First posted by C. Dean Wilson 2014

Kiet Siel Gray was described by Hargrave (1932). This type reflects forms associated with the return of finishing techniques by potters in the Tusayan region that resulted in the production of gray ware jars with smoothed exteriors during the late thirteenth century.

Pastes and surfaces are light gray to dark gray. Temper seems to consist of abundant opaque angular fragments. Vessel walls are soft and crumble easily. Surfaces are unpolished and very roughly smoothed with scraping marks and incompletely smoothed surfaces (Colton 1955; Colton and Hargrave 1937). This results in bumpy surfaces with striations. Similar forms are common in other areas of the Southwest and seem to reflect widespread alterations in the techniques used construct utility ware vessels.

References:
Colton, Harold S.
1955 Pottery Types of the Southwest No. 3A and 3B. Museum of Northern Arizona Ceramic Series, Flagstaff.

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

Hargrave, Lyndon L.
1932 Guide to Forty Pottery Types from the Hopi Country and the San Francisco Mountains, Arizona. Museum of Northern Arizona, Bulletin 1, Flagstaff.

Related Photos

Kiet Siel Gray jar with handle

Kiet Siel Gray jar

Kiet Siel Gray jar with handle