Ware Name: Cibola-Tusayan Gray Ware

First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2014

Given the similarity of gray wares produced in the Cibola and Tusayan region and absence of production of Tusayan tradition pottery in New Mexico, Tusayan tradition gray ware types are not describe as a separate group. Instead, the Cibola-Tusayan Gray Ware as defined here is presented as a catchall term that refers to the long sequence of gray ware pottery types commonly displaying light colored pastes and sand or sandstone temper. Thus, this group refers gray utility ware forms known to have been produced over extremely large areas of the Southern Colorado Plateau including those commonly occurring across much of the Cibola, Tusayan, and Middle Rio Grande regions. All but the very small number of sand sandstone tempered gray ware types exhibiting characteristics limited to the production of specific region are included in this group particular for later forms produced in southernmost areas of the Cibola region. Sherd temper was also sometimes used in the production of gray wares assigned to this group during later periods. Pastes and surfaces tend to be light gray, gray, to dark gray but are sometimes brown to red. Pastes commonly fire to buff to reddish colors but in some contexts examples firing to yellow-red or red colors may be common and reflect the wide range of clay sources used or wide geographic area over which such gray wares were produced. Gray wares produced in the Puerco Valley and Colorado regions are similar but tend to have very dark pastes reflecting the use high iron clay and common use of sherd temper. Except for the earliest forms, surfaces are not polished, and gray ware types found over a wide area are defined by similar sequences of changes noted across areas of Western and Central regions of the Anasazi.

Related Types

• Chaco P II III Corrugated
• Chaco P III Corrugated
• Coolidge (Chaco Straight Rim) Corrugated
• Kana'a Gray Neckbanded
• Lino Gray
• Obelisk Utility
• Tohatchi Neckbanded