C.
1977 Typology and Technology of Anasazi Ceramics. In Settlement and Subsistence Along the Lower Chaco River, edited by C. A. Reher. pp. 270-369, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Related Photos

Bennet Gray sherds

Bennet Gray jar sherds

Bennet Gray jar sherds

Bennet Gray jar sherds

Bennet Gray jar sherds

Bennet Gray Olla