First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2013

Los Lunas Smudged was defined by Mera (1935). This type refers to the distinct brown smudged utility wares produced in the Rio Abajo region (Marshall and Wait 1984; Mera 1935; Wiseman 1995). Los Lunas Smudged is poorly dated although given the range of types sometimes associated with this type a fairly long period seems to be represented. Such associations seem to indicate a span from at least the early twelfth to middle fourteenth century.

Forms are almost always consist of bowls. Los Lunas Smudged is similar to Reserve Smudged produced in the Mogollon Highlands, except the smudged interior is often more highly polished resulting in an extremely black glossy surface. The other characteristic of type is the presence of extremely fine and elaborately executed indentations and extremely narrow coils. Varied indentation or incised treatments sometimes resulted in vertical and diagonal patterns. Temper consists of very fine volcanic sand or silt and paste is soft and friable.

References:
Marshall, Michael P., and Henry J. Walt
1984 Rio Abajo: Prehistory and History of a Rio Grande Province. New Mexico Historic Preservation Program, Santa Fe.

Mera, H. P.
1935 Ceramic Clues to the Prehistory of North Central New Mexico. Technical Series Bulletin No. 8, Laboratory of Anthropology, Santa Fe.

Wiseman Regge N.
1995 The Belen Bridge Site and the Late Elemendorf Phase of Central New Mexico. Museum of New Mexico, Archaeology Notes 137, Santa Fe.

Related Photos

Los Lunas Smudged bowl sherd

Los Lunas Smudged bowl sherd (exterior surface)

Los Lunas Smudged bowl sherd (interior surface)

Los Lunas Smudged bowl sherds (exterior surface)

Los Lunas Smudged bowl sherds (interior surface)

Los Lunas Smudged jar sherds (exterior surface)

Los Lunas Smudged jar sherds (interior surface)

Los Lunas Smudged bowl